The growth and biochemical content of Chlorella vulgaris in batch culture during an interval of two weeks are evaluated in the present investigation. With fresh weight increasing from 250 mg to 490 mg and dry weight from 9.3 mg to 18.6 mg, biomass exhibited exponential growth, indicating ideal culture conditions for cell proliferation. Significant metabolic improvements were identified by biochemical analyses: total soluble sugars increased by 34% (2.727 to 3.667 mg), starch by 32% (3.550 to 4.673 mg), lipids by 24% (6.317 to 7.860 mg), and proteins by 20% (15.69 to 18.925 mg), indicating enhanced nitrogen assimilation, anabolic metabolism, and carbon fixation. Improved light-harvesting efficiency and stress tolerance were also indicated by an increase in photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a (33%, 1.033 to 1.372 mg), chlorophyll b (23%, 0.493 to 0.608 mg), total chlorophyll (30%, 1.527 to 1.980 mg), and carotenoids (15%, 0.127 to 0.146 mg). These results suggest that C. vulgaris biomass and biochemical productivity may be effectively increased in laboratory conditions.
Introduction
Algae are photosynthetic organisms found in diverse habitats, ranging from freshwater and marine environments to extreme conditions like hot springs and snow. They play a vital ecological role as primary producers in the food chain. Among algae, Chlorella vulgaris, a unicellular green microalga from the Chlorophyceae family, is widely cultivated and utilized in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, health foods, and animal feed due to its rich content of proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals. Algal polysaccharides and lipids also have potential applications as bioactive compounds and renewable alternatives to fossil oils.
In this study, Chlorella vulgaris samples were collected from Galtaji pond (Jaipur, India) and cultivated under laboratory conditions. Growth was monitored via optical density, fresh weight, and dry weight over two weeks, showing significant biomass accumulation: fresh weight increased from 250 mg to 490 mg, and dry weight from 9.3 mg to 18.6 mg, indicating favorable culture conditions.
Biochemical analysis revealed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Quantitative assessment showed substantial increases: total soluble sugars (+34%), starch (+32%), lipids (+24%), and proteins (+20%). Photosynthetic pigments also improved: chlorophyll-a (+33%), chlorophyll-b (+23%), total chlorophyll (+30%), and carotenoids (+15%), reflecting enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, energy storage, and stress resistance.
Conclusion
Over the duration of two weeks, the laboratory cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris produced significant biomass accumulation and biochemical improvements, highlighting the culture media\'s suitability for microalgae development. Elevated amounts of soluble sugars, starch, lipids, and proteins, together with exponential increases in fresh and dry weights, demonstrate effective photosynthetic carbon partitioning, anabolic changes, and metabolic activity. Better photosynthetic machinery and resistance to oxidative stress are further confirmed by parallel increases in chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. These findings point to C. vulgaris as a viable option for scalable biomass generation in environmental biotechnology applications like bioremediation or bioenergy, and they are consistent with usual batch culture dynamics.
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