LIGHT EMITTING DIODES AS POSSIBLE LIGHT SOURCE FOR MICROALGAE Nannochloropsis sp.

This study is aim at assessing light emitting diodes (LEDs) as potential light source for culturing of Nannochloropsis sp. The microalgae were culture under three different source of lighting, fluorescent T5 tubes, warm white LEDs and warm white LEDs supplemented with red and blue LEDs. Initial result shows that Nannochloropsis sp.responded well to warm white LEDs with red and blue lights, cell density reached 4.961 x 10⁷ cell/ ml  followed by microalgae under warm white LEDs at 4.598 x 10⁷ cell/ ml and 3.675 x 10⁷ cell/ ml for flourescent warm white. Introduction of carbon dioxide and additional nutrient further enhance growth, with cell density reaching 1.17  x 10⁸ cell/ ml, 9.49 x 10⁷ cell/ ml and 5.42 x 10⁷ cell/ ml for culture under warm white LED, warm white LED supplemented with red and blue light and fluorescent tubes.