There are several factors to consider when choosing the strain
of algae to be used for biofuel production. Dunaliella tertiolecta
(D. tertiolecta) was used in this study because it can utilize inorganic
nutrients present in saltwater, wastewater or brackish water
along with sunlight to produce biomass using CO2 as a carbon
source. Also, it is a motile species that has a high tolerance to salt,
temperature and light and the microorganism is relatively easy to
cultivate and has a relatively high growth rate and lipid content.
The objective of the study is to elucidate the effect of light source
and intensity, photoperiod and CO2 concentration on microalgae
growth for its potential for biofuel production, as well as to quantify
the lipid content of D. tertiolecta and determine the quality of
the resultant fatty acid methyl ester (FAME).