Cultivation of Spirulina sp. in Media Containing Different Concentrations of Sodium Bicarbonate

Abstract

Two strains of Spirulina sp., SpT and SpJ, were cultivated in basal media with varying concentrations of Sodium bicarbonate, i.e., 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g./1. Maximum dry matter and protein content of strain SpT, 2586 mg/1 and 67%, respectively was obtained in medium containing 15 g/1 of NaHCO₃, while strain SpJ yielded 2651.5 mg/1, 60% protein at 10 g/1 of NaHCO₃. NaHCO₃ did not only promote the algal growth, but regulate the pH in the medium. In outdoor culture, these two strains grew well at all levels of sodium bicarbogulate , i.e. 5, 10 and 15 mg/1. Strain SpT and SpJ yielded at the average of 4725 mg/1 with 65-69% protein content and 3125 mg/1, with 57-60% protein, respectively.