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This research focused on utilizing photoautotrophically-cultivated microalgae as efficient converters of CO 2 into high-quality renewable biodiesel. This study investigated the feasibility of capturing CO 2 from the atmosphere (0.04 % CO 2) and simulating industrial sources (20–40 % CO 2) for utilization as a simulated waste carbon source for the growth and biodiesel feedstock accumulation of three photoautotrophically-cultivated microalgae species, including Chlorella sp. AARL G049, Tetradesmus obliquus AARL G090, and Desmodesmus opoliensis AARL G085. The results demonstrated that all the tested microalgae are promising CO 2 -to-fuel converters due to their ability to efficiently convert CO 2 into lipid-rich biomass, which can subsequently be processed into biodiesel. All three strains of microalgae displayed remarkable CO 2 capture capabilities as well as significant biomass production and lipid accumulation, with the highest performance observed under a 20 % CO 2 concentration. The microalgae demonstrated CO 2 fixation rates ranging from 0.020 to 0.072 g-CO 2 /L/day, leading to significant improvements in both biomass productivity, which ranged from 0.011 to 0.040 g/L/day, and lipid accumulation, which ranged from 0.22 to 3.39 mg/L/day. Additionally, the lipid content varied between 5.04 % and 14.75 %. Interestingly, changes in CO 2 concentration, ranging from 0.04 % to 40 %, significantly influenced the composition of fatty acids, leading to elevated levels of C16–C18 fatty acids. Nevertheless, these alterations had a minimal impact on the overall quality of biodiesel. The estimated fuel characteristics of the produced biodiesel complied with global specifications for biodiesel, providing better oxidative stability (≥6 h), high heating value (≥39 MJ/kg), and cetane number (≥47). Therefore, this study emphasizes sustainable CO 2 capture and the potential of microalgae as a renewable source of economically viable biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focused on utilizing photoautotrophically-cultivated microalgae as efficient converters of CO 2 into high-quality renewable biodiesel. This study investigated the feasibility of capturing CO 2 from the atmosphere (0.04 % CO 2) and simulating industrial sources (20–40 % CO 2) for utilization as a simulated waste carbon source for the growth and biodiesel feedstock accumulation of three photoautotrophically-cultivated microalgae species, including Chlorella sp. AARL G049, Tetradesmus obliquus AARL G090, and Desmodesmus opoliensis AARL G085. The results demonstrated that all the tested microalgae are promising CO 2 -to-fuel converters due to their ability to efficiently convert CO 2 into lipid-rich biomass, which can subsequently be processed into biodiesel. All three strains of microalgae displayed remarkable CO 2 capture capabilities as well as significant biomass production and lipid accumulation, with the highest performance observed under a 20 % CO 2 concentration. The microalgae demonstrated CO 2 fixation rates ranging from 0.020 to 0.072 g-CO 2 /L/day, leading to significant improvements in both biomass productivity, which ranged from 0.011 to 0.040 g/L/day, and lipid accumulation, which ranged from 0.22 to 3.39 mg/L/day. Additionally, the lipid content varied between 5.04 % and 14.75 %. Interestingly, changes in CO 2 concentration, ranging from 0.04 % to 40 %, significantly influenced the composition of fatty acids, leading to elevated levels of C16–C18 fatty acids. Nevertheless, these alterations had a minimal impact on the overall quality of biodiesel. The estimated fuel characteristics of the produced biodiesel complied with global specifications for biodiesel, providing better oxidative stability (≥6 h), high heating value (≥39 MJ/kg), and cetane number (≥47). Therefore, this study emphasizes sustainable CO 2 capture and the potential of microalgae as a renewable source of economically viable biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]