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Hajri AK, Alsharif I, Albalawi MA, Alshareef SA, Albalawi RK, Jamoussi B. Utilizing Mixed Cultures of Microalgae to Up-Cycle and Remove Nutrients from Dairy Wastewater. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:591. [PMID: 39194529 DOI: 10.3390/biology13080591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
This study explores the novel use of mixed cultures of microalgae-Spirulina platensis, Micractinium, and Chlorella-for nutrient removal from dairy wastewater (DW). Microalgae were isolated from a local wastewater treatment plant and cultivated under various light conditions. The results showed significant biomass production, with mixed cultures achieving the highest biomass (2.51 g/L), followed by Spirulina (1.98 g/L) and Chlorella (1.92 g/L). Supplementing DW (75%) with BG medium (25%) significantly enhanced biomass and pH levels, improving pathogenic bacteria removal. Spirulina and mixed cultures exhibited high nitrogen removal efficiencies of 92.56% and 93.34%, respectively, while Chlorella achieved 86.85% nitrogen and 83.45% phosphorus removal. Although growth rates were lower under phosphorus-limited conditions, the microalgae adapted well to real DW, which is essential for effective algal harvesting. Phosphorus removal efficiencies ranged from 69.56% to 86.67%, with mixed cultures achieving the highest removal. Microbial and coliform removal efficiencies reached 97.81%, with elevated pH levels contributing to significant reductions in fecal E. coli and coliform levels. These findings suggest that integrating microalgae cultivation into DW treatment systems can significantly enhance nutrient and pathogen removal, providing a sustainable solution for wastewater management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira K Hajri
- Department of Chemistry, Alwajh College, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ifat Alsharif
- Department of Biology, Jamoum University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marzough A Albalawi
- Department of Chemistry, Alwajh College, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shareefa A Alshareef
- Department of Chemistry, Alwajh College, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raghad K Albalawi
- Department of Chemistry, Alwajh College, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bassem Jamoussi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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Fekete G, Sebők A, Klátyik S, Varga ZI, Grósz J, Czinkota I, Székács A, Aleksza L. Comparative Analysis of Laboratory-Based and Spectroscopic Methods Used to Estimate the Algal Density of Chlorella vulgaris. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1050. [PMID: 38930433 PMCID: PMC11205756 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chlorella vulgaris is of great importance in numerous exploratory or industrial applications (e.g., medicals, food, and feed additives). Rapid quantification of algal biomass is crucial in photobioreactors for the optimization of nutrient management and the estimation of production. The main goal of this study is to provide a simple, rapid, and not-resource-intensive estimation method for determining the algal density of C. vulgaris according to the measured parameters using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Comparative assessment measurements were conducted with seven different methods (e.g., filtration, evaporation, chlorophyll a extraction, and detection of optical density and fluorescence) to determine algal biomass. By analyzing the entire spectra of diluted algae samples, optimal wavelengths were determined through a stepwise series of linear regression analyses by a novel correlation scanning method, facilitating accurate parameter estimation. Nonlinear formulas for spectrometry-based estimation processes were derived for each parameter. As a result, a general formula for biomass concentration estimation was developed, with recommendations for suitable measuring devices based on algae concentration levels. New values for magnesium content and the average single-cell weight of C. vulgaris were established, in addition to the development of a rapid, semiautomated cell counting method, improving efficiency and accuracy in algae quantification for cultivation and biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- György Fekete
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - András Sebők
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - Szandra Klátyik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - Zsolt István Varga
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - János Grósz
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - Imre Czinkota
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - András Székács
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
| | - László Aleksza
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary; (G.F.); (A.S.); (S.K.); (Z.I.V.); (J.G.); (I.C.); (L.A.)
- Profikomp Environmental Technologies Inc., Kühne Ede u. 7, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
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3
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Narindri Rara Winayu B, Chu FJ, Sutopo CCY, Chu H. Bioprospecting photosynthetic microorganisms for the removal of endocrine disruptor compounds. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:120. [PMID: 38433170 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Endocrine disruption compounds can be found in various daily products, like pesticides, along with cosmetic and pharmaceutical commodities. Moreover, occurrence of EDCs in the wastewater alarms the urgency for their removal before discharge owing to the harmful effect for the environment and human health. Compared to implementation of physical and chemical strategies, cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms has been acknowledged for their high efficiency and eco-friendly process in EDCs removal along with accumulation of valuable byproducts. During the process, photosynthetic microorganisms remove EDCs via photodegradation, bio-adsorption, -accumulation, and -degradation. Regarding their high tolerance in extreme environment, photosynthetic microorganisms have high feasibility for implementation in wastewater treatment plant. However, several considerations are critical for their scaling up process. This review discussed the potency of EDCs removal by photosynthetic microorganisms and focused on the efficiency, mechanism, challenge, along with the prospect. Details on the mechanism's pathway, accumulation of valuable byproducts, and recent progress in scaling up and application in real wastewater were also projected in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Feng-Jen Chu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, Anhui, China
| | - Christoper Caesar Yudho Sutopo
- Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 91201, Taiwan
| | - Hsin Chu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan.
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de Morais EG, Sampaio ICF, Gonzalez-Flo E, Ferrer I, Uggetti E, García J. Microalgae harvesting for wastewater treatment and resources recovery: A review. N Biotechnol 2023; 78:84-94. [PMID: 37820831 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae-based wastewater treatment has been conceived to obtain reclaimed water and produce microalgal biomass for bio-based products and biofuels generation. However, microalgal biomass harvesting is challenging and expensive, hence one of the main bottlenecks for full-scale implementation. Finding an integrated approach that covers concepts of engineering, green chemistry and the application of microbial anabolism driven towards the harvesting processes, is mandatory for the widespread establishment of full-scale microalgae wastewater treatment plants. By using nature-based substances and applying concepts of chemical functionalization in already established harvesting methods, the costs of harvesting processes could be reduced while preventing microalgae biomass contamination. Moreover, microalgae produced during wastewater treatment have unique culture characteristics, such as the consortia, which are primarily composed of microalgae and bacteria, that should be accounted for prior to downstream processing. The aim of this review is to examine recent advances in microalgal biomass harvesting and recovery in wastewater treatment systems, considering the impact of consortia variability. The costs of available harvesting technologies, such as coagulation/flocculation, coupled to sedimentation and differential air flotation, are provided. Additionally, promising technologies are discussed, including autoflocculation, bioflocculation, new filtration materials, nanotechnology, microfluidic and magnetic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etiele Greque de Morais
- 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
| | - Igor Carvalho Fontes Sampaio
- CPID - Espírito Santo's Center for Research, Innovation and Development, Eliezer Batista hill, Jardim América, 29140-130 Cariacica, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Eva Gonzalez-Flo
- 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; GEMMA-Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, Av. Eduard Maristany 16, Building C5.1, E-08019 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
| | - Enrica Uggetti
- 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
| | - Joan García
- 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.
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Álvarez-González A, Greque de Morais E, Planas-Carbonell A, Uggetti E. Enhancing sustainability through microalgae cultivation in urban wastewater for biostimulant production and nutrient recovery. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166878. [PMID: 37678521 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166878] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae can produce biostimulants in form of phytohormones, which are compounds that, even if applied in low concentrations, can have stimulant effects on plants growth and can enhance their quality and their resistance to stress. Considering that microalgal biomass can grow recovering nutrients from wastewater, this circular approach allows to use residues for the production of high added value compounds (such as phytohormones) at low cost. The interest on biostimulants production from microalgae have recently raised. Scientists are focused on the direct application of these cellular extracts on plants, while the number of studies on the identification of bioactive molecules, such as phytohormones, is very scarce. Two cyanobacteria strains (Synechocystis sp. (SY) and Phormidium sp. (PH)) and a chlorophyte (Scenedesmus sp. (SC)) were cultured in laboratory-scale PBRs with a working volume of 2.5 L in secondary urban wastewater varying N:P ratio in the cultures to obtain the highest productivity. The variation of N:P ratio affects microalgae growth, and SY and PH presented higher productivities (73 and 48 mg L-1 d, respectively) under higher N:P ratio (> 22:1). Microalgal biomass was freeze-dried and phytohormones content was measured with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The three microalgae showed similar phytohormones profiles, being the auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) the most abundant (72 ng g-1DW in SY). Proteins were major macronutrient for all strains, reaching 48 %DW in PH culture. To optimize the biostimulants production, a balance between the production of such compounds, biomass productivity and nutrients removal should be taken into consideration. In this sense, SC was the most promising strain, showing the highest N and P removal rates (73 % and 59 %, respectively) while producing phytohormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Álvarez-González
- 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
| | - Etiele Greque de Morais
- 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
| | - Anna Planas-Carbonell
- 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
| | - Enrica Uggetti
- 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.
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6
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Ndlela LL, Schroeder P, Genthe B, Cruzeiro C. Removal of Antibiotics Using an Algae-Algae Consortium ( Chlorella protothecoides and Chlorella vulgaris). TOXICS 2023; 11:588. [PMID: 37505554 PMCID: PMC10383683 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The intensive use of antibiotics (for human, veterinary, and agricultural purposes) has steadily increased over the last 30 years. Large amounts of antibiotic residues are released into aquatic systems, mostly due to inefficient wastewater treatment. Conventional wastewater treatments are not designed to remove emerging contaminants (such as antibiotics) from wastewater. Therefore, algae treatment (phycoremediation) has emerged as a promising choice for cost-effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable wastewater treatment. For this reason, we investigated the removal performance of a well-established algal consortia (Chlorella protothecoides and Chlorella vulgaris) used in passive wastewater treatment ponds (Mosselbay, South Africa). Five antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, trimethoprim, ofloxacin, and clarithromycin) were selected for their ubiquity and/or low removal efficiency in conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). For each antibiotic, two concentrations were used: one environmentally relevant (10 ppb) and another 10 times higher (100 ppb), tested in triplicate and collected at two-time points (7 and 10 days). The algae remained viable over the exposure period (which is similar to the retention time within maturation ponds) and exhibited the capacity to remove sulfamethoxazole (77.3% ± 3.0 and 46.5% ± 5.3) and ofloxacin (43.5% ± 18.9 and 55.1% ± 12.0) from samples spiked with 10 and 100 ppb, respectively. This study demonstrates the potential and innovation of algal remediation for contaminants in a developing country context, where minimal infrastructure is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyanda L Ndlela
- Natural Resources and the Environment Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa
| | - Peter Schroeder
- Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bettina Genthe
- Natural Resources and the Environment Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa
| | - Catarina Cruzeiro
- Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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Ramesh B, Saravanan A, Senthil Kumar P, Yaashikaa PR, Thamarai P, Shaji A, Rangasamy G. A review on algae biosorption for the removal of hazardous pollutants from wastewater: Limiting factors, prospects and recommendations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 327:121572. [PMID: 37028793 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals, dyes and pharmaceutical pollutants in water environment are considered as serious threat to the human and animal health globally. Rapid development of industrialization and agricultural activities are the major source for eliminating the toxic pollutants into the aquatic environment. Several conventional treatment methods have been suggested for the removal of emerging contaminants from wastewater. Algal biosorption, among other strategies and techniques, is demonstrating to be a limited technical remedy that is more focused and inherently more efficient and helps remove dangerous contaminants from water sources. The different environmental effects of harmful contaminants, including heavy metals, dyes, and pharmaceutical chemicals, as well as their sources, were briefly compiled in the current review. This paper provides a comprehensive definition of the future possibilities in heavy compound decomposition by using algal technology, from aggregation to numerous biosorption procedures. Functionalized materials produced from algal sources were clearly proposed. This review further highlights the limiting factors of algal biosorption to eliminate the hazardous material. Finally, this study showed how the existence of algae indicates a potential, effective, affordable, and sustainable sorbent biomaterial for minimizing environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Ramesh
- Department of Civil Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - A Saravanan
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, 603110, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, 603110, Tamil Nadu, India; School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
| | - P R Yaashikaa
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - P Thamarai
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - Alan Shaji
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India
| | - Gayathri Rangasamy
- School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon; University Centre for Research and Development & Department of Civil Engineering, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab, 140413, India
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de Morais EG, Murillo AM, Lens PNL, Ferrer I, Uggetti E. Selenium recovery from wastewater by the green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158337. [PMID: 36030875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is an important element for many living organisms and its supplementation may be needed in food, feed, and soil to make up for its deficiency. At the same time, high selenium concentrations can harm the environment, thus its management in sewage and the study of its removal from waste streams are important. Microalgae-based systems may be used for wastewater treatment and nutrients recovery, while producing biomass for bioproducts or bioenergy. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp. grown in urban wastewater with different selenium concentrations (50-1000 μg Se/L) were evaluated for their resistance and selenium removal/recovery efficiency. Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp. were able to remove up to 43 and 52 % of Se from wastewater, respectively. Chlorella vulgaris accumulated up to 323 mgSe/kg DW (in urban wastewater with 1000 μg Se/L). The Se-rich biomass produced may be applied to the supplementation of animal feed or used for biofortification of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etiele G de Morais
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana M Murillo
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences & Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Piet N L Lens
- Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences & Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Ivet Ferrer
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrica Uggetti
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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Álvarez-González A, Uggetti E, Serrano L, Gorchs G, Ferrer I, Díez-Montero R. Can microalgae grown in wastewater reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 323:116224. [PMID: 36126597 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alternatives to conventional inorganic fertilizers are needed to cope with the growing global population and contamination due to the production and use of those inorganic compounds. The recovery of nutrients from wastewater and organic wastes is a promising option to provide fertilization in a circular economy approach. In this context, microalgae-based systems are an alternative to conventional wastewater treatment systems, reducing the treatment costs and improving the sustainability of the process, while producing nutrient-rich microalgal biomass. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the use of microalgal biomass produced during domestic wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds as a biofertilizer in basil crops (Ocimum basilicum L.). Wastewater was successfully treated, with removal efficiencies in the secondary treatment of 69, 91 and 81% in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and phosphates (PO43-P), respectively. The microalgal biomass, composed mainly by Scenedesmus, presented the following composition: 12% of dry weight and nutrients concentration of 7.6% nitrogen (N), 1.6% phosphorus (P) and 0.9% potassium (K). The study compared the performance of 3 different fertilizers: 1) microalgae fertilizer (MF), 2) inorganic fertilizer (IF) as positive control and 3) the combination of both microalgae and inorganic fertilizer (MF + IF). Comparable plant growth (i.e., number of leaves, shoot fresh and dry weight and leaf fresh weight) was observed among treatments, except for leaf dry weight, which was significantly higher in the IF + MF and MF treatments (28 and 27%, respectively) in comparison with the control. However, the microalgae treatment provided the lowest chlorophyll, N and K leaf content. In conclusion, this study suggests that combining microalgae grown in wastewater with an inorganic fertilizer is a promising nutrients source for basil crops, enhancing the circular bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Álvarez-González
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrica Uggetti
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Lydia Serrano
- Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech, c/ Esteve Terradas 8, 08860, Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Gil Gorchs
- Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech, c/ Esteve Terradas 8, 08860, Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Ivet Ferrer
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rubén Díez-Montero
- GEMMA - Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain; GIA - Group of Environmental Engineering, Department of Water and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. Los Castros s/n, 39005, Santander, Spain
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10
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Microalgae as Potential Sources of Bioactive Compounds for Functional Foods and Pharmaceuticals. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12125877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are an untapped source of bioactive compounds with various biotechnological applications. Several species are industrially produced and commercialized for the feed or cosmetic industries, however, other applications in the functional food and pharmaceutical markets can be foreseen. In this study, nine industrial/commercial species were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, calcium-chelating, anti-tumoral, and anti-inflammatory activities. The most promising extracts were fractionated yielding several promising fractions namely, of Tetraselmis striata CTP4 with anti-inflammatory activity (99.0 ± 0.8% reduction in TNF-α production in LPS stimulated human macrophages at 50 µg/mL), of Phaeodactylum Tricornutum with cytotoxicity towards cancerous cell lines (IC50 = 22.3 ± 1.8 μg/mL and 27.5 ± 1.6 μg/mL for THP-1 and HepG2, respectively) and of Porphyridium sp. and Skeletonema sp. with good chelating activity for iron, copper and calcium (IC50 = 0.047, 0.272, 0.0663 mg/mL and IC50 = 0.055, 0.240, 0.0850 mg/mL, respectively). These fractions were chemically characterized by GC–MS after derivatization and in all, fatty acids at various degrees of unsaturation were the most abundant compounds. Some of the species under study proved to be potentially valuable sources of antioxidant, metal chelators, anti-tumoral and anti-inflammatory compounds with possible application in the functional food and pharmaceutical industries.
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