POTENTIAL OF NOSTOC MUSCORUM CULTURED IN BG-II MEDIUM AS BIODIESEL FEEDSTOCK SOURCE: EVALUATION OF NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT FOR CULTURE AND ITS DAILY LIPID CONTENT

Increment of industrial development and energy demands for transportation and electricity have increased diesel-fuel uses to fulfil global energy needs. Carbon emission as impact of high fossil diesel use which pollutes the air gradually increases green house gases (GHG) and increases the intensity of acid rains. Furthermore, scarcity of fossil-fuels resources has caused high price of diesel-fuel which in turn to have increased the prices of all commodities. Nostoc muscorum is filamentous Cyanobacteria species which lives both terrestrial and freshwater aquatic environment. This strain has good ability in producing high biomass and potential in producing lipid. In where, Nostoc muscorum has potential as biodiesel feedstock alternative of food-plants sources. This study was conducting to evaluate the potential of Nostoc muscorum cultured in BG-II medium as biodiesel feedstock source. Evaluation of the nutrient requirement of Nostoc muscorum cultured in BG-II medium was done through assimilation of nitrate (NaNO3)-phosphate (K2HPO4). Biomass production as growth parameter was measured by weighing the dried biomass for 14 days of culture. Daily lipid production was evaluated by lipid extraction using Soxhlet method. The result showed that Nostoc muscorum cultured in BG-II medium required 644.6795 mg/L of NO3- and 25.1566 mg/L of HPO4- with the highest biomass production 0.21 grams/300 mL. Furthermore, Nostoc muscorum as multicellular Cyanobacteria could grow well in BG-II medium at SGR 0.0964 μ/day. Lipid production of Nostoc muscorum during cultivation in BG-II for 14 days decreased day by day. The highest lipid production was reached up in day 4th of culture that was 9.53 mg/g. Based on this study, Nostoc muscorum has good potential as biodiesel feedstock through producing high biomass in BG-II medium. Keywords: Nostoc muscorum, Synechococcus elongatus, Tofu wastewater, Lipid content, Cell disruption, Biodiesel.