1
|
Ruales E, Gómez-Serrano C, Morillas-España A, González-López C, Escolà Casas M, Matamoros V, Garfí M, Ferrer I. Resource recovery and contaminants of emerging concern mitigation by microalgae treating wastewater. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 367:121950. [PMID: 39068780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the recovery of agricultural biostimulants and biogas from microalgae treating wastewater, in the framework of a circular bioeconomy. To this end, municipal wastewater was treated in demonstrative raceway ponds, and microalgal biomass (Scenedesmus sp.) was then harvested and downstream processed to recover biostimulants and biogas in a biorefinery approach. The effect of microalgal biostimulants on plants was evaluated by means of bioassays, while the biogas produced was quantified in biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. Furthermore, the fate of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) over the process was also assessed. Bioassays confirmed the biostimulant effect of microalgae, which showed gibberellin-, auxin- and cytokinin-like activity in watercress seed germination, mung bean rooting, and wheat leaf chlorophyll retention. In addition, the downstream process applied to raw biomass acted as a pre-treatment to enhance anaerobic digestion performance. After biostimulant extraction, the residual biomass represented 91% of the methane yield from the raw biomass (276 mLCH4·g-1VS). The kinetic profile of the residual biomass was 43% higher than that of the unprocessed biomass. Co-digestion with primary sludge further increased biogas production by 24%. Finally, the concentration of CECs in wastewater was reduced by more than 80%, and only 6 out of 22 CECs analyzed were present in the biostimulant obtained. Most importantly, the concentration of those contaminants was lower than in biosolids that are commonly used in agriculture, ensuring environmental safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Ruales
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cintia Gómez-Serrano
- UAL - Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Ainoa Morillas-España
- UAL - Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Cynthia González-López
- UAL - Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de Almería, Carretera Sacramento s/n, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Mònica Escolà Casas
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona, 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Matamoros
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona, 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marianna Garfí
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ivet Ferrer
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu XY, Hong Y, Zhang YW, Li LH. Valorization of treated swine wastewater and generated biomass by microalgae: Their effects and salt tolerance mechanisms on wheat seedling growth. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118664. [PMID: 38499222 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The extensive use of mineral fertilizers has a negative impact on the environment, whereas wastewater and microalgal biomass can provide crops with nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and have the potential to be used as a source of fertilizers in circular agriculture. In this study, a step-by-step resource utilization study of algae-containing wastewater generated from microalgae treatment of swine wastewater was carried out. When wheat seedlings were cultivated in the effluent after microalgae separation, the root fresh weight, seedling fresh weight, and total seedling length were increased by 3.44%, 14.45%, and 13.64%, respectively, compared with that of the algae-containing wastewater, and there was no significant difference in seedling fresh weight, total seedling length, maximum quantum yields of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), and performance index (PIABS) from that of the Hogland solution group, which has the potential to be an alternative liquid fertilizer. Under salt stress, microalgae extract increased the contents of GA3, IAA, ABA, and SA in wheat seedlings, antioxidant enzymes maintained high activity, and the PIABS value increased. Low-dose microalgae extract (1 mL/L) increased the root fresh weight, seedling fresh weight, longest seedling length, and total seedling length by 30.73%, 31.28%, 16.43%, and 28.85%, respectively. Algae extract can act as a plant biostimulant to regulate phytohormone levels to attenuate the damage of salt stress and promote growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ya Liu
- Beijing Key Lab for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yu Hong
- Beijing Key Lab for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Yue-Wen Zhang
- Beijing Key Lab for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Li-Hua Li
- Beijing Key Lab for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control & Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Morillas-España A, Pérez-Crespo R, Villaró-Cos S, Rodríguez-Chikri L, Lafarga T. Integrating microalgae-based wastewater treatment, biostimulant production, and hydroponic cultivation: a sustainable approach to water management and crop production. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1364490. [PMID: 38425996 PMCID: PMC10902165 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1364490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
A natural appearing microalgae-bacteria consortium was used to process urban wastewater. The process was done in an 80 m2 raceway reactor and the results were compared to an identical reactor operated using freshwater supplemented with commercial fertilisers. The biomass harvesting was done using commercial ultrafiltration membranes to reduce the volume of culture centrifuged. The membrane allowed achieving a biomass concentration of ∼9-10 g L-1. The process proposed avoids the use of centrifuges and the drying of the biomass, two of the most energy consuming steps of conventional processes. The specific growth rate in freshwater and the wastewater-based media was estimated as 0.30 ± 0.05 and 0.24 ± 0.02 days-1, respectively (p < 0.05). The maximum concentration reached at the end of the batch phase was 0.96 ± 0.03 and 0.83 ± 0.07 g L-1 when the biomass was produced using freshwater and wastewater, respectively (p < 0.05). The total nitrogen removal capacity of the system was on average 1.35 g m-2·day-1; nitrogen assimilation into biomass represented 60%-95% of this value. Furthermore, the P-PO4 3- removal capacity of the system varied from 0.15 to 0.68 g m-2·day-1. The outlet effluent of the reactor was used as a nutrient source in the hydroponic production of zucchini seedlings, leading to an increase in the root dry weight and the stem diameter compared to the water alone. The produced biomass showed potential for use as feedstock to produce plant biostimulants with positive effects on root development and chlorophyll retention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ainoa Morillas-España
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain
- CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almeria-CIEMAT, Almeria, Spain
| | - Raúl Pérez-Crespo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain
| | - Silvia Villaró-Cos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain
- CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almeria-CIEMAT, Almeria, Spain
| | | | - Tomas Lafarga
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain
- CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almeria-CIEMAT, Almeria, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stirk WA, Bálint P, Široká J, Novák O, Rétfalvi T, Berzsenyi Z, Notterpek J, Varga Z, Maróti G, van Staden J, Strnad M, Ördög V. Comparison of plant biostimulating properties of Chlorella sorokiniana biomass produced in batch and semi-continuous systems supplemented with pig manure or acetate. J Biotechnol 2024; 381:27-35. [PMID: 38190851 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Microalgae-derived biostimulants provide an eco-friendly biotechnology for improving crop productivity. The strategy of circular economy includes reducing biomass production costs of new and robust microalgae strains grown in nutrient-rich wastewater and mixotrophic culture where media is enriched with organic carbon. In this study, Chlorella sorokiniana was grown in 100 l bioreactors under sub-optimal conditions in a greenhouse. A combination of batch and semi-continuous cultivation was used to investigate the growth, plant hormone and biostimulating effect of biomass grown in diluted pig manure and in nutrient medium supplemented with Na-acetate. C. sorokiniana tolerated the low light (sum of PAR 0.99 ± 0.18 mol/photons/(m2/day)) and temperature (3.7-23.7° C) conditions to maintain a positive growth rate and daily biomass productivity (up to 149 mg/l/day and 69 mg/l/day dry matter production in pig manure and Na-acetate supplemented cultures respectively). The protein and lipid content was significantly higher in the biomass generated in batch culture and dilute pig manure (1.4x higher protein and 2x higher lipid) compared to the Na-acetate enriched culture. Auxins indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 2-oxindole-3-acetic acid (oxIAA) and salicylic acid (SA) were present in the biomass with significantly higher auxin content in the biomass generated using pig manure (> 350 pmol/g DW IAA and > 84 pmol/g DW oxIAA) compared to cultures enriched with Na-acetate and batch cultures (< 200 pmol/g DW IAA and < 27 pmol/g DW oxIAA). No abscisic acid and jasmonates were detected. All samples had plant biostimulating activity measured in the mungbean rooting bioassay with the Na-acetate supplemented biomass eliciting higher rooting activity (equivalent to 1-2 mg/l IBA) compared to the pig manure (equivalent to 0.5-1 mg/l IBA) and batch culture (equivalent to water control) generated biomass. Thus C. sorokiniana MACC-728 is a robust new strain for biotechnology, tolerating low light and temperature conditions. The strain can adapt to alternative nutrient (pig manure) and carbon (acetate) sources with the generated biomass having a high auxin concentration and plant biostimulating activity detected with the mungbean rooting bioassay.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Stirk
- Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.
| | - Péter Bálint
- Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty, Széchenyi István University, Vár Square 2, Mosonmagyaróvár H-9200, Hungary
| | - Jitka Široká
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany ASCR, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Novák
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany ASCR, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Tamás Rétfalvi
- Institute of Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Forestry, University of Sopron, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky str., Sopron 4H-9400, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Berzsenyi
- Institute of Agronomy, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Guba Sándor Str. 40, Kaposvár H-7400, Hungary
| | - Jácint Notterpek
- Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty, Széchenyi István University, Vár Square 2, Mosonmagyaróvár H-9200, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Varga
- Department of Water and Environmental Sciences, Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty, Széchenyi István University, Vár Square 2, Mosonmagyaróvár H-9200, Hungary
| | - Gergely Maróti
- Institute of Plant Biology, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged 6726, Hungary; Faculty of Water Sciences, University of Public Service, Baja 6500, Hungary
| | - Johannes van Staden
- Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
| | - Miroslav Strnad
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany ASCR, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Vince Ördög
- Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa; Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty, Széchenyi István University, Vár Square 2, Mosonmagyaróvár H-9200, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sánchez-Quintero Á, Fernandes SCM, Beigbeder JB. Overview of microalgae and cyanobacteria-based biostimulants produced from wastewater and CO 2 streams towards sustainable agriculture: A review. Microbiol Res 2023; 277:127505. [PMID: 37832502 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
For a long time, marine macroalgae (seaweeds) have been used to produce commercial biostimulants in order to ensure both productivity and quality of agricultural crops under abiotic stress. With similar biological properties, microalgae have slowly attracted the scientific community and the biostimulant industry, in particular because of their ability to be cultivated on non-arable lands with high biomass productivity all year long. Moreover, the recent strategies of culturing these photosynthetic microorganisms using wastewater and CO2 opens the possibility to produce large quantity of biomass at moderate costs while integrating local and circular economy approaches. This paper aims to provide a state of the art review on the development of microalgae and cyanobacteria based biostimulants, focusing on the different cultivation, extraction and application techniques available in the literature. Emphasis will be placed on microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation using liquid and gaseous effluents as well as emerging green-extraction approaches, taking in consideration the actual European regulatory framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ángela Sánchez-Quintero
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, IPREM, CNRS, 64 600 Anglet, France; MANTA-Marine Materials Research Group, Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, 64 600 Anglet, France; APESA, Pôle valorisation, 3 chemin de Sers, 64121 Montardon, France
| | - Susana C M Fernandes
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, IPREM, CNRS, 64 600 Anglet, France; MANTA-Marine Materials Research Group, Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, 64 600 Anglet, France.
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Application of Green Technology to Extract Clean and Safe Bioactive Compounds from Tetradesmus obliquus Biomass Grown in Poultry Wastewater. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052397. [PMID: 36903642 PMCID: PMC10005368 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are capable of assimilating nutrients from wastewater (WW), producing clean water and biomass rich in bioactive compounds that need to be recovered from inside the microalgal cell. This work investigated subcritical water (SW) extraction to collect high-value compounds from the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus after treating poultry WW. The treatment efficiency was evaluated in terms of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), phosphate, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and metals. T. obliquus was able to remove 77% TKN, 50% phosphate, 84% COD, and metals (48-89%) within legislation values. SW extraction was performed at 170 °C and 30 bar for 10 min. SW allowed the extraction of total phenols (1.073 mg GAE/mL extract) and total flavonoids (0.111 mg CAT/mL extract) with high antioxidant activity (IC50 value, 7.18 µg/mL). The microalga was shown to be a source of organic compounds of commercial value (e.g., squalene). Finally, the SW conditions allowed the removal of pathogens and metals in the extracts and residues to values in accordance with legislation, assuring their safety for feed or agriculture applications.
Collapse
|
7
|
Nordio R, Delgado FJ, Sánchez-Zurano A, Hernandez JG, Rodríguez-Miranda E, Guzmán JL, Lafarga T, Acién G. Long-term assessment of the nutrient recovery capacity and biomass productivity of Scenedesmus almeriensis in raceway reactors using unprocessed urban wastewater. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 369:128374. [PMID: 36423751 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The present work aims to assess the treatment of unprocessed urban wastewater using the microalga Scenedesmus almeriensis. Two 12 m3 raceway reactors, one supplemented by wastewater and the second by chemical fertilizer, operating outdoors in a semi-continuous mode, were used for eight months. Results suggested that S. almeriensis can be produced in wastewater without affecting the photosynthetic apparatus reaching a productivity of 13 g·m-2·day-1 on average in both the systems. Furthermore, the nutrient content in terms of nitrogen, phosphorous and chemical oxygen demand of the wastewater was reduced under the European limitations during most of the period, with an average removal rate of 2.2, 0.2 and 3.0 g·m-2·day-1 respectively. Therefore, raceways demonstrated a high potential for microalgal production and successful biotreatment, proving robust and reliable. Finally, the effect of environmental conditions on biomass productivity of the clean system was evaluated in a model with high accuracy (R2 = 0.9, p = 0.0002).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Nordio
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Almería, E04120 Almería, Spain; CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain.
| | | | - Ana Sánchez-Zurano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Almería, E04120 Almería, Spain; CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | | | | | - José Luis Guzmán
- CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain; Department of Informatics, Universidad de Almería, ceiA3, E04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Tomás Lafarga
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Almería, E04120 Almería, Spain; CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Gabriel Acién
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Almería, E04120 Almería, Spain; CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bojorges H, Martínez-Abad A, Martínez-Sanz M, Rodrigo MD, Vilaplana F, López-Rubio A, Fabra MJ. Structural and functional properties of alginate obtained by means of high hydrostatic pressure-assisted extraction. Carbohydr Polym 2023; 299:120175. [PMID: 36876790 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The effects of the high hydrostatic pressure (HPP) pre-treatment on the alginate extraction were seen to greatly depend on the recalcitrant nature of two algae species. Alginates were deeply characterized in terms of composition, structure (HPAEC-PAD, FTIR, NMR, SEC-MALS), functional and technological properties. The pre-treatment significantly increased the alginate yield in the less recalcitrant A. nodosum (AHP) also favoring the extraction of sulphated fucoidan/fucan structures and polyphenols. Although the molecular weight was significantly lower in AHP samples, neither the M/G ratio nor the M and G sequences were modified. In contrast, a lower increase in alginate extraction yield was observed for the more recalcitrant S. latissima after the HPP pre-treatment (SHP), but it significantly affected the M/G values of the resulting extract. The gelling properties of the alginate extracts were also explored by external gelation in CaCl2 solutions. The mechanical strength and nanostructure of the hydrogel beads prepared were determined using compression tests, synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). Interestingly, the application of HPP significantly improved the gel strength of SHP, in agreement with the lower M/G values and the stiffer rod-like conformation obtained for these samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hylenne Bojorges
- Food Safety and Preservation Department, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna 46980, Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Martínez-Abad
- Food Safety and Preservation Department, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna 46980, Valencia, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Sanz
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación, CIAL (CSIC-UAM, CEI UAM + CSIC), Nicolás Cabrera, 9, Madrid, 28049, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Dolores Rodrigo
- Food Safety and Preservation Department, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna 46980, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Vilaplana
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amparo López-Rubio
- Food Safety and Preservation Department, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna 46980, Valencia, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Fabra
- Food Safety and Preservation Department, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna 46980, Valencia, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Simulation and Techno-Economical Evaluation of a Microalgal Biofertilizer Production Process. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091359. [PMID: 36138838 PMCID: PMC9495801 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The world’s population is expected to increase to almost 10,000 million by 2025, thus requiring an increase in agricultural production to meet the demand for food. Hence, an increase in fertilizer production will be needed, but with more environmentally sustainable fertilizers than those currently used. Traditional nitrogenous fertilizers (TNFs, inorganic compounds, for example nitrates and ammonium) are currently the most consumed. Biofertilizers concentrated in amino acids (BCAs) are a more sustainable alternative to TNF and could reduce the demand for TNFs. BCAs are widely used in intensive agriculture as growth and fruit formation enhancers, as well as in situations of stress for the plant, helping it to recover its vigor. In addition, BCAs minimize or contribute to reducing the damage caused by pests and diseases, have an immediate action, giving a full utilization and, lastly and most importantly, they produce savings in the crop. The objective of this work is to propose a process for the production of biofertilizer concentrated in free amino acids from microalgal biomass produced in a wastewater treatment plant and to carry out techno-economic evaluation in such a way as to determine the viability of the proposal. Abstract Due to population growth in the coming years, an increase in agricultural production will soon be mandatory, thus requiring fertilizers that are more environmentally sustainable than the currently most-consumed fertilizers since these are important contributors to climate change and water pollution. The objective of this work is the techno-economic evaluation of the production of biofertilizer concentrated in free amino acids from microalgal biomass produced in a wastewater treatment plant, to determine its economic viability. A process proposal has been made in six stages that have been modelled and simulated with the ASPEN Plus simulator. A profitability analysis has been carried out using a Box–Behnken-type response surface statistical design with three factors—the cost of the biomass sludge, the cost of the enzymes, and the sale price of the biofertilizer. It was found that the most influential factor in profitability is the sale price of the biofertilizer. According to a proposed representative base case, in which the cost of the biomass sludge is set to 0.5 EUR/kg, the cost of the enzymes to 20.0 EUR/kg, and the sale price of the biofertilizer to 3.5 EUR/kg, which are reasonable costs, it is concluded that the production of the biofertilizer would be economically viable.
Collapse
|
10
|
Morillas-España A, Ruiz-Nieto Á, Lafarga T, Acién G, Arbib Z, González-López CV. Biostimulant Capacity of Chlorella and Chlamydopodium Species Produced Using Wastewater and Centrate. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11071086. [PMID: 36101464 PMCID: PMC9312269 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The world population is expected to grow by over 2 billion people in the coming decades, involving an increase in agricultural production. Agriculture demands huge amounts of water and energy, so it is crucial to minimise the use of these resources to ensure a sustainable future. Plant biostimulants can promote germination, plant growth, flowering, and crop productivity, as well as increase nutrient-use efficiencies and resistance to abiotic stress. Microalgae are a novel and interesting source of biostimulants, and they can grow using wastewater. Although there is great interest in developing and applying these natural biostimulants produced from microalgae, there is still only a limited number of well-characterised and stable products available commercially. It is therefore necessary to identify novel strains that have a biostimulant capacity that are robust, that can grow in wastewater, and that are highly productive. This work determines the viability of producing high-quality microalgal biomass using wastewater and assesses the biostimulant capacity of the produced biomass. It is focused on an initial laboratory-scale study to produce these strains in wastewater and a preliminary validation of their biostimulant capacity. Abstract The aim of the present study was to assess the potential of producing four microalgal strains using secondary-treated urban wastewater supplemented with centrate, and to evaluate the biostimulant effects of several microalgal extracts obtained using water and sonication. Four strains were studied: Chlorella vulgaris UAL-1, Chlorella sp. UAL-2, Chlorella vulgaris UAL-3, and Chlamydopodium fusiforme UAL-4. The highest biomass productivity was found for C. fusiforme, with a value of 0.38 ± 0.01 g·L−1·day−1. C. vulgaris UAL-1 achieved a biomass productivity of 0.31 ± 0.03 g·L−1·day−1 (the highest for the Chlorella genus), while the N-NH4+, N-NO3−, and P-PO43− removal capacities of this strain were 51.9 ± 2.4, 0.8 ± 0.1, and 5.7 ± 0.3 mg·L−1·day−1, respectively. C. vulgaris UAL-1 showed the greatest potential for use as a biostimulant—when used at a concentration of 0.1 g·L−1, it increased the germination index of watercress seeds by 3.5%. At concentrations of 0.5 and 2.0 g·L−1, the biomass from this microalga promoted adventitious root formation in soybean seeds by 220% and 493%, respectively. The cucumber expansion test suggested a cytokinin-like effect from C. vulgaris UAL-1; it was also the only strain that promoted the formation of chlorophylls in wheat leaves. Overall, the results of the present study suggest the potential of producing C. vulgaris UAL-1 using centrate and wastewater as well as the potential utilisation of its biomass to develop high-value biostimulants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ainoa Morillas-España
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (A.M.-E.); (Á.R.-N.); (T.L.); (G.A.)
- Functional Desalination and Photosynthesis Unit, CIESOL Solar Research Centre, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Ángela Ruiz-Nieto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (A.M.-E.); (Á.R.-N.); (T.L.); (G.A.)
| | - Tomás Lafarga
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (A.M.-E.); (Á.R.-N.); (T.L.); (G.A.)
- Functional Desalination and Photosynthesis Unit, CIESOL Solar Research Centre, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Gabriel Acién
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (A.M.-E.); (Á.R.-N.); (T.L.); (G.A.)
- Functional Desalination and Photosynthesis Unit, CIESOL Solar Research Centre, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Zouhayr Arbib
- Sustainability Area FCC Aqualia, 04001 Almería, Spain;
| | - Cynthia V. González-López
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (A.M.-E.); (Á.R.-N.); (T.L.); (G.A.)
- Research Center for Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology CIAIMBITAL, 04120 Almería, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ferreira A, Figueiredo D, Ferreira F, Ribeiro B, Reis A, da Silva TL, Gouveia L. Impact of High-Pressure Homogenization on the Cell Integrity of Tetradesmus obliquus and Seed Germination. Molecules 2022; 27:2275. [PMID: 35408674 PMCID: PMC9000265 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microalgae have almost unlimited applications due to their versatility and robustness to grow in different environmental conditions, their biodiversity and variety of valuable bioactive compounds. Wastewater can be used as a low-cost and readily available medium for microalgae, while the latter removes the pollutants to produce clean water. Nevertheless, since the most valuable metabolites are mainly located inside the microalga cell, their release implies rupturing the cell wall. In this study, Tetradesmus obliquus grown in 5% piggery effluent was disrupted using high-pressure homogenization (HPH). Effects of HPH pressure (100, 300, and 600 bar) and cycles (1, 2 and 3) were tested on the membrane integrity and evaluated using flow cytometry and microscopy. In addition, wheat seed germination trials were carried out using the biomass at different conditions. Increased HPH pressure or number of cycles led to more cell disruption (75% at 600 bar and 3 cycles). However, the highest increase in wheat germination and growth (40-45%) was observed at the lowest pressure (100 bar), where only 46% of the microalga cells were permeabilised, but not disrupted. Non-treated T. obliquus cultures also revealed an enhancing effect on root and shoot length (up to 40%). The filtrate of the initial culture also promoted shoot development compared to water (21%), reinforcing the full use of all the process fractions. Thus, piggery wastewater can be used to produce microalgae biomass, and mild HPH conditions can promote cell permeabilization to release sufficient amounts of bioactive compounds with the ability to enhance plant germination and growth, converting an economic and environmental concern into environmentally sustainable applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Ferreira
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
| | - Daniel Figueiredo
- GreenCoLab—Green Ocean Technologies and Products Collaborative Laboratory, CCMAR, Algarve University, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal;
| | - Francisca Ferreira
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
| | - Belina Ribeiro
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
| | - Alberto Reis
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
| | - Teresa Lopes da Silva
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
| | - Luisa Gouveia
- LNEG—UBB—National Laboratory of Energy and Geology I.P., Bioenergy and Biorefineries Unit, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.F.); (F.F.); (B.R.); (A.R.); (T.L.d.S.)
- GreenCoLab—Green Ocean Technologies and Products Collaborative Laboratory, CCMAR, Algarve University, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ciardi M, Gómez-Serrano C, Morales-Amaral MDM, Acién G, Lafarga T, Fernández-Sevilla JM. Optimisation of Scenedesmus almeriensis production using pig slurry as the sole nutrient source. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|