Attached cultivation of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 on selected solids and the effect of surface properties on attachment

Highlights

Attachment of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 was tested on certain materials.

A criterion for selection of materials was used to choose seven materials.

The amount of S. sp. LX1 attached on polyurethane foam was 51.74 mg/L.

Materials’ surface influenced the attachment of microalgae.

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties also affected the attachment of S. sp. LX1.

Abstract

Attached cultivation systems in the literature do not present a methodology to screen materials for microalgal growth. Hence, a method is needed to find suitable materials for attached cultivation that may enhance attachment of microalgae. In this paper, we have tested seven materials culturing Scenedesmus sp. LX1 (S. sp. LX1) to evaluate the attachment of microalgae on the material surface, its growth in suspension phase and the properties of the materials. Two materials showed attachment of S. sp. LX1, polyurethane foam and loofah sponge, and allowed microalgae to grow both in the surface of the material and suspended phase. Polyurethane foam proved to be a good material for attachment of S. sp. LX1 and the amount of attached microalgae obtained was 51.73 mg/L when adding 100 pieces/L. SEM images showed that the surface and the pore size of the materials affected the attachment of the microalgae, increasing its attachment in scaffold-like materials. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of the materials also affected the attachment of microalgae. This research can be used as a methodology to search for the assessment of a material suitable for attachment of microalgae.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Attached cultivation / Microalgae / Material properties / Polyurethane / Scenedesmus

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51738005). The Collaborative Innovation Center for Regional Environmental Quality also supported this research. Thanks to Mr. Miguel Fialho for proofreading and his insights in the writing of this manuscript.

Author’s contributions

V. Deantes is currently working on the attachment of microalgae on scaffold-like materials and their properties. The experimental work of this study and the writing work of the manuscript are mainly completed by V. Deantes. T-Y. Zhang and X-X. Wang helped to design the experiment, participate the discussion and provide critical revision for the manuscript. Y. Wu provided important intellectual content and contributed to the attachment technology proposed. H-Y. Hu is the corresponding author. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.

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