A new approach to ammonium sulphate feeding for fed-batch Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis cultivation in tubular photobioreactor.

Arthrospira platensis was cultivated in tubular photobioreactor using different photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) and protocols of (NH₄)₂SO₄ fed-batch supply. Results were evaluated by variance analysis selecting maximum cell concentration (X(m)), cell productivity (P(x)), nitrogen-to-cell conversion factor (Y(X/N)) and biomass, protein and lipid contents as responses. At PPFD of 120 and 240 μmol-photons/m² s, a parabolic profile of (NH₄)₂SO₄ addition aiming at producing biomass with 7% nitrogen content ensured X(m) values (14.1 and 12.2 g/L, respectively) comparable to those obtained with NaNO₃. At PPFD of 240 μmol-photons/m² s, P(x) (1.69 g/Ld) was 36% higher, although the photosynthetic efficiency (3.0%) was less than one-half that at PPFD of 120 μmol-photons/m² s. Biomass was shown to be constituted by about 35% proteins and 10% lipids, without any dependence on PPFD or kind of nitrogen source. These results highlight the possible use of (NH₄)₂SO₄ as alternative, cheap nitrogen source for A. platensis cultivation in tubular photobioreactors.