• 한국해양바이오학회지
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 2023

Microalgae, as photosynthetic organisms, possess the ability to produce a diverse array of bioactive compounds. This study focused on the transformant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii dZL and subjected it to cultivation under varying light intensities (60, 120, 180, and 240 µmol/m²/s). Our aim was to assess the impact of light intensity on both microalgal biomass and carotenoid production. The cultivation took place in 80 mL bubble column photobioreactors, specifically the Multi-cultivator. Notably, the culture exposed to 240 µmol/m²/s exhibited the most rapid cell growth, surpassing even the cell concentration achieved at 180 µmol/m²/s by day 8. A detailed analysis of the specific irradiance rate over time unequivocally revealed a sharp decline in growth rates when the rate fell below 2 × 10^-10 µmol/cell/s. Although the culture with 60 µmol/m²/s yielded the highest carotenoid content (1.2% of dry weight), the culture exposed to 240 µmol/m²/s recorded the highest carotenoid concentration at 8.9 mg/L owing to its higher biomass. Our findings reveal the critical importance of maintaining a specific irradiance rate above 2 × 10^-10 µmol/cell/s to enhance biomass and carotenoid productivity. This study lays the groundwork for defining optimal light intensity conditions applicable to mass culture systems, with the objective of augmenting C. reinhardtii biomass and optimizing carotenoid productivity.