Optimization studies of biomass production and protein biosynthesis in a <i>Spirulina</i> sp. isolated from an oilpolluted flame pit in the Niger Delta

Abstract

Using a modification of the Bangladesh 3 medium, dose response analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of certain parameters on biomass production and protein biosynthesis in a Spirulina sp.
isolated from an oil-polluted flame pit. A set of conditions described as optimized was compared with another set of conditions described as normal. The optimized parameters include pH 9.0, temperature
30oC, 0.30 mg/L SO4-2, 0.008 mg/L P043-, 2.0 g/L HC03
-, 25 mg/L N032-, 1.0% Cl- and light intensity 15 ìEm-
2s-1. Agitation was achieved through aeration using an aquarium pump to supply air at ca 150 bubbles min-1. Biomass and protein produced were significantly (P = 0.05) higher in the optimized than in the
normal condition; that is, biomass and protein produced in optimized condition were 22.7 and 25.8%, respectively, higher than those produced in normal growth condition. The total amino acid
concentration in optimized condition was 58.7% higher than in normal conditions. These results show  that cultivating the Spirulina species at these optimized environmental conditions could significantly
improve biomass yield and protein synthesis in the organism.