Effectiveness of Anorganic Fertilizers in Enhancing Chlorella sp. Productivity on a Laboratory Scale

https://doi.org/10.22146/jfs.118251

Iskandar Iskandar(1*), Niken Tunung Murti Pratiwi(2), Majariana Krisanti(3), Inna Puspa Ayu(4)

(1) Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
(2) Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
(3) Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
(4) Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that serve as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems and have the potential to be developed as a source of economically valuable biomass. One of the most widely cultivated microalgae is Chlorella sp. because of its rapid growth and high nutritional content. The availability of balanced nutrients in the culture medium strongly influences the successful cultivation of Chlorella sp. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of urea, ZA, and TSP technical fertilizers at an N:P ratio of 7.2:1 in supporting Chlorella sp. productivity at the laboratory scale. The study was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design with repeated observations over time, comprising one control treatment with Dahril solution medium and five technical fertilizer combination treatments at different concentrations. The results showed that the highest cell abundance was obtained in the control treatment (K), reaching 12.54 × 10⁶ cells/mL, with a specific growth rate of 0.355 d⁻¹ and an absorbance value of 1.289. Among the technical fertilizer treatments, treatment four (P4), consisting of 203.76 mg/L ZA, 92.76 mg/L urea, and 27.48 mg/L TSP, produced the highest cell abundance, reaching 11.28 × 10⁶ cells/mL, with a specific growth rate of 0.339 d⁻¹ and an absorbance value of 1.207. The relationship between cell abundance and absorbance showed a very strong correlation, with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.9678. These results indicate that the combination of urea, ZA, and TSP technical fertilizers at an N:P ratio of 7.2:1, particularly in treatment P4, has the potential to serve as an alternative nutrient medium to support Chlorella sp. productivity.


Keywords


Cell abundance; High nutritional content; microalgae growth; specific growth rate; unicellular

Full Text:

PDF


References

Albrecht, M., S. Khanipour Roshan, L. Fuchs, U. Karsten & R. Schumann. 2022. Applicability and limitations of high-throughput algal growth rate measurements using in vivo fluorescence in microtiter plates. Journal of Applied Phycology. 34 (4): 2037-2049. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-022-02778-z

American Public Health Association (APHA). 2017. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater 3rd edition.

Andersen, R.A. 2005. Algal Culturing Techniques. Elsevier Academic Press.

Barari, F., M.E. Gabrabad & Z. Bonyadi. 2024. Recent progress on the toxic effects of microplastics on Chlorella sp. in aquatic environments. Heliyon. 10 (12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32881

Chilmawati, D. & Suminto. 2008. Penggunaan media pemeliharaan yang berbeda terhadap pertumbuhan Chlorella sp. Jurnal Saintek Perikanan. 4 (1): 42-49. https://doi.org/10.14710/ijfst.4.1.42-49

Dahril, T., A. Mulyadi & Eddiwan. 2022. Applied technology to absorb CO2 to produce O2 and biomass Chlorella using dahril bottle. Modern Agricultural Science and Technology. 8 (1-6): 30-34. http://www.academicstar.us/issueshow.asp?daid=3957

Dixit, R., S. Singh, M.K. Enamala & A. Patel. 2022. Effect of various growth medium on the physiology and de novo lipogenesis of a freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus rotundus-MG910488 under autotrophic condition. Clean Technologies. 4: 733-751. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol4030045

Esteves, A.F., E.M. Salgado, V.J. Vilar, A.L. Gonçalves & J.C. Pires. 2024. A growth phase analysis on the influence of light intensity on microalgal stress and potential biofuel production. Energy Conversion and Management. 311: 118511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118511

Isnansetyo, A & K. Kurniastuty. 1995. Teknik Kultur Phytoplankton dan Zooplankton. Kanisius. Yogyakarta.

Katiyar, R., B.R. Gurjar, S. Biswas, V. Pruthi, N. Kumar & P. Kumar. 2017. Microalgae: An emerging source of energy-based bio-products and a solution for environmental issues. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 72: 1083-1093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.10.028

Khan, M.I., J.H. Shin & J.D. Kim. 2018. The promising future of microalgae: Current status, challenges, and optimization of a sustainable and renewable industry for biofuels, feed, and other products. Microbial Cell Factories. 17 (1): 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-018-0879-x

Kumar, A. & S. Bera. 2020. Revisiting nitrogen utilization in algae: A review on the process of regulation and assimilation. Bioresource Technology Reports. 12: 100584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2020.100584

Lamadi, A., M. Mulis & A.E. Kristanto. 2022. The growth of Chlorella sp. cultivated in walne media with different intensities of light. Tomini Journal of Aquatic Science. 3 (1): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.37905/tjas.v3i1.9999

Maulana, G.D. 2021. Deskripsi Pertumbuhan, Biomassa, dan Fikosianin pada Pemeliharaan Spirullina platensis Skala Laboratorium dengan Pemberian Pupuk Organik Cair dan NPK. [Skripsi]. Universitas Brawijaya. Malang.

Maysitha, A.D. & H.S. Titah. 2024. Effect of aeration time on Chlorella vulgaris growth. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis. 7 (2): 2643-9875. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v7-i02-14

Mtaki, K., M.S. Kyewalyanga & M.S. Mtolera. 2021. Supplementing wastewater with NPK fertilizer as a cheap source of nutrients in cultivating live food Chlorella vulgaris. Annals of Microbiology. 71 (7): 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13213-020-01618-0

Muria, S.R., F.M. Shiddiq, I. Damayanti & I. Purnama. 2023. Kultivasi mikroalga Chlorella sp. secara fed-batch menggunakan limbah cair tahu untuk produksi lipid. Journal of Bioprocess, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Science. 4 (1): 37-56. https://doi.org/10.31258/jbchees.4.1.37-56

Rahardini, R. A., Helmiati, S. & Triyatmo, B. 2018. Effect of inorganic fertilizer on the growth of freshwater Chlorella sp. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 139 (1): 012005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/139/1/012005

Rana, Q.U.A., S. Latif, S. Perveen, A. Haq, S. Ali, M. Irfan & M. Badshah. 2024. Utilization of microalgae for agricultural runoff remediation and sustainable biofuel production through an integrated biorefinery approach. Bioresources and Bioprocessing. 11 (1): 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40643-023-00720-w

Richmond, A. & Q. Hu. 2013. Handbook of Microalgal Culture: Applied Phycology and Biotechnology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Salinas-García, M., P. Calatrava-Arrizabalaga, M. Ciardi, S. Villaró-Cos & T. Lafarga. 2025. Development and reutilisation of a fertiliser-based culture medium for the technical production of Chlorella sorokiniana. Scientific Reports. 15 (1): 23891. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08320-8

Sani, E.R.A., G.J.W.L. Chin, W.T.L. Yong & M. Misson. 2024. Optimization of inoculum cell concentration for enhanced lipid production in laboratory-scale cultivation of the marine microalga Chlorella sp. for biofuel applications. Frontiers in Energy Research. 12: 149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2024.1490421

Santos-Ballardo, D.U., S. Rossi, V. Hernández, R.V. Gómez, M. del Carmen Rendón-Unceta, J. Caro-Corrales & A. Valdez-Ortiz. 2015. A simple spectrophotometric method for biomass measurement of important microalgae species in aquaculture. Aquaculture. 448: 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2015.05.044

Satriaji, D.E., M. Zainuri & I. Widowati. 2016. Study of growth and N, P content of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in different culture media and light intensity. Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering). 78 (4-2). https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v78.8148

Shaari, A.L., M. Surif, F. Abd Latiff, W.M.W. Omar & M.N. Ahmad. 2011. Monitoring of water quality and microalgae species composition of Penaeus monodon ponds in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Tropical Life Sciences Research. 22 (1): 51. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3819091/

Soares, J., Krüger Loterio, R., Rosa, R. M., Santos, M. O., Nascimento, A. G., Santos, N. T., Williams, T. C. R., Nunes-Nesi, A. & Arêdes Martins, M. 2018. Scenedesmus sp. cultivation using commercial-grade ammonium sources. Annals of Microbiology. 68 (1): 35–45. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13213-017-1315-x

Stratigakis, N.C., T.T. Nazos, M. Goumenaki, A. Tsolakidi, M. Spantidaki, A. Lagouvardou-Spantidaki & D.F. Ghanotakis. 2025. Growth performance and adaptability of an EPS-producing Chlorella strain in cheese whey with high and low salinity: Prospects for the sustainable production of microalgal biomass. Journal of Applied Phycology. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-025-03479-z

Supriatna, A.M., D. Fujiyanti, E.P. Hadisantoso, R.B. Satiyarti & A.A. Hakim. 2025. Design of a block-shaped photobioreactor based on microalgae Chlorella vulgaris for capturing CO2 emissions in indoor environments. Organisms: Journal of Biosciences. 5 (2): 119-131. https://doi.org/10.24042/tc83v884

Thoré, E.S., K. Muylaert, M.G. Bertram & T. Brodin. 2023. Microalgae. Current Biology. 33 (3): R91-R95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.032

Turnip, G. 2019. Pengaruh Injeksi CO2 terhadap Biomassa, Total Lipid dan Protein Asam Lemak Mikroalga Chaetoceros calcitrans. [Thesis]. Universitas Brawijaya.

Umainana, M.R., A.S. Mubarak & E.D. Masithah. 2019. Pengaruh konsentrasi pupuk daun turi putih (Sesbania grandiflora) terhadap populasi Chlorella sp. Journal of Aquaculture and Fish Health. 8 (1): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.20473/jafh.v8i1.11219

Wang, C.A., H. Onyeaka, T. Miri & F. Soltani. 2024. Chlorella vulgaris as a food substitute: Applications and benefits in the food industry. Journal of Food Science. 89 (12): 8231-8247. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17529

Wetzel, R.G. 2001. Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems. Third Edition. Academic Press. London.

Wijaya, L. G. C. & Prabaningtyas, S. 2024. Effect of phosphate sources on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris cultured with IAA-producing bacteria. Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Negeri Malang.

Yaakob, M.A., R.M.S.R. Mohamed, A. Al-Gheethi, R. Aswathnarayana Gokare & R.R. Ambati. 2021. Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on microalgal growth, biomass, lipid, and fatty acid production: An overview. Cells. 10 (2): 393. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10020393

Yu, B.S., S. Pyo, J. Lee & K. Han. 2024. Microalgae: A multifaceted catalyst for sustainable solutions in renewable energy, food security, and environmental management. Microbial Cell Factories. 23 (1): 308. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-024-02588-7

Yu, H., J. Kim, C. Rhee, J. Shin, S.G. Shin & C. Lee. 2022. Effects of different pH control strategies on microalgae cultivation and nutrient removal from anaerobic digestion effluent. Microorganisms. 10 (2): 357. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020357

Zhang, N., D. Peng, X. Rui, W. Zheng, Z. Zeng, X. Huang & F. Li. 2024. The effect of phosphorus concentration on the co-production of fucoxanthin and fatty acids in Conticribra weissflogii. Marine Drugs. 22 (12): 541. https://doi.org/10.3390/md22120541

How to Cite this Article

Iskandar, I., N.T.M. Pratiwi, M. Krisanti & I.P. Ayu. 2026. Effectiveness of Anorganic fertilizers in enhancing Chlorella sp. productivity on a laboratory scale. Jurnal Perikanan Universitas Gadjah Mada. 28 (1): 127-136. https://doi.org/10.22146/jfs.118251



DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/jfs.118251

Article Metrics

Abstract views : 142 | views : 85

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Copyright (c) 2026 Jurnal Perikanan Universitas Gadjah Mada

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

View My Stats