Comparison of rheological properties of powder Chlorella sp. cultivated in fermentor and pond

Abstract

The current study was conducted to identify the differences in the rheological properties of Chlorella sp. powder cultured in a fermentor and in a pond-like environment. Cells cultured in the same media were harvested and spray dried. The biomass yield from the fermentor culture was 4.7% (dry basis), while that from the pond was 4.3% (dry basis). Measurements of the loose bulk density, tapping test, Hausner's ratio, and compressibility test all revealed differences between the rheological properties of the Chlorella sp. from the two cultivation systems. Although both the fermentor and pond cultured Chlorella sp. showed the same angle of repose, the mean size of the cells was 2.26 μm and 2.89 μm, respectively. The weight of the Chlorella sp. tablets cultured in the fermentor and pond was 0.663 g/tablet and 0.593 g/tablet, respectively, while the friability of the tablets was 21% and 41%, respectively. Observation by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) showed that the cell wall of the Chlorella sp. cultured in the fermentor was thinner and more spherical than that cultured in the pond, thereby providing the main characteristic rheological properties of the powder.