Enhanced spirulina platensis growth for photosynthetic pigments production in oil palm empty fruit bunch medium

Abstract

S. platensis is a cyanobacterium known for its richness in protein and bioactive compounds, with very captivating therapeutic and nutritional properties. In Cameroon, the medium commonly used for the cultivation of S. platensis is Jourdan's medium which is expensive and less available. Thus, it is necessary to find an alternative medium that is more efficient, less expensive and more available. Nutrients present in agro-industrial by-products can be used to enhance the production of biomass and photosynthetic pigments of S. platensis. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the growth and Photosynthetic pigments productivity of S. platensis on the Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) medium. The culture medium was formulated by distilling different concentrations (0; 2; 4; 6; 8 and 10 g L^-1) of ash from previously dried and incinerated OPEFB medium in distilled water. The highest optical density (1.01 ± 0.09), dry biomass (1.35 ± 0.10 g L^-1) and productivity (0.032 g L^-1d^-1) were recorded on the medium formulated with 8 g L^-1 of the OPEFB compared to the standard (Jourdan medium). The same medium showed the highest content of chlorophyll a (4.96 ± 0.31 mg L^-1), chlorophyll b (2.21 ± 0.16 mg L^-1) and carotenoids (1.43 ± 0.01 mg L^-1). However, the protein (156.1 ± 0.70 mg L^-1) and sugar (4.50 ± 0.43 mg L^-1) contents recorded on the standard medium were significantly high (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the OPEFB medium is a potential medium for S. platensis culture that can replace the expensive and less accessible Jourdan medium.