Impact of 3D printing materials on mircoalga Chlorella vulgaris

3D printing represents a key enabling technology in designing photobioreactors. It allows rapid prototyping of complex geometries at an affordable price. Yet, no study dealt with the biocompatibility of 3D printing material with microalgae. Thus microalga Chlorella vulgaris was cultivated in contact with different 3D printing materials (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styren - ABS, PolyCarbonate Blend - PC-Blend, PolyLactic acid - PLA, and acrylate methacrylate resin). Cell status was analyzed using flow cytometry, fluorometry, and pigment profiling. Results revealed that acrylate methacrylate resin material inhibits growth, a constant rise in intracellular reactive oxygen species, and a decrease in photosynthetic apparatus functioning. On the contrary, ABS, PC-Blend, and PLA led to nominal perfromances. Nevertheless, PLA was the only material that did not induce an early onset of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Therefore, resin can be ruled out as photobioreactor material, ABS and PC-Blend could be used after a curation period, and PLA induces no detectable perturbations by the means used in this study.