Production of Spirulina biomass: Effects of environmental factors and population density

The effects of environmental conditions (solar irradiance and temperature) and population density on the production of Spirulina biomass are reported for cultures grown in outdoor ponds. Both the specific rate of photosynthesis, expressed on a chlorophyll basis, and the rate of respiration, on a protein basis, decreased as algal concentration increased. Higher specific growth rates were observed at lower population densities. Lower growth rates were associated with the light limitation in dense cultures for optimum conditions in the summer. Seasonal variation was observed in productivity. In summer light was the limiting factor whereas in winter the low daytime temperature appeared to impose the major limitation. It was found that the oxygen concentration in the culture can serve as a useful indicator of limiting factors and can also be used as a means of estimating the extent of such limitations.