Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Chemical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Hestekin, Jamie A.

Abstract

This thesis explores the use of electrochemically produced aqueous bicarbonate as a novel liquid-phase carbon source for enhancing algal biomass productivity. Targeting the freshwater microalgae Chlorella Saccharophila, the study investigates its growth response to varying bicarbonate concentrations and compares the efficacy of liquid bicarbonate delivery with traditional gaseous CO₂ bubbling methods. Results demonstrate that Chlorella Saccharophila can sustain growth solely on bicarbonate, and that bicarbonate-fed cultures yielded higher biomass than those supplied with gaseous CO₂ or hybrid systems. These findings validate the potential of bicarbonate-based carbon delivery for scalable algae cultivation, offering key advantages such as gas-free operation, improved pH stability, and compatibility with decentralized pond systems. The integration of a patented electrochemical conversion process—capable of producing concentrated bicarbonate from dilute CO₂ streams—further enhances the feasibility of this approach for carbon capture and utilization applications. This work lays the foundation for optimizing bicarbonate delivery in algae-based biofuel systems and underscores its promise in sustainable biomass production.

Keywords

Biofuels; Algae; Carbon Capture; Growth Medium

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