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Saccardo A, Bezzo F, Sforza E. Microalgae growth in ultra-thin steady-state continuous photobioreactors: assessing self-shading effects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:977429. [PMID: 36032730 PMCID: PMC9402969 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.977429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To disclose the net effect of light on microalgal growth in photobioreactors, self-shading and mixing-induced light–dark cycles must be minimized and discerned from the transient phenomena of acclimation. In this work, we performed experiments of continuous microalgal cultivation in small-scale photobioreactors with different thicknesses (from 2 to 35 mm): working at a steady state allowed us to describe the effect of light after acclimation, while the geometry of the reactor was adjusted to find the threshold light path that can discriminate different phenomena. Experiments showed an increased inhibition under smaller culture light paths, suggesting a strong shading effect at thicknesses higher than 8 mm where mixing-induced light–dark cycles may occur. A Haldane-like model was applied and kinetic parameters retrieved, showing possible issues in the scalability of experimental results at different light paths if mixing-induced light–dark cycles are not considered. To further highlight the influence of mixing cycles, we proposed an analogy between small-scale operations with continuous light and PBR operations with pulsed light, with the computation of characteristic parameters from pulsed-light microalgae growth mathematical modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Saccardo
- CAPE-Lab (Computer-Aided Process Engineering Laboratory), Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Bezzo
- CAPE-Lab (Computer-Aided Process Engineering Laboratory), Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Eleonora Sforza
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Eleonora Sforza,
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2
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Bashir F, Kovács S, Ábrahám Á, Nagy K, Ayaydin F, Valkony-Kelemen I, Ferenc G, Galajda P, Tóth SZ, Sass L, Kós PB, Vass I, Szabó M. Viable protoplast formation of the coral endosymbiont alga Symbiodinium spp. in a microfluidics platform. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2986-2999. [PMID: 35588270 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00130f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Symbiodiniaceae is an important dinoflagellate family which lives in endosymbiosis with reef invertebrates, including coral polyps, making them central to the holobiont. With coral reefs currently under extreme threat from climate change, there is a pressing need to improve our understanding on the stress tolerance and stress avoidance mechanisms of Symbiodinium spp. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen are central players in mediating various stress responses; however, the detection of ROS using specific dyes is still far from definitive in intact Symbiodinium cells due to the hindrance of uptake of certain fluorescent dyes because of the presence of the cell wall. Protoplast technology provides a promising platform for studying oxidative stress with the main advantage of removed cell wall, however the preparation of viable protoplasts remains a significant challenge. Previous studies have successfully applied cellulose-based protoplast preparation in Symbiodiniaceae; however, the protoplast formation and regeneration process was found to be suboptimal. Here, we present a microfluidics-based platform which allowed protoplast isolation from individually trapped Symbiodinium cells, by using a precisely adjusted flow of cell wall digestion enzymes (cellulase and macerozyme). Trapped single cells exhibited characteristic changes in their morphology, cessation of cell division and a slight decrease in photosynthetic activity during protoplast formation. Following digestion and transfer to regeneration medium, protoplasts remained photosynthetically active, regrew cell walls, regained motility, and entered exponential growth. Elevated flow rates in the microfluidic chambers resulted in somewhat faster protoplast formation; however, cell wall digestion at higher flow rates partially compromised photosynthetic activity. Physiologically competent protoplasts prepared from trapped cells in microfluidic chambers allowed for the first time the visualization of the intracellular localization of singlet oxygen (using Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green dye) in Symbiodiniaceae, potentially opening new avenues for studying oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Bashir
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sándor Kovács
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Ágnes Ábrahám
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Nagy
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ferhan Ayaydin
- Cellular Imaging Laboratory, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Valkony-Kelemen
- Cellular Imaging Laboratory, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Györgyi Ferenc
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Péter Galajda
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Z Tóth
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - László Sass
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Péter B Kós
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Imre Vass
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Milán Szabó
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary.
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
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3
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Benner P, Meier L, Pfeffer A, Krüger K, Oropeza Vargas JE, Weuster-Botz D. Lab-scale photobioreactor systems: principles, applications, and scalability. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2022; 45:791-813. [PMID: 35303143 PMCID: PMC9033726 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-022-02711-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Phototrophic microorganisms that convert carbon dioxide are being explored for their capacity to solve different environmental issues and produce bioactive compounds for human therapeutics and as food additives. Full-scale phototrophic cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria can be done in open ponds or closed photobioreactor systems, which have a broad range of volumes. This review focuses on laboratory-scale photobioreactors and their different designs. Illuminated microtiter plates and microfluidic devices offer an option for automated high-throughput studies with microalgae. Illuminated shake flasks are used for simple uncontrolled batch studies. The application of illuminated bubble column reactors strongly emphasizes homogenous gas distribution, while illuminated flat plate bioreactors offer high and uniform light input. Illuminated stirred-tank bioreactors facilitate the application of very well-defined reaction conditions. Closed tubular photobioreactors as well as open photobioreactors like small-scale raceway ponds and thin-layer cascades are applied as scale-down models of the respective large-scale bioreactors. A few other less common designs such as illuminated plastic bags or aquarium tanks are also used mainly because of their relatively low cost, but up-scaling of these designs is challenging with additional light-driven issues. Finally, this review covers recommendations on the criteria for photobioreactor selection and operation while up-scaling of phototrophic bioprocesses with microalgae or cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Benner
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Chair of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Lisa Meier
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Annika Pfeffer
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Konstantin Krüger
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - José Enrique Oropeza Vargas
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Dirk Weuster-Botz
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Chair of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany.
- Technical University of Munich, TUM-AlgaeTec Center, 85521, Taufkirchen, Germany.
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4
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Yang Y, Dong R, Zhang S, Geng J, Wang F, Liu S, Tao L, Li W, Chen C, Qian Z. A microfluidic system for viability determination of microalgae upon disinfectant treatment under continuous flow. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151615. [PMID: 34774954 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The extensive use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) has raised concerns regarding their environmental fate and potential risks to the ecosystem. As sensitive pollution indicators, green microalgae could readily monitor the aquatic toxicity of QACs as reflective of the changes in cell viability. Recent microfluidic-based systems have been designed for environmental biomonitoring and ecotoxicity studies while overall information of cell viability cannot be directly visualized under flowing conditions. In the present study, we developed a multifunctional microfluidic platform with the integration of analytical techniques including laser speckle contrast imaging and fluorescence spectroscopy for monitoring algal activity in response to QAC treatment. The biocidal efficiency of a representative QAC benzalkonium bromide (BAB) on a typical aquatic algae Chlorella vulgaris was determined by collecting the bio-speckles and chlorophyll autofluorescence in real-time, where dose-dependent and time-dependent decrease of algal growth was found with the increase of BAB concentration and interaction time. The integrated system was capable of rapid detection of the aquatic toxicity of QACs along with macroscopical visualization of algal activities under flowing conditions in time-course, which could be extended to future implementation for broad ecotoxicity analysis of versatile environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China.
| | - Rui Dong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Jinfa Geng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Feilong Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Sijia Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Ling Tao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Weitao Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Chunxiao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Zhiyu Qian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
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5
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Széles E, Nagy K, Ábrahám Á, Kovács S, Podmaniczki A, Nagy V, Kovács L, Galajda P, Tóth SZ. Microfluidic Platforms Designed for Morphological and Photosynthetic Investigations of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii on a Single-Cell Level. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020285. [PMID: 35053401 PMCID: PMC8774182 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism of increasing biotechnological importance, yet, the evaluation of its life cycle processes and photosynthesis on a single-cell level is largely unresolved. To facilitate the study of the relationship between morphology and photochemistry, we established microfluidics in combination with chlorophyll a fluorescence induction measurements. We developed two types of microfluidic platforms for single-cell investigations: (i) The traps of the “Tulip” device are suitable for capturing and immobilizing single cells, enabling the assessment of their photosynthesis for several hours without binding to a solid support surface. Using this “Tulip” platform, we performed high-quality non-photochemical quenching measurements and confirmed our earlier results on bulk cultures that non-photochemical quenching is higher in ascorbate-deficient mutants (Crvtc2-1) than in the wild-type. (ii) The traps of the “Pot” device were designed for capturing single cells and allowing the growth of the daughter cells within the traps. Using our most performant “Pot” device, we could demonstrate that the FV/FM parameter, an indicator of photosynthetic efficiency, varies considerably during the cell cycle. Our microfluidic devices, therefore, represent versatile platforms for the simultaneous morphological and photosynthetic investigations of C. reinhardtii on a single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Széles
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, H-6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Nagy
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (K.N.); (Á.Á.); (P.G.)
| | - Ágnes Ábrahám
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (K.N.); (Á.Á.); (P.G.)
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Sciences, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sándor Kovács
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
| | - Anna Podmaniczki
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, H-6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Valéria Nagy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
| | - László Kovács
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
| | - Péter Galajda
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (K.N.); (Á.Á.); (P.G.)
| | - Szilvia Z. Tóth
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; (E.S.); (S.K.); (A.P.); (V.N.); (L.K.)
- Correspondence:
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6
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Täuber S, Schmitz J, Blöbaum L, Fante N, Steinhoff H, Grünberger A. How to Perform a Microfluidic Cultivation Experiment—A Guideline to Success. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:bios11120485. [PMID: 34940242 PMCID: PMC8699335 DOI: 10.3390/bios11120485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
As a result of the steadily ongoing development of microfluidic cultivation (MC) devices, a plethora of setups is used in biological laboratories for the cultivation and analysis of different organisms. Because of their biocompatibility and ease of fabrication, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-glass-based devices are most prominent. Especially the successful and reproducible cultivation of cells in microfluidic systems, ranging from bacteria over algae and fungi to mammalians, is a fundamental step for further quantitative biological analysis. In combination with live-cell imaging, MC devices allow the cultivation of small cell clusters (or even single cells) under defined environmental conditions and with high spatio-temporal resolution. Yet, most setups in use are custom made and only few standardised setups are available, making trouble-free application and inter-laboratory transfer tricky. Therefore, we provide a guideline to overcome the most frequently occurring challenges during a MC experiment to allow untrained users to learn the application of continuous-flow-based MC devices. By giving a concise overview of the respective workflow, we give the reader a general understanding of the whole procedure and its most common pitfalls. Additionally, we complement the listing of challenges with solutions to overcome these hurdles. On selected case studies, covering successful and reproducible growth of cells in MC devices, we demonstrate detailed solutions to solve occurring challenges as a blueprint for further troubleshooting. Since developer and end-user of MC devices are often different persons, we believe that our guideline will help to enhance a broader applicability of MC in the field of life science and eventually promote the ongoing advancement of MC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Täuber
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Julian Schmitz
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Luisa Blöbaum
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Niklas Fante
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
| | - Heiko Steinhoff
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alexander Grünberger
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (S.T.); (J.S.); (L.B.); (N.F.); (H.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Correspondence:
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7
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Zheng X, Duan X, Tu X, Jiang S, Song C. The Fusion of Microfluidics and Optics for On-Chip Detection and Characterization of Microalgae. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:1137. [PMID: 34683188 PMCID: PMC8540680 DOI: 10.3390/mi12101137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that microalgae play an important role in the food, agriculture and medicine industries. Additionally, the identification and counting of the microalgae are also a critical step in evaluating water quality, and some lipid-rich microalgae species even have the potential to be an alternative to fossil fuels. However, current technologies for the detection and analysis of microalgae are costly, labor-intensive, time-consuming and throughput limited. In the past few years, microfluidic chips integrating optical components have emerged as powerful tools that can be used for the analysis of microalgae with high specificity, sensitivity and throughput. In this paper, we review recent optofluidic lab-on-chip systems and techniques used for microalgal detection and characterization. We introduce three optofluidic technologies that are based on fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy and imaging-based flow cytometry, each of which can achieve the determination of cell viability, lipid content, metabolic heterogeneity and counting. We analyze and summarize the merits and drawbacks of these micro-systems and conclude the direction of the future development of the optofluidic platforms applied in microalgal research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Chaolong Song
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; (X.Z.); (X.D.); (X.T.); (S.J.)
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8
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Microalgae Monitoring in Microscale Photobioreactors via Multivariate Image Analysis. CHEMENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/chemengineering5030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Microscale photobioreactors for microalgae growth represent an interesting technology for fast data production and biomass characterization; however, the small scale poses severe monitoring challenges, as traditional methods cannot be used. Non-invasive techniques are therefore needed to quantify biomass concentration and other culture properties, for example, pigment composition. To this purpose, a soft sensing approach based on multivariate image regression is proposed to exploit RGB images and/or PAM-imaging chlorophyll fluorescence. Different PLS (Partial Least Squares) regression models are used to estimate: (a) biomass concentration from the features extracted by RGB indices and/or PAM-imaging chlorophyll fluorescence measurements; and (b) Chlorophyll a content per cell from the features extracted by RGB indices and biomass concentration measurements. Every single model is aimed at characterizing the microalgae culture at different light intensities during batch growth. Results show that the proposed monitoring approach is as accurate as traditional measurement approaches and may represent a promising methodology for fast and inexpensive monitoring of microscale photobioreactors.
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9
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Liu F, Giometto A, Wu M. Microfluidic and mathematical modeling of aquatic microbial communities. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 413:2331-2344. [PMID: 33244684 PMCID: PMC7990691 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-03085-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic microbial communities contribute fundamentally to biogeochemical transformations in natural ecosystems, and disruption of these communities can lead to ecological disasters such as harmful algal blooms. Microbial communities are highly dynamic, and their composition and function are tightly controlled by the biophysical (e.g., light, fluid flow, and temperature) and biochemical (e.g., chemical gradients and cell concentration) parameters of the surrounding environment. Due to the large number of environmental factors involved, a systematic understanding of the microbial community-environment interactions is lacking. In this article, we show that microfluidic platforms present a unique opportunity to recreate well-defined environmental factors in a laboratory setting in a high throughput way, enabling quantitative studies of microbial communities that are amenable to theoretical modeling. The focus of this article is on aquatic microbial communities, but the microfluidic and mathematical models discussed here can be readily applied to investigate other microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangchen Liu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andrea Giometto
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Mingming Wu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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10
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Ozdalgic B, Ustun M, Dabbagh SR, Haznedaroglu BZ, Kiraz A, Tasoglu S. Microfluidics for microalgal biotechnology. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:1545-1563. [PMID: 33410126 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae have expanded their roles as renewable and sustainable feedstocks for biofuel, smart nutrition, biopharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, biosensing, and space technologies. They accumulate valuable biochemical compounds from protein, carbohydrate, and lipid groups, including pigments and carotenoids. Microalgal biomass, which can be adopted for multivalorization under biorefinery settings, allows not only the production of various biofuels but also other value-added biotechnological products. However, state-of-the-art technologies are required to optimize yield, quality, and the economical aspects of both upstream and downstream processes. As such, the need to use microfluidic-based devices for both fundamental research and industrial applications of microalgae, arises due to their microscale sizes and dilute cultures. Microfluidics-based devices are superior to their competitors through their ability to perform multiple functions such as sorting and analyzing small amounts of samples (nanoliter to picoliter) with higher sensitivities. Here, we review emerging applications of microfluidic technologies on microalgal processes in cell sorting, cultivation, harvesting, and applications in biofuels, biosensing, drug delivery, and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berin Ozdalgic
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Advanced Vocational School, Dogus University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Merve Ustun
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sajjad Rahmani Dabbagh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Arcelik Research Center for Creative Industries (KUAR), Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Berat Z Haznedaroglu
- Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey.,Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alper Kiraz
- Department of Physics, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Savas Tasoglu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Arcelik Research Center for Creative Industries (KUAR), Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Cengelkoy, Istanbul, Turkey
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11
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Nedbal J, Gao L, Suhling K. Bottom-illuminated orbital shaker for microalgae cultivation. HARDWAREX 2020; 8:e00143. [PMID: 33442569 PMCID: PMC7786639 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A bottom-illuminated orbital shaker designed for the cultivation of microalgae suspensions is described in this open-source hardware report. The instrument agitates and illuminates microalgae suspensions grown inside flasks. It was optimized for low production cost, simplicity, low power consumption, design flexibility, consistent, and controllable growth light intensity. The illuminated orbital shaker is especially well suited for low-resource research laboratories and education. It is an alternative to commercial instruments for microalgae cultivation. It improves on typical do-it-yourself microalgae growth systems by offering consistent and well characterized illumination light intensity. The illuminated growth area is 20 cm × 15 cm, which is suitable for three T75 tissue culture flasks or six 100 ml Erlenmeyer flasks. The photosynthetic photon flux density, is variable in eight steps ( 26 - 800 μ mol · m - 2 · s - 1 ) and programmable in a 24-h light/dark cycle. The agitation speed is variable ( 0 - 210 RPM ). The overall material cost is around £300, including an entry-level orbital shaker. The build takes two days, requiring electronics and mechanical assembly capabilities. The instrument build is documented in a set of open-source protocols, design files, and source code. The design can be readily modified, scaled, and adapted for other orbital shakers and specific experimental requirements. The instrument function was validated by growing fresh-water microalgae Desmodesmus quadricauda and Chlorella vulgaris. The cultivation protocols, microalgae growth curves, and doubling times are included in this report.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Nedbal
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Lu Gao
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences/Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, D-52428 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University, Universität Straße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Suhling
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
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Castaldello C, Sforza E, Cimetta E, Morosinotto T, Bezzo F. Microfluidic Platform for Microalgae Cultivation under Non-limiting CO 2 Conditions. Ind Eng Chem Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.9b02888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tomas Morosinotto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
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