This study was designed to examine carbon utilization within scalable microalgae production systems. Neochloris oleoabundans was produced in replicated troughs containing BG11 nutrient formulation. Atmospheric CO(2) was supplemented with ∼5% CO(2) or with NaHCO(3), and the pH of troughs receiving NaHCO(3) was adjusted with HCl or H(3)PO(4). Peak biomass concentrations reached 950, 1140, or 850 mg L(-1) and biomass productivities of 109, 96, and 74 mg L(-1) day(-1) were achieved in the CO(2), NaHCO(3):HCl and NaHCO(3):H(3)PO(4) troughs, respectively. The highest productivity is expected in a scaled-up continuous batch process of the CO(2) supplemented system, which was projected to yield 8948 L lipids ha(-1)yr(-1). Carbon utilization in the CO(2), NaHCO(3):HCl and NaHCO(3):H(3)PO(4) systems was ∼0.5, 15.5, and 12.9%, while the energy content of the combustible biomass was 26.7, 13.2, and 15.4 MJ kg(-1), respectively. Techno-economic analyses of microalgal production systems should consider efficiencies and cost-benefit of various carbon sources.
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