Algae Growth in Weak Acid Conditions

Abstract

Biofuels are substances that are made from living matter, and can be used for energy in different circumstances. Algae is an organism that produces a high amount of energy in comparison to other land based plants, and thus we decided to use it in our experiment. The addition of acidic substances is believed to impact the growth of algae. With the use of a photobioreactor we were able to monitor the growth of Picochlorum oklahomense in different pH levels, using a 10% vinegar solution to change the pH of the experiment to 6.0 while the control is at a 7.0. Our results showed that a decrease in pH causes an increase in the growth of Picochlorum oklahomense.