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. 2023 Sep 21;16(1):141.
doi: 10.1186/s13068-023-02394-0.

An exploratory study on the possibilities of microalgal biotechnology to obtain the essential 6Li isotope as fusion fuel

Camino García-Balboa  1 , Paloma Martínez-Alesón  2 , Victoria López-Rodas  2 , Eduardo Costas Costas  2 , Marta Fernández Díaz  3
Affiliations

An exploratory study on the possibilities of microalgal biotechnology to obtain the essential 6Li isotope as fusion fuel

Camino García-Balboa et al. Biotechnol Biofuels Bioprod. .

Abstract

Future energy supply needs to overcome two challenges: environmental impact and dependence on geopolitically unstable countries. A very promising alternative is based on lithium, an element for batteries, and whose isotope 6Li will be essential in nuclear fusion. The objective of this research has been to determine if it is possible to achieve isotopic fractionation of lithium through a process mediated by microalgae. For this purpose, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was selected and grown in presence of 5 mg/L of lithium. Results revealed that this specie survives at the selected lithium concentration, discriminates isotopes and preferentially capture 6Li (6δ = 10.029 ± 3.307) through a process independent of the cellular growth. Concomitate recovered up 0.206 mg/L of lithium along a process of 21 days. The result of this study lets to affirm that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii might be used to obtain lithium enriched in the lighter isotope.

Keywords: Enrichment; Fusion energy; Lithium; Metal uptake; Microalgae.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors state that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Growth rate of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in presence of 5 mg/L Li (ChlamyLi) and absence of Li (Biological Control)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii lithium uptake
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
6Li/7Li in pellets (blue circles) and supernatants (red circles) in Chamydomonas reinhardtii cultures. Solid lines correspond to the mean of the 6Li/7Li in pellets (grey) and supernatants (yellow), respectively. Significant differences of the 6Li/.7Li value in pellets and supernatants according to t-test (t = 5.61, df = 11, p = 0.0002,  < 0.001)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
6Li/7Li in microalgal pellets (blue circles) and chemical control (red circles). Solid lines correspond to the mean of the 6Li/.7Li in pellets (yellow) and chemical control (grey). Significant differences in the 6Li/7Li in pellets and chemical controls according to t-test (t = 5.87, df = 11, p = 0.0001,  < 0.001)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
6δ value in pellets (blue circles) and supernatant (red circles) in Chamydomonas reinhardtii cultures. Promedium pellets (grey) and supernatants (yellow). Significant differences in.6δ according to t-test (t = 4.89, df = 4, p = 0.004,  < 0.05)
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