ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL OF MINKERY WASTEWATERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DUNALIELLA SALINA AND β-CAROTENE.

Abstract

Dunaliella salina is a species of green microalgae most prominently known for its ability to accumulate large quantities of β-carotene. As part of this study, mink wastewater was incorporated as a nutrient medium as a means of stimulating growth and reducing costs. Mink wastewater, when compared with standard Bold’s Basal Medium saw no significant differences between the nutrient sources in terms of growth (P-value 0.880). This represents a savings of 0.21 CAD per litre of growth medium used at laboratory scale. Following the growth period, a light stress condition of 13 500 lux was introduced using LED bulbs and achieved a maximum β-carotene accumulation of 14.33% of total biomass in lower density cultures. For higher density cultures, maximum β-carotene accumulation would require an increase in illuminance. While Dunaliella salina was able to grow photoautotrophically and mixotrophically it demonstrated an inability to grow heterotrophically in mink wastewater.