Phycocyanin production in seawater culture of Arthrospira maxima

Three seawater-based media were used for biomass and phycocyanin production by Arthrospira maxima. Among the three seawater-based media, growth rate and biomass were lowest in SWMAB, which is identical to SWM but includes several known essential elements (Zn, Cu, Mo, Mn). Growth in SWMX2, which has double the concentration of NaHCO₃, N, P and FeEDTA than SWM, was not significantly different. Arthrospira maxima reached a biomass concentration of 2.7 ± 0.06 g L^-1 in a mineral standard medium, but ≤ 1.2 ± 0.09 g L^-1 in the seawater-based media. Pigment content in cells grown in the seawater-based media was ≤ 2.78 ± 0.46, ≤ 1.85 ± 0.18 and ≤ 19.83 ± 3.16 mg g^-1 cell for chlorophyll a, carotenoids and phycocyanin, respectively. The phycocyanin produced in the seawater-based media had slightly different absorption and fluorescence maxima compared to those of A. platensis.