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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

Microalgae concentration using a spiral microfluidic system based on inertial focusing.

Sylvain Capet¹, Ezzahrae Jaafari², Micheline Abbas²

¹Univ Toulouse, IMT Mines Albi, INSA Toulouse, ISAE-SUPAERO, CNRS, ICA, Toulouse, France.

Bioresource Technology

|May 31, 2026

Summary

Microfluidic inertial focusing efficiently concentrates microalgae for biofuel production. This spiral microchannel method significantly increases Chlorella vulgaris concentration, offering energy savings for sustainable biofuel harvesting.

Keywords:

Carbon-neutral fuels Chlorella vulgaris Harvesting Inertial migration Microfluidics

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae

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Published on: July 10, 2015

Microalgae Cultivation and Biomass Quantification in a Bench-Scale Photobioreactor with Corrosive Flue Gases

Microalgae Cultivation and Biomass Quantification in a Bench-Scale Photobioreactor with Corrosive Flue Gases

Published on: December 19, 2019

Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Renewable Energy
Microfluidics

Background:

Microalgae are valuable for high-value compounds and biofuels.
Energy-efficient harvesting is crucial for economic biofuel sustainability.
Microfluidic inertial focusing presents a promising solution for microalgae concentration.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the flow behavior of Chlorella vulgaris in a spiral microchannel.
To analyze microalgae distributions and focusing efficiencies under various flow conditions.
To understand the physical mechanisms of algal cell migration in microfluidic devices.

Main Methods:

Utilized a 6-loops spiral microchannel with a rectangular cross-section.
Employed absorbance measurements for outlet concentration analysis.
Conducted in situ visualizations for microchannel flow dynamics.

Main Results:

Achieved a two-order-of-magnitude increase in Chlorella vulgaris concentration (0.15% to 15% v/v).
Demonstrated rapid focusing of microalgae near the inner channel wall at low concentrations.
Observed microalgae-free regions at higher concentrations, enabling stream separation.

Conclusions:

Optimized spiral microsystems offer energy-efficient microalgae concentration.
Microfluidic inertial focusing can transition microalgae concentrations from bioreactor levels to harvesting levels.
This technology holds potential for further energy optimization in biofuel production.