Effects of Sodium

Bicarbonate on Biomass
and Carbohydrate
Production in
Synechococcus PCC
7002
Carlos Eduardo
de Farias Silva
Carlos Eduardo de Farias Silva*a, Barbara Grisa,
Eleonora Sforzaa, Nicoletta La Roccab, Alberto
Bertuccoa
a Dept of Industrial Engineering, University of
Padova, Italy.
b Dept of Biology, University of Padova, Italy.

Fellowship granted by CNPq

Brazilian Ministry of Education

Introduction

Introduction

Microalgae and
cyanobacteria:

eukaryotic
prokaryotic

BIOFUELS

Photosynthetic
microorganisms

Biodiesel (lipids) ;
Biogas;
Biohydrogen;
Bioethanol (carbohydrates).

Biomass production;
Nutraceutical compounds;
Natural colorants;
Pharmaceutical compounds.

Nutrients are needed for cultivation (C,N,P)

2

Introduction
Costs of CO2 supply are related to technological aspects of
capturing, compressing, transportating, temporary storing and
loss of gas (Chi et al., 2011), and can reach up to 50% of
biomass production costs (Chisti, 2013). Bicarbonate salts can
be used instead of CO2.
Bicarbonate solubility (> 90 g/L
at 25C), makes it attractive
and more efficient than CO2 in
carbon
management
and
energy consumption.

Not all microalgal species are

capable to grow in high
concentrations of bicarbonate
(Substrate Inhibition Osmotic
Imbalance). Cyanobacteria are
good candidates.
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Aim of the work

General:
To
exploit
sodium
bicarbonate
to
cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 7002.

grow

the

Specific:
To study
Biomass Productivity;
Carbohydrates Accumulation;
Kinetic of bicarbonate absorption and cell growth.

Material and Methods

Species: Synechococcus PCC 7002

Operating Conditions:
100 E m-2 s-1;
Basal A medium (Bernstein et al.,
2014);
Temperature at 28C;
pH 8.5;
250 working-volume glass bottles.

Analysis:
Cell concentration by optical density
at 750 nm;
Dry Weight by gravimetry;
Carbohydrates by Antrhone Method
(Morris, 1948);
Nitrate, Bicarbonate and Phosphate
(APHA, 1992).

Sodium Bicarbonate
Concentrations

5.5 and 88 g/L.

Results: Cultivation

Synechococcus PCC 7002

Growth Curves and Rates

44 g/L
88 g/L
22 g/L
11 g/L
5.5 g/L

Sodium Bicarbonate Concentration g/L

Substrate Inhibition

Osmotic Stress

Biomass Production

Probably, loss of cabon as

CO2
Sodium Bicarbonate Concentration g.L-1

Higher Productivity

Bicarbonate Sodium
Concentration (g L-1)
5.5
11
22
44
88

Productivity
(g L-1 day-1)
0.44
0.48

1.12
0.91
0.62

Days to reach
stationary phase
3.6
3.7
3.3
6.6
9.8

Using bicarbonate is an efficient approach to produce biomass

with this cyanobacterium.
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Bicarbonate Wasted

CO2-Bicarbonate-Carbonate Equilibrium

2() + 2

2 3

3 + +

32 + 2 +

(pK1 = 3.6, pK2 = 6.3 pK3 = 10.3)

The automatic pH control (by adding acid) shifts the

equilibrium to the left and a quantity of bicarbonate is lost
as CO2.
The bicarbonate lost was more visible in the experiment
at 88 g/L since a typical Yield Yc/x is 0.5.

Considerable lost of cabon

as CO2

Carbohydrate Production

Sodium Bicarbonate Concentration g/L

It is known that Synechococcus

sp. can accumulate up to 50%
(% DCW) of carbohydrates with
CO2 as a carbon source
(Mollers et al., 2014),
Bicarbonate Sodium Concentration g/L

Using bicarbonate is an efficient approach but not enough to

produce high amounts of carbohydrates.
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Kinetic Model

Model of Substrate Consumption and

Synechococcus Growth

Bicarbonate Absorption Rate

(1)

(Bicarbonate Consumption)

Cell growth Rate

(2)

(Growth)
Substrate Inhibition Model
(Haldane Equation):
=

Bicarbonate Absorption
Sodium Bicarbonate Concentration g/L

Mass Balance
6.9 g sodium bicarbonate
1 g biomass

= 1.50 1
= 6.73 /
= 21.7 /

(3)

2
+ +

Cell growth

= 2.74 1
= 3.44 /
= 28.5 /

Large Scale Perspective

In situ production of bicarbonate and direct distribution in the
cultivation system.

Source: Gris et al., 2014. Development of a process for an efficient exploitation of CO2 captured from flue
gases as liquid bicarbonates for Chlorella protothecoides cultivation. I & EC research.

In this work, the experiments were carried out in batch conditions. In

continuous mode of operation, a lower concentration of sodium
bicarbonate could be necessary, thus reducing inhibition effects.

Conclusions
Synechococcus PCC 7002 was able to absorbe
high amounts of sodium bicarbonate, growing in
concentrations between 5.5 88 g/L;
But, above 22 g/L substrate inhibition started.

This cyanobacterium produced high quantity of

biomass reaching 6 g/L, with a maximum
productivity of 1.12 g/(L day);

As regards carbohydrate content, this method of

carbon exploitation is not enough efficient to
accumulate high contents of carbohydrates;
Probably, the carbon source was still limiting.

A kinetic model based on substrate inhibition was

able to predict the kinetic constants of
bicarbonate absorption and cell growth when
sodium bicarbonate is used.
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Thank you for attention!

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