Evaluation of Biomass Production and Wastewater Nutrient Removal Using Microalgae: Sustainable Strategy to CO۲ Bio-Fixation and Bioenergy Production Approach

Nowadays, the replacement of renewable energies such as biofuels is one of the main priorities in environmental programming and investments. This study is based on sustainable strategy towards integrating algal biomass generation as a green feedstock with wastewater treatment, CO۲ bio-fixation, and bioenergy production. Therefore, the performance of Trichormus variabilis in biomass production together with ammonium and phosphate removal from an actual effluent obtained from a mixed wastewater streams has been investigated using two mixing methods under aeration and agitation conditions. Dilutions of ۱۰ %, ۲۰ %, ۴۰ %, ۶۰ %, ۹۰ % and ۱۰۰ % (v/v) were used for growth evaluation. The results showed that the bubbled air effectively enhances the biomass productivity. However, the agitation system was suggested to cultivate the algae in the wastewater due to the elimination of possible mechanical stimulation stress on cells. Moreover, high pH levels (pH>۸) indicated a negative inhibitory effect on growth. Thus, unexpected inhibitory impacts were removed through providing the wastewater dilutions mixed with BG۱۱ culture medium, which contains essential required nutrients, to support the algal growth in the wastewater, adjust pH and remove the mechanical stress induced by bubbling compressed air. The results with respect to investigating the effect of the inoculums and wastewater concentrations on the biomass production suggested that the highest biomass generates with ۳۰ mg.mL-۱ inoculum in ۴۰ % mixed wastewater diluted by the BG۱۱ medium having the highest potential in CO۲ bio-fixation of ۹.۱۹±۰.۶۴ g.L-۱. The results of the wastewater analysis demonstrated the removal potential of ~۴۳ % and ~۷۵ % for NH۴+ and PO۴۳−, respectively. The generated biomass after phycoremediation and CO۲ bio-fixation can be effectively utilized in different types of biofuel production.

کلیدواژه ها:

Trichormus Variabilis ، Phycoremediation ، CO۲ Bio-Fixation ، Bioenergy