Effect Of Light Intensity On Microalgae

Introduction: The metabolic process in plants such as the algae, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, is called photosynthesis. The way not only algae, but every consumer and other photosynthetic organisms obtain food and fiber is due to photosynthesis (Zhu, et al., 2008). Primary producers use sunlight as energy to convert CO2 and H2O into O2 and Glucose (C6H12O6) (Mohsenpour, et al., 2012). Photosynthesis is not only important for energy and food intake, but also as a biofuel. Microalgae is an important renewable energy source presently, because of its elevated Photosynthetic productivity, and its quick production of biomass (Wahidin, et. al., 2012). The algae is also important in taking in the overproduced CO¬¬2 from the atmosphere and turning …show more content…
The high light intensity was 700 micromoles of photons/m2/sec, while the low light intensity was 30 micromoles of photons/m2/sec. The average change in dissolved oxygen is the dependent variable. Light intensity, micromoles of photons/m2/sec, is the independent variable. Two dependent experimental variables, algae high light intensity and algae low light intensity, were compared by means of the independent variable (Figure1). The high light intensity showed an average change in dissolved oxygen per L of 16.5mg/L, while the low light had 5.88mg/L. Figure 2 shows the comparison between the control substance, algae no light (tinfoil), between the two light intensities. Low light intensity change in dissolved oxygen per L for the tinfoil algae was -0.64mg/L, while high intensity light was -0.47mg/L. The change in dissolved oxygen per L for the control, water, were also taken. The low light intensity change 0.18mg/L, and the high intensity light change was -0.23mg/L. The graphs show the average change in dissolved oxygen per L for each experimental and control variable