Modeling Synechococcus Sp. Growth Under Different Light Regimes

A cyanobacterium specie, Synechococcus sp. was cultured in a photobioreactor equipped with internal illumination system. Different light irradiances were implemented with internal illumination to the photobioreactor and the cell culture was measured during growth period. With increase of light irradiance before photoinhibition, growth of cells along with maximum optical density, maximum growth rate and biomass productivity have increased. The photoinhibition was occurred at higher light irradiance of 250  E m-2s-1 that caused decrease in cells growth, their optical density and biomass production. Maximum optical density of 5.91 was reached in an 80-day period of growth without photoinhibition. With a modified Monod function, experimental data was successfully modeled.