Abstract
The present study concerns the value enhancement of the microalga Haslea ostrearia. This marine diatom bears the peculiarity of synthesizing and secreting in the culture medium a blue-green pigment named “marennine”. Anticancer research, cosmetics and aquaculture are the fields concerned with the utilizations of this hydrosoluble pigment. The aim of the study is to compare the pigment productivity obtained with two types of photobioreactors. In the first process, cells are free and recycled in a bioreactor combined with a membrane ultrafiltration equipment (external loop). In the second system, cells are entrapped in a tubular agar gel layer in a photobioreactor of original design. The influence of nitrate concentration and renewal rate is examined. Experiments, conducted on long term periods (up to 40 d) without any external contamination, revealed that marennine productivities of more than 5–7 mg 109 cell−1 d−1 can be reached with both bioreactors. The advantages and drawbacks of each process design are also discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 2 November 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rossignol, N., Lebeau, T., Jaouen, P. et al. Comparison of two membrane – photobioreactors, with free or immobilized cells, for the production of pigments by a marine diatom. Bioprocess Engineering 23, 495–501 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004499900186
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004499900186