The Cultivation of Tetraselmis spp. in Desalination Brines for Sustainable Biomass and Feed Production

Ana Cristina Wright Ramirez

Desalination brines represent a potentially valuable resource for microalgae cultivation, offering an opportunity to integrate wastewater valorisation with biomass production for high-value applications. This study investigated the growth and biochemical responses of two Tetraselmis species cultivated in five brine treatments under standard and ammonia-modified media conditions. The salinities of the brine treatments tested were 2.1%, 3.4%, 3.6%, 3.9%, 3.7% and 6.3%. Growth performance, together with protein, carbohydrate, and lipid content, was assessed to determine the suitability of brine-grown biomass for potential aquaculture feed applications. Both Tetraselmis species maintained growth across the brine treatments, indicating a degree of tolerance to saline cultivation conditions. Growth responses were influenced by both salinity and nitrogen source, although the magnitude and direction of these effects differed between species. Tetraselmis suecica generally achieved greater biomass production and performed best under lower-salinity brine treatments (produced a maximum yield of 1.458 g/L ± 1.458 under 2.1%) whereas T. chuii showed greater tolerance of intermediate to higher salinities (produced1.1300 g/L ± 0.06662 under 6.3%) . Nitrate consistently supported higher specific growth rates, productivity, and biomass accumulation than ammonia, indicating that it remains the preferred nitrogen source for biomass-focused cultivation. In contrast, ammonia promoted increased lipid accumulation under higher salinity conditions, particularly in T. chuii, suggesting a trade-off between growth and biochemical composition. Salinity had limited effects on overall biochemical composition, indicating considerable physiological plasticity in both species. These findings demonstrate that desalination brine can successfully support the cultivation of Tetraselmis species and highlight the importance of species-specific optimisation of salinity and nitrogen conditions. The study further suggests that saline waste streams may represent a valuable resource for sustainable microalgal production, with potential applications in aquaculture feed production and the development of resource-efficient cultivation systems.

The Cultivation of Tetraselmis spp. in Desalination Brines for Sustainable Biomass and Feed Production

Files and links (1)

Abstract

Details

Metrics