Scenedesmus is a genus of freshwater green microalgae arranged in coenobia (colonies) of 4 to 8 cells. It is very common in inland waters and stands out for its robustness, fast growth and tolerance to variable conditions, which makes it widely studied for biofuels, water treatment and biofertilization.
Characteristics
- ▪Flat coenobia of 4–8 cells, often with spines.
- ▪Fast growth and high resistance to changing conditions.
- ▪Good lipid accumulation under stress (biofuels).
- ▪Effective at capturing nutrients (N, P) from wastewater.
Cultivation
It is one of the easiest microalgae to cultivate: it tolerates wide ranges of temperature and nutrients, both in open ponds and photobioreactors. Its robustness makes it a good model organism for scale-up and for combined wastewater-treatment + biomass-production systems.
Applications
FAQ
It efficiently absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus from water, helping to purify it while generating usable biomass.
Sources
- Richmond, A. & Hu, Q. (eds.) (2013). Handbook of Microalgal Culture: Applied Phycology and Biotechnology. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Chisti, Y. (2007). Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnology Advances, 25(3), 294–306.
- Spolaore, P. et al. (2006). Commercial applications of microalgae. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 101(2), 87–96.
- Mata, T.M. et al. (2010). Microalgae for biodiesel production and other applications: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 14(1), 217–232.
Scientific outreach based on specialised literature. Scientific review: pending.