The feasibility study on Chlorella sp. lipid extraction using an electrolysis treatment (ET) as
pre-treatment was investigated. Stainless steel was used as the anode and cathode material.
The ET method was conducted in a batch or continuous system with or without air aeration
and recycling flow. The total lipid in Chlorella sp. AWET and AWET were not analysed due to
small sample volume. Approximately same amount of lipids were attained from Chlorella
sp. BWOET (7.97 ± 0.43% glipid/gdry wt) and BWET (7.95 ± 0.37% glipid/gdry wt) if treated at 5 V/cm
and aerated at 16.7 μm3/s for 1800s. Whereas, if Chlorella sp. was treated at 13 V/cm and
aerated at 16.7 μm3/s for 1800 s, the total lipid obtained in Chlorella sp. CWOET (8.18 ± 0.49%
glipid/gdry wt) was 1.13-fold higher than CWET (7.22 ± 0.47% glipid/gdry wt). Meanwhile under
semi-continuous system, similar pattern of
result was achieved in Chlorella sp. DWOET
(8.58 ± 0.49% glipid/gdry wt) with 1.11-fold
higher than DWET (7.72 ± 0.54% glipid/gdry
wt), if treated at 14 V/cm and recycled at 2.3
μm3/s for 3000s. This corresponded to lipid
oxidation that might have occurred during
the ET method. The fatty acid methyl ester
(FAME) composition of Chlorella sp. DWOET
and DWET contained predominantly methyl
linolenate (C18:3) and methyl palmitate (C16:0). The concentrations of methyl palmitate attained in Chlorella sp. DWOET and DWET
were 0.049 ± 0.005 g/m3 and 0.045 ± 0.005 g/m3, respectively.