MASS CULTURE OF MICROCYSTIS UNDER STERILE CONDITIONS

SUMMARY

The design and use of a 601 all-glass culture system for the mass production of Microcystis (or other unicellular algae) under sterile conditions, are described. Bleaching and lysis of the cells could be prevented by controlling the pH and CO₂ concentration of the cell suspension. The cell yield obtained within a week was 8,5 g l⁻¹ fresh mass (total yield: 507,9 g) and 1,02 g l⁻¹ dry mass (total yield: 60,9 g). Fe-free medium was sterilized by filtration before addition of autoclaved FeSO₄.

KEY WORDS:

• Microcystis
• algal mass cultivation
• pH influence
• CO₂ influence
• cell yield