Evaporation reduction and salinity control in microalgae production ponds using chemical monolayers

Abstract

Algae have great potential as a hyper-productive crop to produce food, fuels, and chemicals. However, freshwater availability limits their widespread application. Here we investigate whether chemical monolayers can reduce evaporation in microalgae cultures, and whether algal growth is affected. Thin-film monolayers were formed on the surface of freshwater (Chlorella vulgaris) and marine (Nannochloropsis salina) algae cultures using ethylene glycol monooctadecyl ether. Monolayers applied daily reduced evaporation in both cultures by 70 % on the first day, and ~50 % by day 3. The cause of the reduced performance was investigated but could not be directly attributed to any particular cellular a..