In modern energy, various technologies for absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are being considered, including photosynthetic microalgae. An important task is to obtain maximum productivity at high concentrations of CO₂ in gas–air mixtures. In this regard, the aim of the investigation is to study the effect of light intensity on the biomass growth and biochemical composition of five different microalgae strains: Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Chlorella vulgaris, Gloeotila pulchra, and Elliptochloris subsphaerica. To assess the viability of microalgae cells, the method of cytochemical staining with methylene blue, which enables identifying dead cells during microscopy, was used. The microalgae were cultivated at 6% CO₂ and five different intensities: 80, 120, 160, 200, and 245 μmol quanta·m⁻²·s⁻¹. The maximum growth rate among all strains was obtained for C. vulgaris (0.78 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹) at an illumination intensity of 245 µmol quanta·m⁻²·s⁻¹. For E. subsphaerica and A. platensis, similar results (approximately 0.59 and 0.25 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹ for each strain) were obtained at an illumination intensity of 160 and 245 µmol quanta·m⁻²·s⁻¹. A decrease in protein content with an increase in illumination was noted for C. vulgaris (from 61.0 to 46.6%) and A. platensis (from 43.8 to 33.6%), and a slight increase in lipid content was shown by A. platensis (from 17.8 to 21.4%). The possibility of increasing microalgae biomass productivity by increasing illumination has been demonstrated. This result can also be considered as showing potential for enhanced lipid microalgae production for biodiesel applications.

The influence of elevated CO₂ concentrations on the growth and viability of various microalgae strains was studied. Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Chlorella vulgaris, Gloeotila pulchra, and Elliptochloris subsphaerica were tested. The cultivation of microalgae was carried out at constant CO₂ concentrations (0.04, 3, 6, or 9%—sequentially from lower to higher concentrations), under constant (24 h·day⁻¹) illumination with an intensity of 74.3 µmol quanta·m⁻²·s⁻¹, and a constant temperature of 23.5 ± 0.5 °C. The optical density of the microalgae biomass, pH, and the chemical composition of the culture medium were measured. Microscopy (including the cytochemical microscopic method) was conducted to monitor the state of the microalgae. The highest biomass growth rate (0.37 g·L⁻¹·day⁻¹), among all experiments, was achieved for Chlorella vulgaris at CO₂ = 3% and for Chlorella ellipsoidea at CO₂ = 6 and 9%. The lowest growth rate (0.12 g·L⁻¹·day⁻¹) was achieved for Arthrospira platensis at CO₂ = 3 and 9%. The microscopy results showed the absence or a minimum number of dead cells of the strains under selected conditions. The ability to maintain the viability of cultures up to significant concentrations of CO₂ = 9% was due to adaptation (gradual increase in CO₂ concentrations in the experiments).

Direct study of CO₂ capture efficiency during microalgae Arthrospira platensis cultivation at high CO₂ concentrations was carried out. Microalgae were grown in a 90 L photobioreactor on Zarrouk’s medium prepared with distilled water. Three 15-day experiments were carried out with different initial CO₂ concentrations: 1, 5, and 9 vol.%. During the experiments, both the change in the optical density of the microalgae suspension and the direct change in the CO₂ concentration in the chamber were measured. The maximum decrease in CO₂ concentration due to the growth of microalgae was 0.10 vol.% (CO₂)/day in the experiment with an initial CO₂ concentration of 5 vol.%. Growth rate of biomass density was 79.4, 76.3, and 48.4 (mg/L)/day at 1, 5, and 9 vol.% CO₂ concentrations, respectively. During the experiment with initial CO₂ concentrations of 1 and 5 vol.%., pH of the culture medium was increased, but pH was decreased from 9.2 to 8.8 at 9 vol.%. In general, good viability (high quality of biomass and high rate of its growth) of Arthrospira platensis was established at 1 and 5 vol. (CO₂)%, while massive death of Arthrospira platensis cells was observed in the experiment with 9 vol. (CO₂)%. Biochemical analysis of the resulting biomass revealed a decrease in the content of lipids and proteins with an increase in CO₂ concentration.

Biomass of the highly productive algae is a promising nontraditional raw material for biopower engineering, including production of energy and motor fuels from it. The paper presents an analysis of the efficiency of solar energy conversion to microalgae biofuel based both on the general theoretical approaches and on the experimental results obtained in various pilot projects. Some data on the economic efficiency of biofuel production from algae are also discussed. The possible ways to enhance the efficiency of microalgae energy use are formulated.

This article presents a comparative evaluation of pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) for obtaining biofuel from microalgal biomass (MAB). The research was carried out using biomass of a stable microalgae-bacteria consortium based on Arthrospira platensis. A. platensis was chosen because of its simple cultivation and harvesting. Pyrolysis was carried out at temperatures of 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C with a constant rate of temperature change of 10 °C/min; HTL was carried out at temperatures of 270, 300, and 330 °C. The bio-oil yield obtained by HTL (38.8–45.7%) was significantly higher than that of pyrolysis (up to 21.9%). At the same time, the bio-coal yields using both technologies were almost the same—about 27%. Biochar (bio-coal) can be considered as an alternative strategy for CO₂ absorption and subsequent storage since it is 90% geologically stabilized carbon.

Nowadays, it is important to create the optimal technology for the absorption of flue gases with high CO₂ content. In this regard, the aim of the investigation is to study the five different microalgae strains (Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Elliptochoris subsphaerica, Gloeotila pulchra, and Arthrospira platensis) under the influence of flue gases. The cultivation of microalgae was carried out in the atmosphere of flue gases with a gas flow rate of approximately 1 L·min⁻¹ at high CO₂ concentrations (3, 6, or 8%—from lower to higher concentrations), under continuous (24 h·d⁻¹) illumination intensity of 200 µmol quanta·m⁻²·s⁻¹ and a constant temperature of 27 ± 1 °C. The duration of the experiments was 12 days. Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella ellipsoidea demonstrated the highest biomass growth rate at CO₂ = 6% (0.79 and 0.74 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹, respectively). The lowest growth rate (0.21 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹) was achieved for Arthrospira platensis at CO₂ = 3 and 6%. There was no significant drop in pH in the entire series of experiments. The results of microscopy showed a lack or a minimal number of dead cells in the strains under selected conditions. The obtained results can be used for further development of CO₂ capture and storage technologies.