Design and Evaluation of a Photobioreactor for Carbo Capture and Mitigation Using Microalgae

Abstract

CO2 is the main contributor to the global warming crisis. Among various existing carbon-capture technologies, microalgae based biological carbon-capture is a promising and energy efficient technology. Microalgae are gaining attention for bridging carbon mitigation and bioenergy production. Its biomass is considered as a CO2-neutral substitute for fossil fuel resulting from the net transfer of atmospheric CO2 into biomass. This study presents an assessment of carbon dioxide assimilation and subsequent biomass generation in Scenedesmus species of green algae. The experimental setup includes a 1% supply of CO2 using a photobioreactor compared with a column with no CO2 output. Results revealed significant growth of microalgae at elevated CO2 (1%) compared to zero CO2 supplementation. The strategy developed here could be a suitable alternative in a carbon intensive industry towards carbon mitigation and sequestration. Additionally, we observed a higher synthesis of protein in Scenedesmus grown in an enriched carbon environment, with a concentration of 164.34 μg/mL. These proteins can also be harvested to formulate a protein enriched nutraceutical.