Cultivation of Limnospira platensis (Spirulina) in full seawater with medium recycling: a promising source of protein and phycocyanin for arid coastal regions

Abstract

Protein and phycocyanin production is challenged by freshwater scarcity in arid coastal regions. This study assessed and optimized the cultivation of Limnospira platensis BEA 1257B in full seawater. Eight cultivation phases were conducted in 10,000 L raceways under a greenhouse to evaluate the effects of seawater content, nutrient availability, shading, CO2 supply, and medium recycling on biomass productivity and biochemical composition. Freshwater, energy, and fertilizer savings, together with effluent characteristics of the optimized full-seawater recirculation strategy (SWR), were evaluated against a conventional freshwater cultivation process. Lower productivity was associated with high salinity and irradiance. Under long-term optimized conditions (615 days), the strain achieved stable productivities of 4.1 +/- 1.4 gDW m-2 day-1 (14.8 +/- 5.0 tDW ha-1 year-1). Increasing salinity promoted carbohydrate accumulation in the biomass (26.0% AFWD), while protein (64.4%) and C-phycocyanin (9.9%) moderately decreased. Nevertheless, protein quality, phycocyanin, and essential fatty acids remained high. Spray-dried biomass exhibited nutritionally relevant contents of K, Mg, Ca, Fe, and Mn, and complied with international food safety standards. SWR reduced energy demand by 10.5% and freshwater consumption by 12% on a surface basis, although these advantages were partially offset when expressed per unit of product, while clearly supporting environmentally sustainable and regulatory-compliant Limnospira production.