Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A10]

Harnessing Algae for Carbon Sequestration and Sustainable Biofuel Production

Presenter: Finley Ann Demakis

Faculty Sponsor: Reena Randhir

School: Springfield Technical Community College

Research Area: Biology

ABSTRACT

As human industrial activity and overall presence continue to grow, the need for intervention in our sustainable energy practices becomes more apparent. Not only are we draining finite reserves of fossil fuels for power, we are concurrently jeopardizing the stability of Earth’s climate. The purpose of this research project is to examine the potential of algae to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels and use as a biofuel. A systematic literature review was conducted in Nature and PubMed databases to study the latest scientific publications in this field. Some notable microalga species Nannochloropsis sp., Chlorella vulgaris, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were widely researched for biofuel production since 20-60% of their biomass is lipids. Their productivity is between 30-50 g/m²/day whereas for land crops it is merely 3 g/m²/day. Additionally, 1 kg of  alga can trap 1.6-1.8 kg of CO2 during growth. Genetic engineering and CRISPR editing of lipid synthesis genes such as DGAT (triacylglycerol synthesis) and ACC (fatty acid synthesis) has increased lipid content. In terms of carbon fixation as well, genetic modifications in genes LCIA (Low CO2 Inducible Protein A), and HLA3 (High Light Activated Protein 3) have enhanced the bicarbonate transport and increased CO2 fixation through photosynthesis. However, the main disadvantages when using algae for biofuel is the high cost of cultivation and extraction of biofuels. In conclusion, algae shows significant promise as a renewable energy source and a carbon mitigation strategy, but further technological improvements are required for large-scale application.


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