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Velásquez-Orta SB, Yáñez-Noguez I, Ramírez IM, Ledesma MTO. Pilot-scale microalgae cultivation and wastewater treatment using high-rate ponds: a meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:46994-47021. [PMID: 38985422 PMCID: PMC11297075 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34000-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Microalgae cultivation in wastewater has been widely researched under laboratory conditions as per its potential to couple treatment with biomass production. Currently, only a limited number of published articles consider outdoor and long-term microalgae-bacteria cultivations in real wastewater environmental systems. The scope of this work is to describe microalgal cultivation steps towards high-rate algal pond (HRAP) scalability and identify key parameters that play a major role for biomass productivity under outdoor conditions and long-term cultivations. Reviewed pilot-scale HRAP literature is analysed using multivariate analysis to highlight key productivity parameters within environmental and operational factors. Wastewater treatment analysis indicated that HRAP can effectively remove 90% of NH4+, 70% of COD, and 50% of PO43-. Mean reference values of 210 W m-2 for irradiation, 18 °C for temperature, pH of 8.2, and HRT of 7.7 are derived from pilot-scale cultivations. Microalgae biomass productivity at a large scale is governed by solar radiation and NH4+ concentration, which are more important than retention time variations within investigated studies. Hence, selecting the correct type of location and a minimum of 70 mg L-1 of NH4+ in wastewater will have the greatest effect in microalgae productivity. A high nutrient wastewater content increases final biomass concentrations but not necessarily biomass productivity. Pilot-scale growth rates (~ 0.54 day-1) are half those observed in lab experiments, indicating a scaling-up bottleneck. Microalgae cultivation in wastewater enables a circular bioeconomy framework by unlocking microalgal biomass for the delivery of an array of products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isaura Yáñez-Noguez
- Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Alcaldía Coyoacán, México
| | - Ignacio Monje Ramírez
- Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Alcaldía Coyoacán, México
| | - María Teresa Orta Ledesma
- Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Alcaldía Coyoacán, México
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de Cassia Soares Brandão B, Oliveira CYB, Dos Santos EP, de Abreu JL, Oliveira DWS, da Silva SMBC, Gálvez AO. Microalgae-based domestic wastewater treatment: a review of biological aspects, bioremediation potential, and biomass production with biotechnological high-value. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1384. [PMID: 37889346 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-12031-w] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to perform an updated bibliographical survey on the cultivation of microalgae in domestic wastewater with a focus on biotechnological aspects. It was verified that the largest number of researches developed was about cultures in microalgae-bacteria consortium and mixed cultures of microalgae, followed by researches referring to the species Chlorella vulgaris and to the family Scenedesmaceae. According to published studies, these microorganisms are efficient in the biological treatment of domestic wastewater, as well as in the production of high value-added biomass, as they are capable of biosorbing the organic and inorganic compounds present in the culture medium, thus generating cells with high levels of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These compounds are of great importance for different industry sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, food, and also for agriculture and aquaculture. In addition, biomolecules produced by microalgae can be extracted for several biotechnological applications; however, most studies focus on the production of biofuels, with biodiesel being the main one. There are also other emerging applications that still require more in-depth research, such as the use of biomass as a biofertilizer and biostimulant in the production of bioplastic. Therefore, it is concluded that the cultivation of microalgae in domestic wastewater is a sustainable way to promote effluent bioremediation and produce valuable biomass for the biobased industry, contributing to the development of technology for the green economy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Yure B Oliveira
- Departamento de Botânica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | | | - Jéssika Lima de Abreu
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alfredo Olivera Gálvez
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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van den Berg MF, Botha AM, Bierman A, Oberholster P. Determining biota succession in a domestic wastewater pond system after treatment with a specific consortium microalgae. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2022; 20:963-981. [PMID: 36406598 PMCID: PMC9672295 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-022-00840-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater stabilization ponds (WSPs) rely on the metabolic activities of the inhabiting microbiota to treat wastewater. A selected consortium of Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella protothecoides were used to manipulate the natural resident microalgae assemblage to improve the treatment performance of a domestic wastewater pond treatment system in a coastal region. Since information is lacking about the resulting influence on the composition or succession of the phytoplankton or associated microbiota assemblage, the current study aimed to determine how dosing with the microalgae C. vulgaris and C. protothecoides change the efficiency of wastewater effluent treatment, as well as the composition and succession of the natural occurring phytoplankton and microbial assemblage throughout WSP system. After a year of specific microalgae inoculations, the effluent in part complied with the standards set by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the USA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa dominated the sixth (75%) and seventh pond (97%) before the inoculation with C. vulgaris and C. protothecoide commenced. After 12 inoculation events C. vulgaris and C. protothecoides were dominant in ponds three to seven while the dominant microbial groups were Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetes, Synergistetes and Verrucomicrobia. After the microalgae treatment, the WSP effluent were more compliant regarding to the set guidelines for effluent than prior to microalgae treatment. Based on the ability of the C. vulgaris and C. protothecoides to improve the effluent water quality, it was evident that the consortium of microalgae can be use improve domestic wastewater effluent in rural nutrient sensitive catchments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-022-00840-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. F. van den Berg
- Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7601 South Africa
| | - A. M. Botha
- Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7601 South Africa
| | - A. Bierman
- Division of Bioinformatics, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7601 South Africa
| | - P. Oberholster
- Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, Private Bag 339, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
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Torres-Franco A, Figueredo C, Barros L, Gücker B, Boëchat I, Muñoz R, Mota C. Assessment of a deep, LED-enhanced high-rate algal pond for the treatment of digestate. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Comparison of the Performance and Microbial Community Structure of Two Outdoor Pilot-Scale Photobioreactors Treating Digestate. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111754. [PMID: 33171685 PMCID: PMC7695279 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed at examining and comparing the nutrient removal efficiency, biomass productivity and microbial community structure of two outdoor pilot-scale photobioreactors, namely a bubble column and a raceway pond, treating the liquid fraction of an agricultural digestate. Bacterial and eukaryotic communities were characterized using a metabarcoding approach and quantitative PCR. The abundance, composition, diversity, and dynamics of the main microbes were then correlated to the environmental conditions and operational parameters of the reactors. Both photobioreactors were dominated either by Chlorella sp. or Scenedesmus sp. in function of temperature, irradiance and the nitrogen compounds derived by nitrification. Other species, such as Chlamydomonas and Planktochlorella, were sporadically present, demonstrating that they have more specific niche requirement. Pseudomonas sp. always dominated the bacterial community in both reactors, except in summertime, when a bloom of Calothrix occurred in the raceway pond. In autumn, the worsening of the climate conditions decreased the microalgal growth, promoting predation by Vorticella sp. The study highlights the factors influencing the structure and dynamics of the microbial consortia and which ecological mechanisms are driving the microbial shifts and the consequent reactor performance. On these bases, control strategies could be defined to optimize the management of the microalgal-based technologies.
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Coggins LX, Larma I, Hinchliffe A, Props R, Ghadouani A. Flow cytometry for rapid characterisation of microbial community dynamics in waste stabilisation ponds. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 169:115243. [PMID: 31704461 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Algal and bacterial communities play a major role in the treatment performance and efficiency of waste stabilisation ponds (WSPs); however, the study of these WSP microbial communities has been challenging. Flow cytometry (FCM) has been used widely as a rapid, culture-independent method of characterising algae and/or bacteria in a range of freshwater and marine environments, and in conventional wastewater treatment processes, but its application to WSP wastewater has been underexplored. In this study, a method for the characterisation of both algal and bacterial microbial populations in WSP wastewater is presented and standardised, using cultures and field samples. We show that SYTO 16 dye is more effective than SYBR Green I for the concurrent detection of both algae and bacteria in samples. Through gating and phenotypic diversity analysis, the FCM results show both spatial and temporal shifts in pond microbial communities. The ability to rapidly determine the spatiotemporal shifts in pond populations is not only important for the improvement of pond operation and monitoring strategies, but also for the planning and management. Flow cytometry has the potential to become a diagnostic tool for ponds to assess treatment performance and determine the most optimal operating conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liah X Coggins
- Department of of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, M051, Crawley, 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Irma Larma
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, M519, Crawley, 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Amy Hinchliffe
- Department of of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, M051, Crawley, 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Ruben Props
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium.
| | - Anas Ghadouani
- Department of of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, M051, Crawley, 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
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