Algal biofuel: bountiful lipid from Chlorococcum sp proliferating in municipal wastewater

Algae biofuel have emerged as viable renewable energy sources and are the potential alternatives to fossil-based fuels in recent times. Algae have the potential to generate significant quantities of commercially viable biofuel apart from treating wastewater. Three algal species, viz. Chlorococcum sp., Microcystis sp. and Phormidium sp. proliferating in wastewater ponds were isolated and cultured in the laboratory myxotrophically under similar wastewater conditions. Chlorococcum sp. attained a mean biomass productivity of 0.09 g. I(-1)d(-1) with the maximum `biomass density of 1.33 g I-1 and comparatively higher lipid content of 30.55% (w/w) on the ninth day of the culture experiment. Under similar conditions Microcystis sp. and Phormidium sp. attained mean biomass productivities of 0.058 and 0.063 g I-1 d(-1) with a total lipid content of 8.88% and 18.66% respectively. Biochemical composition (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and phosphates) variations and lipid accumulation studies were performed by comparison of the ratios of carbohydrate to protein; lipid to protein (L/P) and lipid to phosphates using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy which showed higher L/P ratio during the stationary phase of algal growth. Composition analysis of fatty acid methyl ester has been performed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Chlorococcum sp. with higher productivity and faster growth rate has higher lipid content with about 67% of saturated fatty acid dominated by palmitate (36.3%) followed by an unsaturate as linoleate (14%) and has proved to be an economical and viable feedstock for biofuel production compared to the other wastewater-grown species.