UC San Diego

The red alga, Asparagopsis taxiformis, has recently been recognized for its unique ability to drastically reduce methane emissions from livestock. The main obstacle in using this seaweed is the complete lack of commercially available A. taxiformis. Little is known about how to develop large-scale cultivation systems for this red alga and the factors that influence its performance. This study examined the effect of the key factors including temperature and CO2 concentration, on the growth, photophysiology and the concentration of bromoform, the secondary metabolite responsible for methane reduction in A. taxiformis. A series of single and multifactor closed culture experiments, conducted on A. taxiformis collected, isolated, and cultured in southern California, identified the temperature and CO2 concentration required to optimize growing conditions. The findings indicate that through environmental control and addressing limiting factors, significant increases in biomass production can be achieved, making A. taxiformis a viable species for large-scale cultivation.