The effect of pH on the growth rate of Picochlorum oklahomense

Abstract

We conducted this experiment to see how pH affected the growth of algae. Biofuel is a substitute for petroleum-based diesel fuels that uses biomass from plants. We wanted to know how to increase the growth of algae to, in turn, see if we could find a more productive way to help create more biofuel. We used Picochlorum oklahomense and had four different solutions (Water, Inorganic acid, Organic Acid (Vinegar), and Base) in which we grew the algae in. We performed two trials, each trial lasting one week, and tested how much the algae had grown by counting the number of cells and chlorophyll. (Results and discussion to be added later).