UTILIZING THE SOME TYPE OF ALGAE TO REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

Abstract

Being a greenhouse gas, the increased concentration of CO2 imparts to the global warming problem. There is an international movement to reduce the emission of CO2. Microalgae are gaining considerable attention as a feedstock for CO2 sequestration and biodiesel production. They can be grown away from the croplands and hence do not compromise food crop supplies. The ability of microalgae to capture solar energy and fix CO2 is a promising process for sustainable production of biomass. Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus (green algae), Spirulina platensis (blue algae) may be suitable for CO2 sequestration and biodiesel production due to their faster growth and easier cultivation compared to other strains.

In the present study, these three strains are cultivated with different concentrations of CO2 with characterization of the biodiesel obtained.

The results obtained showed that Scenedesmus obliquus has the higher ability for sequestration of CO2 and conversion of CO2 into lipids since it has better biomass and biodiesel yields than Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis. Characterization of the biodiesel obtained revealed that it fits the international specifications and superior in its cetane number and flash point compared with petroleum diesel.