CULTIVATION SYSTEMS FOR CYANOBACTERIA SPIRULINA PLATENSIS

Abstract

Cyanobacteria Spirulina platensis is a cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue - green algae, cyanobacteria), multicellular and filamentous, consisting of many unbranched cylindrical cells. Current platforms for cultivating S. platensis can be predominantly categorized as the open pond (OP) and the photobioreactor (PBR) systems. The OP system is very simple, requires minimal maintenance to operate, and has low investment costs. OP systems have lower productivities than PBR systems (De và cs., 2014). The PBR offers a closed system that minimizes loss from evaporation and contamination, but the closed system requires the use of temperature control and constant maintenance to remove algae agglomeration as well as better exposure of cells to nutrients, light and CO₂ (Mata và cs., 2010). In the current review, we aim to introduce the reproductive characteristics, growth of cyanobacteria S. platensis as well as the open pond and photobioreactor systems for cultivating S. platensis.