The marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum can accumulate up to 30% of the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and, as such, is considered a good source for the industrial production of EPA. However, P. tricornutum does not naturally accumulate significant levels of the more valuable omega-3 LC-PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Previously, we have...

Abstract In this paper the preparations are described to develop a production of oil rich microalgal biomass under south European conditions. Ten species were compared in shake flasks an incubator for potential production. Potential capacity was assayed as maximum total fatty acid (TFA) concentration and volumetric TFA productivity. ranged from 5 40% DW while productivity rate 0 204 mg L ?1 day...

This paper is devoted to the study of a one-dimensional optimal control problem of Lagrange type under periodic constraints. The system is governed by a Kolmogorov equation including a control term. We show that the set of initial conditions for which there exists a control such that the associated trajectory is periodic is an interval. Thanks to Pontryagin Maximum Principle, we characterize op...

In this paper we predict and optimize the biomass surface productivity of microalgae in continuous culture under a constant light source. Surface biomass is identified as a key variable for assessing productivity: we provide both a mathematical and intuitive explanation. For reaching maximal productivities, biomass surface concentration must be such that growth at the culture bottom (assuming a...

Lipid productivity of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was studied in a customized laboratory scale photobioreactor. Lipid yield increased when C. pyrenoidosa was subjected to stress conditions like different nitrogen sources, light intensities and modes of cultivation. It was observed that the growth rate of C. pyrenoidosa was directly proportional to light intensity and nitrogen concentrations. Of the t...