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Brackish Groundwater from Brazilian Backlands in Spirulina Cultures: Potential of Carbohydrate and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Production

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Abstract

The composition of brackish groundwater from Brazilian backlands contains important elements necessary for metabolism in microalgae. This study evaluated the use of 100% brackish groundwater with different amounts of Zarrouk nutrients for Spirulina sp. LEB 18 cultivation. The growth parameters and biomass composition, including the concentrations of proteins, carbohydrates, ash, lipids, and fatty acids, were evaluated. The best growth parameter results were obtained in the assay using 100% brackish groundwater and only 25% of Zarrouk nutrients, which were equal to those obtained for the control culture. The concentrations of carbohydrates and polyunsaturated fatty acids were increased by as much as 4- and 3.3-fold, respectively, when brackish groundwater was used in the cultures. The lipid profile demonstrated that the biomass had the potential for use in biodiesel production. The use of brackish groundwater is a sustainable, economical way to obtain high-quality biomass for different applications during Spirulina sp. LEB 18 cultivation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), MCTIC (Ministry of Science Technology, Innovation and Communications), and the Program to Support the Production of Academic Publications/PROPESP/FURG/2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Jessica Hartwig Duarte & Jorge Alberto Vieira Costa

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

    Lucas Guimarães Cardoso

  3. Department of Bromatological Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

    Carolina Oliveira de Souza & Janice Izabel Druzian

  4. Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Itaciara Larroza Nunes

  5. Laboratory of Microbiology and Biochemistry, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil

    Michele Greque de Morais

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  1. Jessica Hartwig Duarte
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Correspondence to Jorge Alberto Vieira Costa.

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Duarte, J.H., Cardoso, L.G., de Souza, C.O. et al. Brackish Groundwater from Brazilian Backlands in Spirulina Cultures: Potential of Carbohydrate and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Production. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 190, 907–917 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-019-03126-7

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