Abstract
The microalgae have been studied for a source of biodiesel production. It is important to select the microalgae, which grows rapidly in local environmental conditions such as temperature range and ingredient of local seawater. The aim of this study was isolating microalga, which has rapid growth rate and high FAME contents in wide temperature ranges, for microalgal offshore cultivation in Korea, one of the country with four distinct seasons. Firstly, we had isolated a green microalga, Tetraselmis sp. KCTC12236BP, which has faster growth rate in low temperature (5 and $10^{\circ}C$) than Tetraselmis suecica and Dunaliella tertiolecta LB999 from Young Heung Island, Incheon, Korea. This microalga was cultivated in outdoor circulated tank photobioreactor (CT-PBR). As a result, this microalga could grow in wide temperature ranges (6 to $29^{\circ}C$), outdoors. After that, the biomass was recovered, and 13.2 g biodiesel could be acquired from 110 g dry biomass. These results indicate that the isolated microalga, Tetraselmis sp. KCTC12236BP is proper to biodiesel production using outdoor cultivation in Korea for all seasons.
