Assessment of Growth Yield of a Blue—green Alga, Spirulina platensis, in Axenic and Continuous Culture

Summary: An axenic and continuous culture of a blue—green alga, Spirulina platensis, was established in a Roux bottle. The opalescent plate method was used to measure the light energy absorbed by the cells and to assess the cell growth yield, Y kcal i.e. the amount of dry algal cells harvested per kcal light energy absorbed. Values of Y kcal calculated ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 g cell kcal−1.