The effect of the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris vs. the coccolithophorid algae, Emiliania huxleyi fertilized with different concentrations of an iron nitrate solution on the bio sequestration of carbon dioxide
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
The concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have risen to more than 380 ppm in the past decade, increasing global warming, climate change, and biological extinctions. The purpose of this study was to determine which algae, coccolithophorid algae or microalgae, fertilized with which concentration of a Fe(NO₃)₃ solution could best sequester carbon dioxide. The coccolithophorid algae, Emiliania huxleyi and the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris were fertilized with different concentrations of iron in order to determine which combinations of both variables could capture the most carbon dioxide. It was hypothesized that both Emiliania huxleyi and Chlorella vulgaris would sequester the most carbon dioxide with the highest level of ferric nitrate. It was also hypothesized that Emiliania huxleyi would sequester the most carbon compared to the other algae. The two algae were grown and then fertilized with the different concentrations of a Fe(NO₃)₃ solution, which were 1ml, 1,5ml, 2ml, and 3ml from a 0.004M solution. They were then allowed a week to grow and the dry mass of each was taken, recorded, and compared. An ANOVA test done with the data from both types of algae showed that (F(9,140)=203.66, p<0.001). This rejected the null hypothesis. A Tukey test was done and it showed that all of the variables had significant differences except the 2nd and 4th concentrations for the microalgae. Emiliania huxleyi captured the most carbon dioxide and grew the most at the highest concentration of iron while Chlorella vulgaris grew the best at the 3rd highest concentration.
Recommended Citation
Mitta, Alekhya, "The effect of the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris vs. the coccolithophorid algae, Emiliania huxleyi fertilized with different concentrations of an iron nitrate solution on the bio sequestration of carbon dioxide" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 260.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/260
Start Date
4-11-2015 3:00 PM
End Date
4-11-2015 3:15 PM
The effect of the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris vs. the coccolithophorid algae, Emiliania huxleyi fertilized with different concentrations of an iron nitrate solution on the bio sequestration of carbon dioxide
The concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have risen to more than 380 ppm in the past decade, increasing global warming, climate change, and biological extinctions. The purpose of this study was to determine which algae, coccolithophorid algae or microalgae, fertilized with which concentration of a Fe(NO₃)₃ solution could best sequester carbon dioxide. The coccolithophorid algae, Emiliania huxleyi and the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris were fertilized with different concentrations of iron in order to determine which combinations of both variables could capture the most carbon dioxide. It was hypothesized that both Emiliania huxleyi and Chlorella vulgaris would sequester the most carbon dioxide with the highest level of ferric nitrate. It was also hypothesized that Emiliania huxleyi would sequester the most carbon compared to the other algae. The two algae were grown and then fertilized with the different concentrations of a Fe(NO₃)₃ solution, which were 1ml, 1,5ml, 2ml, and 3ml from a 0.004M solution. They were then allowed a week to grow and the dry mass of each was taken, recorded, and compared. An ANOVA test done with the data from both types of algae showed that (F(9,140)=203.66, p<0.001). This rejected the null hypothesis. A Tukey test was done and it showed that all of the variables had significant differences except the 2nd and 4th concentrations for the microalgae. Emiliania huxleyi captured the most carbon dioxide and grew the most at the highest concentration of iron while Chlorella vulgaris grew the best at the 3rd highest concentration.
