A Two-Stage Culture Strategy for Scenedesmus sp. FSP3 for CO 2 Fixation and the Simultaneous Production of Lutein under Light and Salt Stress.

In this study, Scenedesmus sp. FSP3 was cultured using a two-stage culture strategy for CO 2 fixation and lutein production. During the first stage, propylene carbonate was added to the medium, with 5% CO 2 introduced to promote the rapid growth and CO 2 fixation of the microalgae. During the second stage of cultivation, a NaCl concentration of 156 mmol L -1 and a light intensity of 160 μmol m -2 s -1 were used to stimulate the accumulation of lutein in the microalgal cells. By using this culture method, high lutein production and CO 2 fixation were simultaneously achieved. The biomass productivity and carbon fixation rate of Scenedesmus sp. FSP3 reached 0.58 g L -1 d -1 and 1.09 g L -1 d -1 , with a lutein content and yield as high as 6.45 mg g -1 and 2.30 mg L -1 d -1 , respectively. The results reveal a commercially feasible way to integrate microalgal lutein production with CO 2 fixation processes.