PLASTIC BAG OPTIMIZATION FOR ALGAE GROWTH

NORNISRIN BINTI MOHAMED RAZALI

ALGAE GROWTH NEEDS

Light

Salinity

Aeration and mixing

ALGAE

Temperature

pH

POTENTIAL ALGAE FOR BIODIESEL

Chlorella sp. Lipid content in microalgae ranges from 1 to 70% but the lipid content can
be up to 90% of dry weight under certain circumstance.

accumulated high levels of fatty acids under nitrogen starvation conditions,

reaching 39% of dry cell weight and the proportion of the oleic acid (18:1) and linoleic acid (18:2) reaching 54% of total fatty acids

LAGRGE SCALE ALGAE GROWTH

There are two practicable way in large scale algae growth which are raceway ponds and
photo-bioreactor. Raceways are distinguish to be low cost compared to bioreactors due to less building and operating cause. However, the productivity of biomass is lower than photo-bioreactor productivity. The advantages of PBRs based on its design are: its offer a better control for growth parameters (pH, temperature, mixing, CO2 and O2) and culture conditions, keep evaporation from happen, minimize CO2 losses, permit to attain higher microalgae cell concentrations or densities, greater volumetric productivities, averting contamination or lessen invasion by competing microorganisms and provide more safe and protected environment.

WEATHER CONDITION IN MALAYSIA

In Kuala Lumpur, the average of rainy day is 195 days per year. The humidity is 70-90% The monsoon usually between October to January

NASA PROJECT
NASA invested 10 million for the two years project of floating sewage-filled
plastic bags for algae growth which its acronym is OMEGA, for offshore membrane enclosure for growing algae.

OMEGA is semi permeable to allow osmosis process to happen. Designed to be last up to 3 years and are recyclable as plastic mulch or used
to help retaining soil moisture and improve soil quality.

Fellows NASAs researchers are still working on designing the plastic bags
that capable of withstanding pounding waves and cold temperature without becoming too brittle for osmosis activity