Growth of oil accumulating microalga Neochloris oleoabundans under alkaline–saline conditions

The effect of elevated pH and salt concentration on the growth of the freshwater microalga Neochloris oleoabundans was investigated. A study was conducted in 24-well plates on the design of a growth medium and subsequently applied in a photobioreactor. An artificial seawater medium with reduced Ca2+ and PO 4 3 - could prevent mineral precipitation at high pH levels. Growth was characterized in this new medium at pH 8.1 and at pH 10.0, with 420 mM of total salts. Specific growth rates of 0.08 h−1 at pH 8.1 and 0.04 h−1 at pH 10.0 were obtained under controlled turbidostat cultivation. The effect of nitrogen starvation on lipid accumulation was also investigated. Fatty acids content increased not only with nitrogen limitation but also with a pH increase (up to 35% in the dry biomass). Fluorescence microscopy gave visual proof that N. oleoabundans accumulates oil bodies when growing in saline conditions at high pH.