Impact of 50 Hz Electromagnetic Field on the Growth of Chlorella vulgaris

Abstract

The paper presents the experimental study of the influence of a 50 Hz extremely-low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field (EMF) on the growth of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris in a BG11 culture medium. Comparative experimental determinations carried out under reference conditions (microalgae growth without exposure to EMF) and with exposure to a homogeneous 50 Hz EMF of various intensities highlighted the fact that EMF has a major impact on both the growth speed and the nitrogen and phosphorus content of the obtained algal mass. Through spectrophotometry and gravimetric determinations, it was found that the lag time was reduced from approximately 8 h (reference) to approximately 6 h for EMF of 2 V/m, 4.5 h for EMF of 5 V/m, 3.2 h for EMF of 10 V/m, and 2.5 h for EMF of 15 V/m. In the stimulation with 15 V/m EMF, the maximum biomass growth rate was 2.75 times higher than the reference, leading to a 2-fold increase in the rate of exhaustion of nutrients, especially phosphorus, in the culture medium. The specific chemical analyses for N-NO3, total nitrogen TNb, and total phosphorus Pt highlighted that the N-NO3 content of the culture medium decreased by 58 mg/L/day at 15 V/m EMF compared to 43 mg/L for the reference. The Pt content decreased to 90% depletion after approximately 80 h for the reference culture medium, versus only 48 h of growth with exposure to 15 V/m ELF. The TNb content of the algal suspension in BG11 under the influence of 15 V/m EMF for 96 h of growth increased 14 times compared to the reference. This shows that nitrogen metabolization in the dispersed air was significantly stimulated. It was also found that the 50 Hz EMF also influences the nitrogen and phosphorus content of the increased algal mass. The results show the potential of EMF stimulation of Chlorella vulgaris growth, leading to an increased efficiency of algae growth reactors.