Increasing Biofuel Production? Effects of Nitrate Concentration on Picochlorum oklahomense

Abstract

Biofuels are becoming increasingly more popular as an alternative to petroleum oil. Algae is one of the most efficient producers of biofuels. In this lab, we studied the effects of nitrate, a growth promoter, on Picochlorum oklahomense. We hypothesized that the higher the nitrate concentration, the more algae would grow. In our experiment, we created photobioreactors with varying nitrate concentrations, collecting our data through dry weight and cell count. Our hypothesis was not supported because at the highest level of concentration, there was less algae. This is likely because if too much nitrate is added, it does nothing to promote the growth of algae.