RESUMO
Carbon dioxide is the major cause of global warming. However, it is a carbon source for phototrophic production of chemicals from microalgae. In this work, a novel flat-panel photobioreactor (FPP) was used for maximization of biomass and lutein production and CO2 fixation by a lutein-rich C. sorokiniana TH01. CO2 concentration, light intensity and aeration rate were optimized as 5%, 150 µmol/m2/s and 1 L/min, respectively. The highest biomass productivity, lutein productivity and CO2 fixation efficiency were measured for indoor single and sequential FPPs were 284 - 469 mg/L/d, 2.57 - 4.57 mg/L/d, and 63 - 100%, respectively. In a climatic condition of 25.5 - 33 °C and 86 - 600 µmol/m2/s, C. sorokiniana TH01 achieved lutein productivity and CO2 fixation efficiency of 2.1 - 3.03 mg/L/d and 56 - 81%, respectively, while the comparable biomass productivity of 284 - 419 mg/L/d was maintained. This pioneered FPP system was efficiently demonstrated for production of algal lutein from CO2.
