Spirulina Farming
Introduction
Spirulina is a type of bacteria called cyanobacterium commonly known as blue-green algae that grow both in fresh as well as saltwater. Similar to plants it produces energy from sunlight through the photosynthesis process. It grows and thrives in warm water alkaline ponds and rivers. Protein is one of the important components of a diet. It is one of the best potential sources of protein. This protein in Spirulina is grown commercially in large-scale culture systems for human as well as animal consumption. Spirulina contains 40 to 80% protein content and its growth rate is very high. For its growth, it requires less water, land, and can grow in any climate in tropical regions. In commercial aquacultures such as fish, prawns, and livestock; Spirulina either in the wet or dried form is used as a complementary dietary ingredient. Spirulina is unicellular, filamentous blue-green algae coiled in spirals of varying tightness and numbers measuring about 0.1 mm. In environments having adequate minerals, it grows rapidly with high nutrient content, low nucleic acid content, high concentrations of vitamins, and minerals. In developing countries, it is used as a potential source of food, feed, and fuel. For human nutrition, it is cultivated on large scale in clean waters and under controlled conditions while it is also grown in wastewaters and can be used in animal feed. At the bottom of the article, you can find cost and profit details in Spirulina Farming Project Report.
Scientific / Botanical Name of Spirulina
The scientific name of domesticated Spirulina is known as Crocus sativus L. from the family Iridaceae.
Spirulina Health Benefits
• Spirulina
contains many nutrients in high concentrations.
• Contains
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It is good for
the heart as it can lower LDL and triglyceride
levels.
• Stops LDL
cholesterol in becoming oxidized.
• Appears to have
anti-cancer properties and works well against oral cancer.
• Controls
inflammation in the nasal airways (allergic rhinitis symptoms).
• Effective
against anaemia.
• Useful for HIV
patients as it strengthens the immune system.
• Improves muscle
strength and endurance.
• Boosts brain
energy as it increases Ribonucleic acid. Studies in animals showed lowering of
blood sugar levels.
• Improves
digestive system health.
• Have properties against anti-ageing.• A tablespoon contains: 4 grams of protein, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin11 % of RDA), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin 15% of RDA), Vitamin B3 (Niacin 4% of RDA), Copper (21% of RDA), Iron (11% of RDA), also contains Omega-6 & Omega-3 fatty acids (about 1 gram), manganese, potassium, and magnesium.
Growing Conditions of Spirulina
Climate: Spirulina while growing for commercial and large-scale production has to be done in regions with suitable climatic conditions. Tropical and sub-tropical regions are well-suited places for their growth. It requires sunshine throughout the year. The growth rate and production of Spirulina depend on various factors such as wind, rain, temperature fluctuation, and solar radiation.
Temperature: For a high production with high protein content, a temperature between 30° to 35° C is ideal. Spirulina can survive in temperatures between 22° to 38° C but the protein content and colour will be affected. Bleaching of cultures takes place when temperatures are above 35° C and it cannot survive in temperatures less than 20° C.
Light: The intensity of light plays an important role in its
growth. Light has a direct effect on protein content, growth rate, and pigment
synthesis of Spirulina. The light intensity between 20 to 30 K lux is found to
be ideal for Spirulina farming. It is observed under 2 K lux for 10 hours
period by providing different light shades; under the blue light, it yielded
the highest protein content. Yellow, white, red, and green light was the next levels of
protein generated.
Stirring: Spirulina needs exposure to light, as
it is a photosynthesizing organism. Light is maximum on the top surface, Spirulina
that is on top of the culture will thrive well while the ones beneath have a
slow growth rate and the Spirulina that remains below may die. For maximum
production and proper growth rate of each organism that culture has to be
stirred constantly. This helps all organisms reach the top of the culture and
photosynthesis takes place uniformly. Stirring can be done manually as well as
mechanically. Pump and paddle wheels
can be installed and can be powered by solar. Maximum care should be taken
while in manual stirring which can be done either with a stick or broom or any
other convenient thing. Stirring should be done in slow circular motions in one
direction. Manual stirring is carried
out once every two to three hours in the daytime only. After every stirring, the instruments are cleaned
thoroughly before.
Water
Quality: In commercial Spirulina
farming, it is required to recreate the close culture medium in which
blue-green algae grows naturally. Water is the main source medium for Spirulina
to grow. It should have all the necessary sources of nutrition for the healthy growth
of Spirulina. The ideal water quality should be maintained throughout the
micro-algae mass production by providing a controlled salt solution in the
water. The ideal pH value culture medium should be between 8 to 11 ranges. The
water level in tanks or pits should be controlled. The water level is important
for the photosynthesis process to take place in all organisms. The deeper the
water level, sunlight penetration will be reduced, which will affect algae
growth. A minimum shallow level of 20 cm is the ideal water level height. The
chemical composition of the culture medium is as follows:
Chemical Component Concentration (Grams Per Liter)
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate (NaHCO3) 8.0
Sodium Chloride (NaCl) 1.0
Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) 2.0
Hydrous Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4.6H2O) 0.16
Ammonium Phosphate ((NH4)3PO4) 0.2
Urea (CO(NH2)2) 0.015
Sulphate Heptahydrate (FeSO4.6H2O) 0.005
Iron Potassium Sulphate (K2SO4) 1.0
Calcium Chloride Dihydrate (CaCl2.2H2O) 0.1
Ammonium Cyanate (CH4N2O) 0.009
Contamination: Contamination of culture medium will have a direct effect on the production of Spirulina. The contamination can happen either by insect breeding, foreign algae or through chemical contaminants. Any amount of chlorine present in the water will kill the algae growth. This will lead to a complete loss in the production of Spirulina. Larva of mosquitoes and other insects will feed on algae leading to about an overall 10% decrease in production. At the time of harvesting, the existence of larva or pupae will contaminate the Spirulina quality and yield. All extraneous materials can be removed from the culture medium by using a fine wire mesh frame.
Spirulina Cultivation and Production
Natural Habitat: Spirulina is one among many algal species found growing in natural freshwaters. They are also found in natural habitats such as soil marshes, seawater, and brackish waters where alkaline waters exist. They thrive well in highly alkaline waters with a high level of solar radiation where no other microorganisms can grow. They can also tolerate low temperatures of 15° C at night and 40° C for a few hours in the daytime. In natural habitats, their growth cycles depend on the limited supply of nutrients. When new nutrients from the rivers or from pollution reach the water bodies, the algae rapidly grow and increase their population to the maximum density. When nutrients get exhausted the Spirulina dies off reaching the bottom and gets decomposed releasing nutrients into the water. A new Spirulina cycle begins when more nutrients flow into the lake.
Commercial
and Mass Cultivation: Japan in the
early 1960s started large-scale culture cultivation of microalgae of chlorella followed by Spirulina in the early 1970s. Today, there are more than
22 countries that cultivate Spirulina commercially on a large- scale.
Ponds: Commercial cultivation is usually carried out in
shallow artificial ponds equipped with mechanical paddle wheels for
stirring the culture. The cultivation
is carried out in two ways. 1. Concrete ponds and 2. Pits lined with PVC or
other plastic sheets. Concrete ponds can last for very long mass cultivation,
but it is very expensive. The cost of production in the early years will be
high. Low-cost clay sealing and durable plastic sheets will not last long, but
incur investment at regular periods when the materials start to wear and tear.
Concrete ponds will be more cost-effective in the Spirulina business over the
years while low-investment structures will be more expensive in the business
over the years. Ponds can be of any size and shape depending on the physical
land dimensions. Construction of single or multiple ponds can be done with each
pond size of 50 m long, 2-3 m wide, and with 20 to 30 cm depth are ideal pond
conditions. The length of the ponds can be of any length depending on the land
availability. Covering each pond with transparent polythene covers will help
increase the temperature, decrease water evaporation, and helps reduce chances
of contamination.
Mixing
Devices: There are two ways of mixing
the culture evenly and they are manual mixing the culture and mixing the culture mechanically. Hand tools, such as
long sticks, or broomsticks, or any convenient devices can be used. Commonly
used mechanical devices are paddle wheels, these are installed for stirring the
culture. Stirring the culture helps all the Spirulina organisms reaching to the
top that they can take carbon dioxide and solar energy for photosynthesis.
Paddlewheels are installed according to the size of the ponds. A large paddle
wheel of a diameter of about two meters should rotate at 10 rpm speed. A small
paddle wheel of diameter up to 0.7 meters can rotate at 25 rpm speed for proper
culture stirring.
Spirulina Cultivation Process: Cultivation can be started after water is fed into each concrete pond at a required height and after paddle wheels are installed. The water has to have the right pH value and be alkaline by adding the required salts at the required rate. Once the water has a standard micronutrient composition, the pond is ready for Spirulina seeding. Ideally, for uniform growth and for uniform harvesting, 30 grams of dry Spirulina is added for every 10 litres of water. A concentrated live Spirulina culture can also be used as seeding the pond. In commercial farms, one pond is exclusively kept for rearing Spirulina as seed. This will reduce the regular purchase and the farm becomes self-sustain and also can sell live Spirulina seed to other farmers. The algae bacterium starts to double in biomass within three to five days. The alga thrives growing by consuming the nutrients in the culture medium. Farmers have to continually check the nutrient content value and adding fresh water at regular periods for good production and for top yields. Farmers should be alert to control environmental conditions as this prevents the culture medium from contamination. Cultures grow rapidly as well as perish rapidly when Spirulina cultures are not taken care of properly. The matured Spirulina changes from light to dark green in colour. The concentration of algae and the colour of the algae is the deciding factor for when Spirulina should be harvested. The other way is by using Secchi desk to measure and it should be around 0.5 grams per litre of culture medium. The water level in the pond should be maintained at 20 to 30 cm (25 cm is the ideal water level height). As most of the ponds are open the evaporation of water will affect the cultivation. Especially during summer, on an average thrice in a month, freshwater is released into the ponds to maintain consistent (25 cm) water level height throughout the cultivation.
Harvesting of Spirulina
Filtering of Culture Medium: As said earlier, the concentration of algae in the pond will be the deciding factor for harvesting. In general, the pond will be ready for harvest after five days after the seeding process is done. Different farmers use different methods to harvest Spirulina, this is because of the availability of material resources and finance. Whatever is the reason, filtration is carried out to harvest Spirulina. Culture is collected in a container and poured onto the cloth. The culture medium flows back into the pond, leaving Spirulina on the cloth. The excess of the culture medium residues that still remain can be drained by applying pressure or squeezing. Farmers have designed various filtering processes for easy and quick processes. One can get more information on the internet for various designs that can be used to reduce manual and quick harvest processing work. After filtering, the collected Spirulina is thoroughly washed in distilled water to remove any traces of salts, contaminants, or culture medium residue. Once the cleaning is done, the water content is further removed by squeezing or pressing and is ready for drying. Freshly harvested Spirulina will be at its best in its nutritional values. Fresh Spirulina cannot last more than 2 days, hence it needs to be dried to preserve its nutritional values and to last for a longer duration.
Drying
of Fresh Spirulina: Spirulina, when
dried, will last for many months and also the nutritional content in it can be
preserved. For quick drying, the
Spirulina mass is kept inside the kitchen press grater and then pressed into
thin strands on a long clean cloth under the sun. This helps in quick drying.
The kitchen press comes with various discs of different hole sizes. Use
the disc which is comfortable and which will help in quick drying. The
Spirulina mass is squeezed into thin strands through machines that are used
for noodles and are laid in the open sun to dry.
Some farmers apply the Spirulina mass into a thin layer using a knife over
the cloth. Some uses syringe for
noodle-like strands. Whatever methods and materials are used, shortening the drying
period will lessen contaminators. Ovens that run electrically or solar-powered
can be used to speed drying. The temperature in the oven when maintained at 60°
C takes about 4 hours while 40° C takes
about 15 to 16 hours for Spirulina drying. Grinding and Storage: The well-dried strands
of Spirulina are now ready for grinding. Grinding machines for flour making can
be used for grounding the dried algae. Spirulina is grounded and made into
soft powder dust which is then packed with different weights and sealed for marketing. Vacuum dried and airtight packing will
preserve the nutritional qualities for up to three to four years.
Cost and Profits in Spirulina Farming / Spirulina Farming
Economics of Spirulina Farming: This project report is to give entrepreneurs a general overview of investment and revenues and the figures mentioned are not actuals but for a business understanding. Each pond constructed is of 10 x 20 feet size. And there are about 20 such ponds. Each pond will generate on an average about 2 kg wet culture per day. The farmer has to understand this equation that a one-kg wet culture will give 100 grams of dry powder only. Based on this, on average, a 20 tank Spirulinafarming business will generate 4-5 kg of dry Spirulina powder daily. The production of Spirulina in a month will be around 100 to130 kg per month. Dry Spirulina powder in the market will fetch about Rs. 600/- per kg. A farmer can earn about 40-45,000/- per month. A farmer can reduce his fixed investment by going for earth pits covered with durable plastic sheets which can cost him around Rs. 3-4.5 lakhs. A farmer can make more profits by increasing tanks made with low-cost, durable materials apart from concrete ponds by utilizing maximum space available in the land, which will reduce labour and investment with more profit returns.
Capital Investment Cost
S.No Particulars Cost Rs
1 Pond Construction (20 @ 50,000/-) 10,00,000
2 Plant Machinery 15,000
3 Laboratory Equipment 5,000
4 Water Treatment Plant 1,50,000
5 Piping Work 25,000
6 Electrical Works 15,000
7 Drying Screens 10,000
8 Harvesting Screens 5,000
9 Packing Material 2,500
10 Chemicals (Per Month) 2,000
11 Labour (Monthly Basis) 18,000
12 Miscellaneous 2,500
S.No Particulars Cost Rs
1 Total Capital Investment 12,50,000
2 Operational Cost on a monthly basis 25,000
Total Cost
1 Sale of Spirulina Powder @ Rs. 600 per Kg 72,000
Income per Month (Sale - Operational Cost) 47,000
Spirulina Quality Specifications
The end product will fetch about 600 to 650/- per kg if the following quality specifications are met.
S.No Particulars Quality %
1 Moisture 3 %
2 Protein 65 %
3 Fat 7 %
4 Crude Fiber 9 %
5 Carbohydrates 16 %
6 Energy (100 gms) 346 Kcal
7 Mold & Fungus Nil
8 Coliforms, Salmonella, streptococci bacteria, and fermented odor Nil
Spirulina Cultivation Training
This is not a big science to learn about. The training period wouldn't take many days, it's a brief learning process that can last just a few days. Though the training will be too simple, but very important to have good production and be successful. Many who started Spirulina business farming have failed because of simple mistakes, and small silly mistakes will spoil the whole yield. Hence it is recommended to have hands-on experience along with training. Proper training will let you have a quality yield with maximum returns and without losing any money that you have invested right from the start. Following are a list of the few training centres.
GMs Spirulina , C/S No. 121/1, Opposite to Central Admin. Building,
Indira Colony, UrunIslampur, Maharashtra 415409, ph: 075075 16006
Nallayan Research Centre for Sustainable
Development, Navallor village, Kanchipuram district, Tamil
Nadu, Phone: 044- 28193063(office), mobile: 98840-00413 and 98840-00414(farm).
Spirulina
Production, Research and Training Centre, Kondayampatti village, Madurai
Centre
for Conservation and Utilization of Blue-Green Algae, Division of
Microbiology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi-110012
Chawadi
Spirulina Training, flat no 301, Prerana arcade building, opptarakpur bus
stand, Ahmednagar
Spirulina Entrepreneurs Research Centre,
Dhone, Kurnool Dist, Andhra Pradesh +91 9490884164 Mudes1 Spirulina,
Street Number 1, Yerraboda, Upparpally,
Hyderabad, Telangana 500030, +91 092966 01789
Tips and Challenges in Growing Spirulina
• Maintain
uniform nutrient content in the culture medium throughout the cultivation.
• Maintain
culture medium temperature and 20-25 cm height level in the pond.
• Thorough stirring of culture medium gently in one direction should be carried out once in three to four hours in the daytime.
• Avoid
contamination of culture medium.
• Mosquito larva will destroy 10% of production by feeding on it.
• The protein content of 65% will fetch the market value, to achieve this; nutrient content in the culture medium should be maintained consistently throughout the cultivation.
• Direct sunlight
should be available for healthy growth.
• Freshwater is
provided when the pond starts to smell ammonia.
• Thick green
layer formation indicates a delay in harvesting.
• Dried Spirulinapowder is stored immediately in airtight sachets.
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