Published on: 2026-07-06
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
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Researchers at the Laboratory of Advanced Energy-Efficient Technologies of the Physics Department at Novosibirsk State University have patented a method for producing biomass of the red microalga Porphyridium purpureum in a vortex photobioreactor, which significantly increases its productivity. The new approach is focused on transitioning from laboratory-scale volumes to ten-liter reactors, which is important for subsequent industrial scaling.
—We demonstrated how Porphyridium purpureum can be efficiently produced in volumes of tens of liters, and this method is now protected by a patent,— said one of the co-authors of the patent, the laboratory head, Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor of the Russian Academy of SciencesIgor Naumov.
The laboratory was established at the Faculty of Physics of NSU in 2021 as part of a megagrant for advancing energy-saving technologies based on nature’s energy-efficient solutions in energy-related tasks. After the completion of the megagrant, the team continued working on several projects supported by the Russian Science Foundation, including the grant under which the current project is being carried out to intensify mixing methods in vortex reactors for biochemical and energy technologies.
—The goal of our project is to move from classical hydrodynamics directly to technical and engineering solutions for biotechnology; in fact, we work at the intersection of physics, biology, and chemistry., – noted Igor Naumov.
In this direction, NSU, within the framework of RSF projects, closely cooperates with the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Sevastopol, where collections of marine microalgae are stored. The projects include the development of energy-efficient low-carbon technologies for the cultivation of microorganisms as a source of heat energy from biomass; implementation of practical applications of vortex hydrodynamics of confined flows in the field of biotechnology, including for the efficient utilization of CO2.
The patented method involves cultivating Porphyridium purpureum on a sterile nutrient medium proposed by the staff of the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of the Russian Academy of Sciences (group leader PhD in Biotechnology Gevorgiz R.G.), based on seawater in a batch mode. The culture is grown in a vortex photobioreactor, in which the suspension is stirred by an immersed or floating polycarbonate disk rotating at a set speed. This solution provides gentle yet uniform mixing of cells in a viscous medium, improves nutrient supply, removes metabolic products, and reduces shading zones where cells could settle and die.
Essentially, this is about adapting physical methods of organizing vortex motion to “capricious” cultures that do not perform well in classical stirred reactors.
—There are several microalgae whose production worldwide is now well mastered. These are relatively easy-to-grow species like spirulina or chlorella, which have a comparatively low cost price. For their industrial production, primarily sunlight and warmth are needed, and it will be difficult for us to compete with Southeast Asian countries and India, where these forms of natural energy are abundant and virtually free. At the same time, there are thousands of other species of marine microalgae that are interesting due to their higher content of unique beneficial substances, but growing them is much more difficult due to their properties, such as viscosity and density, which also change in the cultivation process. This is where more complex technological solutions, like ours, create significant advantages.— noted the researcher.
From this arises a task that goes beyond the already obtained patent — using expertise in vortex hydrodynamics and other areas of physics, scientists aim to expand the range of cultivated microalgae with high added value by focusing on those for which there is laboratory data on their significant benefits, but for which ready solutions for industrial-scale cultivation do not yet exist.
Porphyridium purpureum is a prime example in this regard. Unlike the mentioned spirulina and chlorella, this red microalga provides a different set of valuable elements, including proteins and pigments with pronounced antitumor and antioxidant activities. According to Naumov, it is essentially a natural “antibiotic” without identified side effects because it is synthesized by nature itself.
The red protein Porphyridium purpureum is considered a promising raw material for pharmacology, cosmetology, and dietary supplements, but until now, the technologies for its production have remained at the level of small laboratory installations of about several dozen milliliters.
The patent authors emphasize that their goal is to help transition from test tube volumes to technically and economically justified scales — at least 10–20, 50–100 liters, already sufficient for real technological production lines.
—We have shown that for viscous and heavy crops, our vortex method is much more effective: the “fatter” and more viscous the crop becomes, the better it mixes and the higher the productivity., — explained Naumov.
According to him, the volumes that have already been mastered in the laboratory may turn out to be the optimal solution from an economic standpoint for the start of industrial application.
The next step is to find industrial partners willing to start production based on the new method of cultivating microalgae. If there is an interested company, it is possible both to further scale up vortex photobioreactors and to adapt the methods to other types of microalgae, including diatoms with heavy silicon shells and attached forms. This will allow expanding the range of strains that the Russian industry can cultivate domestically instead of relying on imported raw materials.
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