{"title":"Entrapment and growth of <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i> in biocompatible silica hydrogels","publisher":"Elsevier BV","author":[{"id":216742,"full_name":"Homburg, Sarah Vanessa","last_name":"Homburg","first_name":"Sarah Vanessa"},{"first_name":"Deepak","last_name":"Venkanna","full_name":"Venkanna, Deepak"},{"last_name":"Kraushaar","first_name":"Konstantin","full_name":"Kraushaar, Konstantin"},{"full_name":"Kruse, Olaf","first_name":"Olaf","last_name":"Kruse"},{"first_name":"Edwin","last_name":"Kroke","full_name":"Kroke, Edwin"},{"full_name":"Patel, Anant","id":201870,"first_name":"Anant V.","orcid":"0000-0003-1771-407X","last_name":"Patel"}],"date_updated":"2021-01-18T15:32:27Z","page":"233-241","status":"public","abstract":[{"text":"In this work, we aimed at improved viability and growth of the microalga *Chlamydomonas reinhardtii* in transparent silica hydrogels based on low-ethanol, low-sodium and low-propylamine synthesis. Investigation into replacement of conventional base KOH by buffers dipotassium phosphate and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane along with increased precursor concentrations yielded an aqueous synthesis route which provided a gelation within 10 min, absorptions below 0.1 and elastic moduli of 0.04-4.23 kPa. The abrasion resistance enhanced by 41 % compared to calcium alginate hydrogels and increased to 70-85 % residual material on addition of chitosan. Entrapment of microalgae in low-sodium and low-propylamine silica hydrogels maintained the PSII quantum yield above 0.3 and growth rates of 0.23 ± 0.01 d-1, similarly to cells entrapped in calcium alginate. These promising results pave the way for the entrapment of sensitive, photosynthetically active and growing cells for in robust biotechnological applications.","lang":"eng"}],"date_created":"2019-06-14T06:18:55Z","publication":"Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces","doi":"10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.09.075","_id":"534","year":"2018","intvolume":"       173","publication_identifier":{"issn":["0927-7765"]},"volume":173,"type":"journal_article"}