The growth and lipid accumulation of four microalgae i.e., freshwater
Chlorella sp., marine Chlorella sp., Nannochloropsis sp. and
Cheatoceros sp. were studied under photoautotrophic, heterotrophic
and mixotrophic cultivation (Fig. 1). In this study, 2 g/L of glucose
was used as a carbon source in heterotrophic and mixotrophic
cultures. Although the light was not provided, the microalgae could
grow under heterotrophic condition and gave a comparable cell
concentration to that under photoautotrophic condition. This suggests
their potential to be cultured without light and to use glucose
as a carbon source. Moreover, the growth of all strains was much
improved when they were cultivated under mixotrophic condition.
Comparison between four strains, the growth of freshwater