Investigation Into the Suitability of Inland Ground Saline Water for the Growth of Marine Microalgae for Industrial Purposes

摘要

An increasing shortage of crude oil has necessitated into alternative energy sources. In Australia, inappropriate agricultural practices have left large areas of agricultural land subject to secondary salinisation from rising water tables. Opportunities have arisen from groundwater interception schemes for the aquacultural production of marine microalgae far inland from coastal areas where a shortage of suitable sites and strict environmental regulations makes the production of large volumes of microalgae unrealistic. Four small-scale laboratory experiments were undertaken to determine the potential growth of the two species of marine microalgae, Isochrysis galbana Parke and Tetraselmis suecica Stein, in inland saline ground water sourced from a ground water monitoring bore in rural Victoria. The results showed that at the termination of the experiments the differences between experimental units and control treatments of I. galbana and T. suecica with and without algal growth nutrient were not significantly different.