Attached cultivation of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 on selected solids and the effect of surface properties on attachment

Attachment of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 was tested on certain materials. A criterion for selection of materials was used to choose seven materials. The amount of S. sp. LX1 attached on polyurethane foam was 51.74 mg/L. Materials’ surface influenced the attachment of microalgae. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties also affected the attachment of S. sp. LX1. Attached cultivation systems in the literature do not present a methodology to screen materials for microalgal growth. Hence, a method is needed to find suitable materials for attached cultivation that may enhance attachment of microalgae. In this paper, we have tested seven materials culturing Scenedesmus sp. LX1 (S. sp. LX1) to evaluate the attachment of microalgae on the material surface, its growth in suspension phase and the properties of the materials. Two materials showed attachment of S. sp. LX1, polyurethane foam and loofah sponge, and allowed microalgae to grow both in the surface of the material and suspended phase. Polyurethane foam proved to be a good material for attachment of S. sp. LX1 and the amount of attached microalgae obtained was 51.73 mg/L when adding 100 pieces/L. SEM images showed that the surface and the pore size of the materials affected the attachment of the microalgae, increasing its attachment in scaffold-like materials. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of the materials also affected the attachment of microalgae. This research can be used as a methodology to search for the assessment of a material suitable for attachment of microalgae.