The present investigation evaluates the potential of an endolithic cyanobacterium isolated from marble rock to utilize sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) as carbon source for prospective recycling of CO2 into biodiesel. Microalgae thriving on marble were cultured and subjected to increasing NaHCO3 concentration. The most competent isolate was identified and characterized in terms of growth, lipid content and fatty acid profile. A semicontinuous mesh incubator was designed for biofilm development. Isolate ISTCY101 was identified as Leptolyngbya sp. by 16S rRNA sequencing. Leptolyngbya ISTCY101 efficiently used BG-11 (50 mM NaHCO3) and artificial seawater medium (25 g L-1 NaCl) with biomass productivity 78.9 and 75.74 mg L-1 d(-1), respectively. Maximum areal biomass productivity of 2.01 g m(-2) d(-1) was recorded in the mesh incubator, with complete exclusion of centrifugation for harvesting. Lipid content varied from 16% to 21%, consisting predominantly of C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1 fatty acids (>60%) making promising feedstock for biodiesel production. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.