A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms
Climate change brought about by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions has created a critical need for effective CO<sub>2</sub> management solutions. Microalgae are well suited to contribute to efforts aimed at addressing this challenge, given their ability to rapidly sequest...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-07-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/8/1163 |
| _version_ | 1797560729193152512 |
|---|---|
| author | Patrick Ronan Otini Kroukamp Steven N. Liss Gideon Wolfaardt |
| author_facet | Patrick Ronan Otini Kroukamp Steven N. Liss Gideon Wolfaardt |
| author_sort | Patrick Ronan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change brought about by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions has created a critical need for effective CO<sub>2</sub> management solutions. Microalgae are well suited to contribute to efforts aimed at addressing this challenge, given their ability to rapidly sequester CO<sub>2</sub> coupled with the commercial value of their biomass. Recently, microalgal biofilms have garnered significant attention over the more conventional suspended algal growth systems, since they allow for easier and cheaper biomass harvesting, among other key benefits. However, the path to cost-effectiveness and scaling up is hindered by a need for new tools and methodologies which can help evaluate, and in turn optimize, algal biofilm growth. Presented here is a novel system which facilitates the real-time in situ monitoring of algal biofilm CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration. Utilizing a CO<sub>2</sub>-permeable membrane and a tube-within-a-tube design, the CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration monitoring system (CSMS) was able to reliably detect slight changes in algal biofilm CO<sub>2</sub> uptake brought about by light–dark cycling, light intensity shifts, and varying amounts of phototrophic biomass. This work presents an approach to advance our understanding of carbon flux in algal biofilms, and a base for potentially useful innovations to optimize, and eventually realize, algae biofilm-based CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:04:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3f2904e467a45ef97968e44e6bfe00c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:04:37Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3f2904e467a45ef97968e44e6bfe00c2023-11-20T08:37:52ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072020-07-0188116310.3390/microorganisms8081163A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic BiofilmsPatrick Ronan0Otini Kroukamp1Steven N. Liss2Gideon Wolfaardt3Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, CanadaClimate change brought about by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions has created a critical need for effective CO<sub>2</sub> management solutions. Microalgae are well suited to contribute to efforts aimed at addressing this challenge, given their ability to rapidly sequester CO<sub>2</sub> coupled with the commercial value of their biomass. Recently, microalgal biofilms have garnered significant attention over the more conventional suspended algal growth systems, since they allow for easier and cheaper biomass harvesting, among other key benefits. However, the path to cost-effectiveness and scaling up is hindered by a need for new tools and methodologies which can help evaluate, and in turn optimize, algal biofilm growth. Presented here is a novel system which facilitates the real-time in situ monitoring of algal biofilm CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration. Utilizing a CO<sub>2</sub>-permeable membrane and a tube-within-a-tube design, the CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration monitoring system (CSMS) was able to reliably detect slight changes in algal biofilm CO<sub>2</sub> uptake brought about by light–dark cycling, light intensity shifts, and varying amounts of phototrophic biomass. This work presents an approach to advance our understanding of carbon flux in algal biofilms, and a base for potentially useful innovations to optimize, and eventually realize, algae biofilm-based CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/8/1163biofilmsCO<sub>2</sub> sequestrationmicroalgaephotosynthesisreal-time monitoring |
| spellingShingle | Patrick Ronan Otini Kroukamp Steven N. Liss Gideon Wolfaardt A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms Microorganisms biofilms CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration microalgae photosynthesis real-time monitoring |
| title | A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms |
| title_full | A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms |
| title_fullStr | A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms |
| title_short | A Novel System for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration in Photoautotrophic Biofilms |
| title_sort | novel system for real time in situ monitoring of co sub 2 sub sequestration in photoautotrophic biofilms |
| topic | biofilms CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration microalgae photosynthesis real-time monitoring |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/8/1163 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT patrickronan anovelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT otinikroukamp anovelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT stevennliss anovelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT gideonwolfaardt anovelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT patrickronan novelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT otinikroukamp novelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT stevennliss novelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms AT gideonwolfaardt novelsystemforrealtimeinsitumonitoringofcosub2subsequestrationinphotoautotrophicbiofilms |