Production of marine microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. using commercial minerals

Algae have the most important role in the production of fresh and marine aquatic animals especially at the stage of larvae culture due to their nutritional and also industrial components such as protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and pigments. Therefore, the researchers trying to improve the production of these micro-activated bio-cells with formulating the new media. This study, aims to investigate production of Nannochloropsis sp. (biomass production) under small scale and batch culture condition, using commercial agriculture fertilizers vs. and analytical grade salts for a period of 20 days. Five different culture media were formulated as treatments. Four concentrations (100, 75, 50 and 25%) of Cooper hydroponic culture media were tested and compared to F/2 medium that is commonly used for microalgae culture. Production of Nannochloropsis sp. Showed better results in 25% medium from eighth to twentieth days of experiment period. In the last day, cell production in treatment with 25% of copper formula (23.45×106±2.001×106 cell/ml) did not show any significant differences than F/2 medium (17.15×106±1.202×106 cell/ml) (P>0.05). The Medium 25% was also highly economic and capable for production of Nannochloropsis sp., since it showed almost 94% (sixteen times) cheaper than F/2 medium (excluding the cost of F/2 analytical grade vitamins) during formulation.