The initial consideration for cultivating algae involves selecting a suitable growth medium. The term encompasses the physical structure and the nutrient-rich liquid that will sustain algal development. The choice directly impacts growth rate, biomass yield, and the specific compounds produced by the algae.
Appropriate selection is fundamental for successful algal cultivation, offering benefits such as optimized growth conditions, enhanced production of desired metabolites (e.g., lipids, pigments), and simplified downstream processing. Historically, simple containers like open ponds were utilized. However, modern approaches emphasize controlled environments for optimized and consistent results.
