Growth and Chemical Composition of Spirulina Maxima and Spirulina Platensis Biomass at Different Temperatures

The influence of temperature on growth and biomass composition of two species of Spirulina, S. maxima and S. platensis used for food was studied. A 4L fermenter with temperature and agitation control was used to cultivate both species. Under continuous light, maximum cell production of 2.4 g l^–1 was verified for both cultures studied at temperatures above 25 °C: S. maxima (30 °C and 35 °C) and S. platensis (25 °C and 30 °C). An accentuated lag phase was observed for all cultures at lower temperatures (15–20 °C), and a maximum biomass production of 1.5 g l^–1 was achieved. It was also observed that an increase of temperature caused a marked decrease in protein content, while carbohydrate synthesis was stimulated. The concentration of -linolenic acid varied from 11–16% for S. maxima and from 12–14% for S. platensis, at the optimum growth temperatures. Greater culture volumes were also studied in order to compare the performance of glass and plastic containers. At optimum growth temperature, S. maxima produced the same cell growth and similar final biomass composition.