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Morpho-taxonomic, genetic, and biochemical characterization of freshwater microalgae as potential biodiesel feedstock

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Abstract

In the present study, seven axenic fresh water microchlorophytes were isolated and identified as Tetradesmus dimorphus (NEIST BT-1), Chlorella sorokiniana (NEIST BT-2), Desmodesmus sp. (NEIST BT-10), Selenastrum sp. (NEIST BT-A6), Tetradesmus obliquus (NEIST BT-A1), Tetradesmus sp. (NEIST BT-A10), and Asterarcys sp. (NEIST BT-A15) based on morphological and molecular characterization. Their potential to be used as biodiesel feedstock was evaluated depending on their growth characteristics and lipid profiles. Among the seven isolates, NEIST BT-2 was found to be the most promising candidate owing to its high biomass yield (2.09 ± 0.037 g L−1) and lipid productivity (107.60 ± 10.175 mg L−1 day−1). The gas chromatography analysis confirmed the presence of significant amounts of palmitic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid in the isolate which are some of the major constituents of any biodiesel. The predictive models showed that the biodiesel from this isolate has ideal fuel properties which comply with the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 specifications. These findings demonstrate that NEIST BT-2 can be used as a prospective candidate for consideration of large-scale biodiesel production.

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Abbreviations

ASTM:

American society for testing and materials

BP:

Biomass productivity

CFPP:

Cold filter plugging point

CN:

Cetane number

CP:

Cloud point

DCM:

Dry cell mass

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

DU:

Degree of unsaturation

EN:

European Standards

FAME:

Fatty acid methyl ester

FID:

Flame ionization detector

GCV:

Gross calorific value

IV:

Iodine value

LC:

Lipid content

LCSF:

Long-chain saturated factor

LP:

Lipid productivity

MUFA:

Monounsaturated fatty acid

NCV:

Net calorific value

OD:

Optical density

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

SFA:

Saturated fatty acid

SV:

Saponification value

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported with funds from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi in the form of research grants from BioEn (CSC-0116, FTT-2001). Technical support was received from Dr. B. L. A Prabhavathi Devi, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad for performing the fatty acid profiling of the strain using gas chromatography.

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Correspondence to Hari Prasanna Deka Boruah.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Sehgal, A., Goswami, K., Pal, M. et al. Morpho-taxonomic, genetic, and biochemical characterization of freshwater microalgae as potential biodiesel feedstock. 3 Biotech 9, 137 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-019-1664-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-019-1664-1

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