For biomass production of Spirulina platensis as feedstock of fermentation, the culture characteristics of three typical mutants of 3-A10, 3-B2 and 4-B3 generated by atmospheric and room temperature plasmas (ARTP) mutagenesis were systematically studied by using CO2 aeration culture system and compared with the wild strain. The specific growth rate of wild strain in the pure air aeration culture system exhibited a 76.2% increase compared with static culture, while the specific growth rates of the 3-A10, 3-B2 and 4-B3 in pure air aeration culture system were increased by 114.4%, 95.9% and 88.2% compared with their static cultures. Compared with static culture, the carbohydrate contents of wild strain, 3-A10, 3-B2 and 4-B3 in pure air aeration culture system dropped plainly by 51.0%, 793%, 85.5% and 26.1%. Increase of CO2 concentration enhanced carbohydrate content and productivity. Based on the carbohydrate productivity, the optimal inlet of CO2 concentration in aeration culture was determined to be 12% (v/v). Under this condition, 3-B2 exhibited the highest carbohydrate content (30.7%), CO2 fixation rate (0.120gCO(2).g(-1).d(-1)) and higher growth rate (0.093 g L-1.d-1), while 3-A10 showed the highest growth rate (0.118 g L-1.d-1) and higher CO2 fixation rate (0.117gCO(2).g(-1).d(-1)) but low carbohydrate content (24.5%), and 4-B3 showed the highest chlorophyll (Chl) content (3.82 mg.g(-1)). The most outstanding mutant by static culture in terms of growth rate and carbohydrate productivity (3-B2), was also demonstrated by CO2 aeration culture system. This study revealed that the ARTP mutagenesis could generate the S. platensis mutants suitable for CO2 aeration culture aiming at biomass production. (C) 2015, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.