Photobioreactor devices and units for the production of biomass and remediation of environmental contamination are provided. The bioreactor devices comprise (i) a photobioreactor unit comprising a first membrane layer and a second membrane layer, the two membrane layers arranged such that at least a portion of the first membrane layer is directly bonded to at least a portion of the second membrane layer in order to form a defined boundary around non-bonded portions of the first and second membrane layers, thereby defining the photobioreactor unit capable of containing a fluid, wherein at least one of the first and second layers is translucent, and wherein at least a part of the first and second membrane layers is permeable to gases. The permeability coefficient of oxygen through the first and/or second membrane layer is suitably not less than about 100 Barrer, typically not less than about 300 Barrer, and suitably not less than about 500 Barrer. The photobioreactor unit also comprises an inlet and an outlet port to enable the fluid to circulate through said unit. Systems comprising the devices are provided as well as methods of using the devices for the production of biomass, remediation of wastewater and removal of atmospheric pollutants.

An invention proposes a photobioreactor with a cultivation chamber in the form of a shallow closed duct that is irradiated by the sun light. The duct is constructed from an inflatable sleeve from transparent polymer film; this shallow duct is sandwiched between a bank of frames with wire nettings from below and glass panes from above, which are secured on the shelves of the longitudinal sides of the frames.

The shallow duct has small inclination regarding the horizontal plane and the length until several hundred meters. Two headers are supplying and removal of gaseous medium and suspension of microalgae into and out of the shallow duct.

According to one inventive concept, a method for forming a bioreactor includes: forming a three-dimensional structure using an additive manufacturing technique; infilling the at least one side of the three-dimensional structure with a mixture for forming a polymer-encapsulated whole cells; and curing the infilled three-dimensional structure.

A submersible device submersible within an algae slurry contained within a pond of an algae bioreactor, the submersible device including a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond, a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device, and a computer system that controls operation of the drive motor and the circulation device.

A dark-environment simultaneous culturing-observing apparatus includes: an observation-subject holding unit for holding an observation subject; a dark-environment culturing chamber for culturing, in a dark environment, bacteria in the observation subject held by the observation-subject holding unit; an infrared light source for irradiating, with infrared light, the observation subject held by the observation-subject holding unit kept in the dark-environment culturing chamber; and an infrared light camera for photographing the observation subject irradiated with infrared light from the infrared light source.

Provided herein is an automatic cell culture device including an incubator configured to contain at least one container for culturing cells, a microscope configured to observe a state of the cell in the container, a robot arm configured to move the container, a liquid handler configured to introduce liquid into or discharge liquid from the container, and a control device configured to control an operation of at least one of the incubator, the microscope, the robot arm, and the liquid handler.

According to present disclosure, there is disclosed an algae growth and cultivation system that provides a cost-efficient means of producing algae biomass as feedstock for algae-based products, such as, fertilizer, feed, biofuel manufacture, and desirably impacts, nutrient recovery from waste streams for valued byproducts production, recycle water, and alternative/renewable energy production. The system as discussed herein is an integrated systems approach to wastewater treatment, algal strains selection for byproducts production, and recycle of algal biomass-processing waste or additional algae harvested as feedstock for products such as fertilizer production. Embodiments of a system as discussed herein present an economically viable algae production system and process that allows algae-derived products such as fertilizer, feed, biofuels, etc. to compete with non-organic or petroleum products in the marketplace.

Described herein are methods and devices for selective membrane-driven gas transfer.

Apparatuses and methods for growing filamentous algae are disclosed. An apparatus comprises vertical surfaces such as plates or tubes which are suspended above the fill line of a water tank. Surfaces can have a frosted texture for algal growth. The surfaces are kept moist by pumping water from the tank through spray bars to the surfaces. Sprayed water drips back into the water tank. Algae growing on a surface can be processed into products such as biofuel and glycerin. Aquatic animals such as fish can be grown in a tank. An aquatic animal can generate nitrogenous waste as nutrient for algae, and provide food for human consumption. The amount of harvestable algae produced by an apparatus can exceed the amount produced from other systems of comparable size over comparable durations. An apparatus can also be utilized to scrub CO.sub.2.

The present invention provides a method of producing a photosynthetic product, the method comprising maintaining a photosynthetic plant or algal cell suspension culture, in the presence of water, light and a carbonic acid-enriched growth medium. The carbonic acid may, for example be provided by feeding the photosynthetic plant cell suspension culture with a carbonic acid solution, a solid or liquid precursor thereof, or a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide and one or more other gases. The invention also provides a method for producing a photosynthetic product, the method comprising maintaining a photosynthetic plant or algal cell suspension culture, in the presence of water, light and a carbon source selected from carbon dioxide and carbonic acid, wherein the culture is maintained at a pH of less than 7.0, preferably 4.5 to 5.5.