CBE 251 Design Challenge

PreParley I: Algal Strain

When you think of algae, you probably think of the thick, slimy moss that you see in a river.
You might think of the green gunk nuisance that gets stuck to your fishing lure. You might even
think of the large seaweed that touches your toes if you are swimming in the ocean (no, it wasn’t
a shark!). However, you will soon learn that algae is so much more than that and that it can be
used to create biofuels.
To begin this design challenge, you will focus your research primarily on the algal strain you will grow
from your focal area (i.e. growth, harvest or extraction)

Focal Area: Harvest

1. List below the criteria, in order of importance, that you will use to compare different strains. Consider
from your focal area.
• Cost of harvest (energy & money)
• Ability to react with flocculants
• Cohesion properties
• Density of valuable vs waste product

2. Now consider the advantages and disadvantages of growing three different types of algal strains.
Again, consider from your focal area.

Type 1: Botryococcus braunii (Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae, Botrycoccaceae)

Pros Cons
• Low density- floats to the top of water • Little known about lifecycle
• N-heptane and hexane can be used for • May occur as single cells making
extraction more work to harvest
• 61% of dry weight hydrocarbons vs • Sexual reproduction has never been
observed and vegetative reproduction
5% in most other strains (more
is by autospores.
product with less harvest costs)
• Accumulates hydrocarbons in the
ECM allowing for collection without
harvesting the cells (saves energy
costs!)

Type 2: Chlorella vulgaris

Pros Cons
• Thick cell walls • Not very dense, doesn’t sediment easily
• Heavy metals resistant • Carbon fixation variable dependent on
• Good carbon fixation conditions
• • Sugar composition of cell walls

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CBE 251 Design Challenge

Type 3: Scenedesmus obliquus

Pros Cons
• Sediments within 24 hours • Better yields in deeper water
• Non motile • Small
• Capable of biofiltration • Needs light for higher yield
• •

My Choice: Botryococcus braunii (Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae, Botrycoccaceae)

Citations
Below is where you will cite your sources in Nature format. See example citations on
WileyPlus.
Citation 1 Borowitzka, A. Microalgae in Health and Disease Prevention: Biology of Microalgae.
(2018). At < https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-
sciences/botryococcus-braunii > (Accessed: 5th September 2019)

Citation 2 Eduardo B. Biofuels from Algae (second edition): Potential carbon fixation of
industrially important microalgae. (2019).
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/chlorella-vulgaris > (Accessed: 5th
September 2019)

Citation 3 1. Mandal, S. & Mallick, N. Biodiesel Production by the Green Microalga in a

Recirculatory Aquaculture System. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 78, 5929 LP – 5934 (2012).

Citation 4

Etc.

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