Optimization of media using statistical approach for growing algal isolates and designing a novel photobioreactor for wastewater treatment
Loading...
Date
2021-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Current global environmental issues raise unavoidable challenges for our use of natural resources. Supplying the human population with clean water is becoming a global problem. Numerous organic and inorganic impurities in municipal, industrial, and agricultural waters, ranging from micro-plastics to high nutrient loads and heavy metals, endanger our nutrition and health. The development of efficient wastewater treatment technologies and circular economic approaches is thus becoming increasingly important. Water scarcity and emerging demands for renewable energy have increased concerns about energy security and advanced wastewater treatment, and microalgae have emerged as promising candidates to solve these problems. The biomass production of microalgae using industrial wastewater offers the possibility of recycling industrial residues to create new sources of raw materials for energy and material use. The present study aims at media optimization using statistical tools for enhanced biomass production in the microalgae isolated from wastewater sample and further designing a photobioreactor for the wastewater treatment using the microalgae. Out of 27 isolates, four are selected for Plackett-Burman Design (PBD) to find the significant factors that affect their biomass production. Three significant factors that affect the biomass production positively are taken for optimization using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). An optimized media is prepared using the concentrations obtained through PBD and RSM. Out of 4 cultures, one is selected for wastewater treatment. Using molecular tools, the culture is identified as Coelastrella sp. A photobioreactor is designed for wastewater treatment and microalgae cultivation. The treatment is carried out using encapsulated and non-encapsulated Coelastrella sp. in the novel photobioreactor for 4 days. The efficacy of treatment process is evaluated for Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and pH. Through this study, it is found that non-encapsulated microalgae can efficiently reduce the BOD by 72.7% and COD by 73.9%, whereas in the encapsulated the reduction of 17.68% and 17.39% in BOD and COD was observed, respectively. Therefore, the current study provides the initial evidence for the effectiveness of indigenous microalgae in wastewater treatment using a novel photobioreactor.