Effect of fluorescent dye positioning and concentration on the growth parameters and lipid content of Chlorella sp. in a flat panel photobioreactor

In this study, two different concentrations of fluorescent dye Rhodamine 6G (R6G) with two different strategies were used in a double layer flat panel photobioreactor (PBR) for investigation of its effect on growth parameters of microalgae Chlorella sp. Results showed that in the first strategy, when the light passed through the dye before reaching the broth, biomass productivity rate (P) and maximum specific growth rate (µ_max) relative to control case, were increased up to 60 and 23% respectively. Increasing in these parameters were more, for the low dye concentration. Also, in the second strategy, when the light passed through the microalgae before reaching the dye solution, P and µ_max for lower concentration increased about 9 and 15%, respectively. But using high dye concentration growth of the algae was decreased. Furthermore, using R6G caused increase in the lipid and chlorophyll content of the microalgae Chlorella sp.