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Phycology
Volume 6
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10.3390/phycology6010023
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Crude Microalgae Extract for Increased CO2 Capture and Higher Biomass Production in Algal Cultivation Systems

by
Maja Berden-Zrimec
1,*,
Domen Lazar
2,
Domen Trontelj
3,
Elli Maria Barampouti
4,
Sofia Mai
4,
Dimitris Malamis
5 and
Robert Reinhardt
1
1
Algen, Algal Technology Centre, LLC, 1231 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2
Biotechnical Faculty, The University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
3
PAXIA, Biotechnological Solution, LLC, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
4
Unit of Environmental Science & Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zographou Campus, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., 15780 Athens, Greece
5
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design & Physical Sciences, Brunel University of London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Phycology 2026, 6(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology6010023 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 22 December 2025 / Revised: 27 January 2026 / Accepted: 29 January 2026 / Published: 2 February 2026
Versions Notes

Abstract

Efficient inorganic carbon supply is a common limitation in microalgal cultivation, particularly in waste-derived media such as anaerobic digestate. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) accelerates the interconversion of CO2 and bicarbonate and may therefore enhance carbon utilisation under conditions where inorganic carbon is abundant but not readily available. In this study, crude CA-containing extracts (aCA) were prepared from Scenedesmus-dominated algal biomass, and CA activity was quantified using an esterase assay (EAA). Although EAA activities varied depending on biomass pretreatment (0.15–0.47 U g−1 DW), the physiological response to extract addition was consistent. In batch cultures of Chlorella sorokiniana grown in diluted digestate, aCA supplementation increased the specific growth rate (SGR) by 21–82%. In contrast, stimulation in a mineral medium was minimal, indicating that the benefit of aCA addition is most apparent under reduced inorganic carbon availability. In semi-continuous cultivation, repeated extract addition sustained a higher biomass productivity over time (rather than a specific growth rate). These results demonstrate that crude microalgal extracts containing CA can improve growth performance in digestate-based cultures and may offer a simple, low-cost approach to enhancing inorganic carbon utilisation in waste-integrated algal production systems.
Keywords: carbonic anhydrase; microalgae; anaerobic digestate; carbon dioxide carbonic anhydrase; microalgae; anaerobic digestate; carbon dioxide

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Berden-Zrimec, M.; Lazar, D.; Trontelj, D.; Barampouti, E.M.; Mai, S.; Malamis, D.; Reinhardt, R. Crude Microalgae Extract for Increased CO2 Capture and Higher Biomass Production in Algal Cultivation Systems. Phycology 2026, 6, 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology6010023

AMA Style

Berden-Zrimec M, Lazar D, Trontelj D, Barampouti EM, Mai S, Malamis D, Reinhardt R. Crude Microalgae Extract for Increased CO2 Capture and Higher Biomass Production in Algal Cultivation Systems. Phycology. 2026; 6(1):23. https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology6010023

Chicago/Turabian Style

Berden-Zrimec, Maja, Domen Lazar, Domen Trontelj, Elli Maria Barampouti, Sofia Mai, Dimitris Malamis, and Robert Reinhardt. 2026. "Crude Microalgae Extract for Increased CO2 Capture and Higher Biomass Production in Algal Cultivation Systems" Phycology 6, no. 1: 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology6010023

APA Style

Berden-Zrimec, M., Lazar, D., Trontelj, D., Barampouti, E. M., Mai, S., Malamis, D., & Reinhardt, R. (2026). Crude Microalgae Extract for Increased CO2 Capture and Higher Biomass Production in Algal Cultivation Systems. Phycology, 6(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology6010023

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