Sri Divya Kuravi’s research while affiliated with Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research and other places

Monoraphidium sp. SVMIICT6 was isolated and mixotrophically cultivated in a flat-panel photobioreactor (8 days) to treat synthetic dairy wastewater. The removal efficiency of COD, nitrates, and phosphates was observed to be 75%, 85%, and 60% respectively. The nutrient removal supported the growth of microalgae in terms of biomass productivity (50 mg/L/d), and accumulation of carbohydrate (228.8 mg/g), protein (88.8 mg/g), and lipid content (25%). In addition to this, the elemental analysis of microalgal biomass resulted in a major fraction of carbon (50.6%) was observed. PSII and PSI with respect to quantum yield and electron transport rate increased with time correlating well with chlorophyll pigments (89.53 mg/g). The lipid profile resulted in a major fraction of Heptadecanoic acid (C17:0; 51.5%), followed by Myristoleic acid (C14:1; 24.3%). The microalgae-mediated process showed the efficiency of the isolated strain in treating diary wastewater yielding biomass for diverse applications.

The isolated Messastrum gracile SVMIICT7 was mixotrophically cultivated in flat panel photobioreactor (FP-PBR) towards understanding the photosynthetic transient and product profile. Biomass productivity attained a maximum of 45 mg L⁻¹d⁻¹, with COD, nitrates and phosphates removal of 83.3%, 84.05%, and 74.98% respectively. Messastrum sp. showed good assimilation of proteins (124 mg g⁻¹), carbohydrates (119 mg g⁻¹) and lipids (26%). The myristoleic acid (C14:1-39.1%) and heptadecanoic acid (C17:0-29.1%) are abundant fatty acids with therapeutic, food and feed applications. The cellular ultrastructure studies revealed facile arrangement of chloroplast and starch covered pyrenoids supporting increased carbohydrate accumulation. Photosystem II (PSII) [Y(II), ETR(II), Y(NPQ), and Y(NO)] and photosystem I (PSI) [Y(I), ETR(I), Y(NA), and Y(ND)] transients showed improved photosynthetic efficiency directing microalgae growth and biomass productivity. Higher Fv/Fm values indicates relatively good water splitting and carbon fixation at PSII and PSI facilitating improved photosynthetic electron transport and synthesis of value-added products thereby enabling bioeconomy.