Effective utilization of transmitted light for astaxanthin production by Haematococcus pluvialis

A new cultivation method, in which physiological responses of Haematococcus pluvialis to different intensities and wavelengths of illuminating light are utilized, is proposed. In this method, light transmitted through a cultivation vessel illuminated from the opposite side was utilized for the early-phase cultivation of H. pluvialis in another inoculated vessel that was located behind the cultivation vessel, to save time required for the growth of cells. After harvesting cells from the front vessel, the vessel that was originally behind was shifted to the position of the front vessel. The abrupt increase in light intensity caused by shift of the position induced the effective accumulation of astaxanthin. These procedures for inoculation, shift of vessels and harvest were repeated using two vessels arranged in series along the light path. After four repeated cycles of cultivation (840 h from the start of cultivation), using 2.5 cm thick vessels, astaxanthin production per unit volume and the astaxanthin content were higher than obtained in a batch cultivation with two 2.5 cm vessels.