Authors : Hilal Kargin Yilmaz, Deniz Ayas and Harun Yilmaz
Abstract: Spirulina platensis, cyanobacteria was cultivated in a helical photobioreactor and in a continuous system. Cultivation continued at different salinity ratios (10, 20, 30%) for 10 days. The total volume of the photobioreactor was 24.3 L comprising of 18 L nutrition medium and 6.3 L algae. Each day, the system yielded 10 L of algae and 10 L of nutrition medium was added into the system. At the end of 10 day experiment, the medium reached to1.042x107 filament L-1 from an initial filament density of 7.596x106 filament L-1 at 10% salinity, 7.409x106 filament L-1 from an initial filament density of 7.60x106 filament L-1 at 20% salinity and to 7.381x106 filament L-1 from an initial filament density of 7.62x106 filament L-1 at 30% salinity. Variations in proximate composition of S. platensis occurred due to the different rates of salinity. Carbohydrate, TMS (Total Mineral Substance) and lipid values increased; protein levels decreased in parallel with the increase in salinity. A reduction of approximately 13.05% occurred in the protein values, 26.08% increase in the lipid value, 31.85% increase in TMS and 9.86% increase in carbohydrate values were observed.
Hilal Kargin Yilmaz, Deniz Ayas and Harun Yilmaz, 2010. The Effects of Different Salinity Ratios on Reproductive Rates and Proximate Composition of Spirulina platensis in a Helical Photobioreactor. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 9: 2427-2431.