Growth Enhancement of Spirulina platensis through Optimization of Media and Nitrogen Sources

Abstract

Spirulina has drawn attention throughout the last decades. It is an essential source of valuable products, such as proteins, phycobilins, carotenoids, phenolics, and unsaturated fatty acids. These products had been used in medicine, pharmaceutical, and agriculture. In this study, the effect of different growth media on Spirulina platensis was studied after the cultivation at optimum growth conditions;continuous light intensity (60 μmol photons m-2s-1), temperature (25 ± 3 ºC), and pH (9.0 ± 0.2). The growth was estimated through 42 days by optical density (OD), cell counting (CC), and chlorophyll contents. The results showed that Kuhl’s medium was the optimum for S. platensis with the highest results, i.e.: (OD), (CC) and Chlorophyll content increased 11.57 times, 19.55 times, and 22.66 times of the initial record, respectively. KNO3 showed the best nitrogen source for S. platensis, where the different parameters of growth elevated to 3.56 times OD, 7.33 times CC, and 1.91 total chlorophyll more than their corresponding control.