초록
The production of microbial oils from oleaginous Rhodotorula glutinis is especially attractive with regard to the production of biodiesel. Nevertheless, a considerable amount of CO<SUB>2</SUB> is generated during the aerobic cultivation process, which can have negative effects on the environment. An integrated system of autotrophic microalgae cultivation (Chlorella vulgaris) using CO<SUB>2</SUB> from the aerobic R. glutinis bioreactor can efficiently reduce CO<SUB>2</SUB> emissions in this regard. The results indicated about 2.5+/-0.1% and 0.5+/-0.15% of CO<SUB>2</SUB> in the flue gas streams from the aerobic tank and from the photosynthesis bioreactor, respectively. It is estimated that about 80% of the CO<SUB>2</SUB> generated in the cultivation of R. glutinis was fixed by C. vulgaris, with the integrated system producing biomass of about 20g/L of R. glutinis and 1.2g/L of C. vulgaris. The results of this work indicate that this integrated system can produce microbial oils without the high CO<SUB>2</SUB> emissions seen with the standard cultivation system. Also, the high value compound produced in the microalgal biomass (e.g. lutein) can compensate the microbial oils production cost, which makes the commercialization of this integrated process more feasible.