Rapid pyrolysis behavior of oleaginous microalga, Chlorella sp. KR-1 with different triglyceride contents

Rapid pyrolysis of two Chlorella sp. KR-1 samples, with triglyceride content of 23.8 and 44.9wt%, was conducted using pyrolysis gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry over a temperature range (400–600 °C). The effects of triglyceride content of the microalgal cells and pyrolysis temperature on the structure and distribution of products were analyzed and the pyrolysis products were classified according to number of carbons and chemical species. The triglyceride content of microalgal cells was found to affect the concentration of free fatty acids, hydrocarbons, and derivatives of carbohydrates. In the case of the lipid-rich sample, free fatty acids originating from triglyceride decomposition were found to be the predominant compounds whereas sugar-dehydrated products such as anhydroglucose were the predominant compounds in the case of the lipid-poor sample.