Laura Velez

Dr. Laura Velez


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
10 June 2021 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LVLaura Velez
Laura Velez
HLHéctor Ricardo Hernández-De León
Héctor Ricardo Hernández-De León
Yolanda del Carmen Pérez LunaYolanda del Carmen Pérez Luna
Yolanda del Carmen Pérez Luna
SVSabino Velázquez-Trujillo
Sabino Velázquez-Trujillo
JMJoel Moreira-Acosta
Joel Moreira-Acosta
YSYazmin Sánchez-Roque
Yazmin Sánchez-Roque
Microalgal biomass has the capacity to accumulate relatively large quantities of triacylglycerides (TAG) for the conversion of methyl esters of fatty acids (FAME) which has made microalgae a desirable alternative for the production of biofuels. In the present work Verrucodesmus verrucosus was evaluated under autotrophic growth conditions as a suitable source of oil for biodiesel production. For this purpose BG11 media were evaluated in three different light:dark photoperiods (L:D; 16:08; 12:12; 24:0) and light intensities (1000, 2000 and 3000 Lux) in a photobioreactor with a capacity of three liters; the evaluation of the microalgal biomass was carried out through the cell count with the use of the Neubauer chamber followed by the evaluation of the kinetic growth parameters. So, the lipid accumulation was determined through the lipid extraction with a Soxhlet system. Finally, the fatty acid profile of the total pooled lipids was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The results demonstrate that the best conditions are a photoperiod of 12 light hours and 12 dark hours with BG11 medium in a 3 L tubular photobioreactor with 0.3% CO2, 25 °C and 2000 Lux, allowing a lipid accumulation of 50.42%. Palmitic acid is identified as the most abundant fatty acid at 44.90%.