Search

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review was to provide quantitative insights into algal growth and nutrient removal in anaerobic digestate. To synthesize the relevant literature, a meta-analysis was conducted using data from 58 articles to elucidate key factors that impact algal biomass productivity and nutrient removal from anaerobic digestate. On average, algal biomass productivity in anaerobic digestate was significantly lower than that in synthetic control media (p < 0.05) but large variation in productivity was observed. A mixed-effects multiple regression model across study revealed that biological or chemical pretreatment of digestate significantly increase productivity (p < 0.001). In contrast, the commonly used practice of digestate dilution was not a significant factor in the model. High initial total ammonia nitrogen suppressed algal growth (p = 0.036) whereas initial total phosphorus concentration, digestate sterilization, CO 2 supplementation, and temperature were not statistically significant factors. Higher growth corresponded with significantly higher NH 4 –N and phosphorus removal with a linear relationship of 6.4 mg NH 4 –N and 0.73 mg P removed per 100 mg of algal biomass growth (p < 0.001). The literature suggests that suboptimal algal growth in anaerobic digestate could be due to factors such as turbidity, high free ammonia, and residual organic compounds. This analysis shows that non-dilution approaches, such as biological or chemical pretreatment, for alleviating algal inhibition are recommended for algal digestate treatment systems. [Display omitted] • A meta-analysis was conducted on algal cultivation in anaerobic digestate. • Significant difference (p < 0.05) in algal growth in digestate vs. control media. • Chem/Bio pretreatment support (p < 0.05) algal productivity in digestate. • Non-dilution approaches are recommended for algae production from digestate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating a combination of organic matter management (OMM) practices can increase soil fertility, biomass, and nutrient recycling, but evidence of this potential is limited. This study tested the impact of integrating a combination of OMM practices on soil fertility, biomass, and nutrient recycling on smallholder farms. Following a randomised complete block design, a four-season experiment was conducted in 2018-2019 on 10 farms. The treatments (T) included T1: cowpea-maize-bean-maize rotation; T2: cowpea-maize-bean-maize rotation + farmyard manure; T3: Faidherbia albida alleys + cowpea-maize-bean-maize rotation; T4: F. albida alleys + cowpea-maize-bean-maize rotation + farmyard manure; and T5 (control): maize monocrop with diammonium phosphate application at 50 kg/ha application rate. T1-T4 are the OMM practices. The maize in T2-T4 was undersown with Mucuna pruriens. Soil fertility parameters (i.e. pH, water holding capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), biomass, and nutrients in the biomass were determined. There were no differences in soil fertility parameters among all treatments (P > 0.05). From the second to the fourth season, biomass was consistently higher under T3 and T4 than in other treatments. Moreover, the nutrients in biomass were higher in T3 and T4 than in other treatments, an indicator that OMM practices with alley crops can increase nutrient recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A completely randomized factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth and biomass production of single- and mixed crop species inoculated with mycorrhizae. Radish, (R), safflower (SF), pearl-millet (PM), mustard (M), field peas ((FP), faba-bean (FB), common vetch (CV), and berseem clover (BC) and their blends as R-SF-PM-M, FP-FB-CV-BC, R-SF-PM-M-FP-FB-CV-BC, R-SF-M-FP-FB-CV-BC, and PM-FP-FB-CV-BC were planted in a pot culture. The mycorrhizal inoculum significantly influenced the cover crops growth and biomass production under sterilized soils than that of non-sterile soils. While the safflower produced the highest total biomass, the pearl millet and field peas produced the lowest total biomass. Generally, in sterile and mycorrhizal conditions plant grown better and have high total C fixation. Within non-sterile and mycorrhizal inoculation, Safflower (1383.1 g C m−2) and Berseem Clover (1235.5 g C m−2) as a single species have fixed highest amount of carbon as biomass. Mycorrhizae inoculated BC+CV+FB+FP+SF+PM blends had a return of 1365.0 g C m−2 in non-sterile soil. Our results suggested that cover crops in single or mixed stands with mycorrhizal inoculations are expected to provide a significantly greater amount of biomass, which would contribute to soil organic matter and nutrient recycling for crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf litter mixtures and the amount of litter biomass in the litter standing stocks can affect the decomposition rates by modifying physical properties and resource heterogeneity in the litter layers. However, the potential interactive effects of litter mixtures and the amount of litter biomass on decomposition have been overlooked in the literature, even though both aspects of litter layer may be highly variable in space and time, within and across ecosystems. In a field experiment conducted in a seasonally dry tropical forest (also known as restinga forest), we investigated the individual and interactive effects of litter mixing and litter biomass on the decomposition of leaf litter from four species of trees, at both species- and assemblage-level. We hypothesized that the mixing of litter and higher litter biomass would both promote litter decomposition, and that litter mixture effects on decomposition at assemblage- and species specific-level would be stronger under higher litter biomass. Mixing of litter and the amount of litter in the standing stocks had no significant individual effects on decomposition, neither at the assemblage- or species specific-level. However, we observed an interactive effect between both experimental factors for the decomposition of a single species, where, contrary to our predictions, the decomposition of Andira legalis at low litter biomass was slightly reduced in the litter mixture. Our results indicate that litter decomposition in the restinga ecosystem should be highly predictable with knowledge of species composition and species-specific decomposition rates, and suggest that, at least for seasonally dry tropical ecosystems, the mixing of litter may have only a small effect on the decomposition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluates the use of native microalgae consortia for a dual role: polishing treatment of municipal wastewater effluents and microalgae biomass feedstock potential for biodiesel or biofertilizer production. An initial screening was undertaken to test N and P removal from secondary effluents and biomass production by 12 consortia. A subsequent treatment was performed by selected consortia (01 and 12) under three operational conditions: stirring (S), S+12 h of daily aeration (S+ A) and S+ A enriched with CO2 (S+ AC). All treatments resulted in compliance with environmental regulations (e.g. Directive 91/271/EEC) and high removal efficiency of nutrients: 64-79% and 80-94% of total N and PO4 3--P respectively. During the experiments it was shown that pH alkalinization due to microalgae growth benefits the chemical removal of ammonia and phosphorus. Moreover, advantages of pH increase could be accomplished by intermittent CO2 addition which in this research (treatment S + AC) promoted higher yield and lipid concentration. The resulting dry biomass analysis showed a low lipid content (0.5-4.3%) not ideal for biodiesel production. Moreover, the high rate of ash (29.3-53.0%) suggests that biomass could be readily recycled as a biofertilizer due to mineral supply and organic constituents formed by C, N and P (e.g. carbohydrate, protein, and lipids). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Primary consumers play important roles in the cycling of nutrients in headwater streams, storing assimilated nutrients in growing tissue and recycling them through excretion. Although environmental conditions in most headwater streams and their surrounding terrestrial ecosystems vary considerably over the course of a year, relatively little is known about the effects of seasonality on consumer nutrient recycling these streams. In this study, we measured nitrogen accumulated through growth and excreted by the grazing snail Elimia clavaeformis (Pleuroceridae) over the course of 12 months in Walker Branch, identifying close connections between in-stream nitrogen processing and seasonal changes in the surrounding forest. 2. Nitrogen processing rates were positively correlated with ecosystem respiration, which was driven by leaf phenology on streamside trees. Snail nitrogen assimilation, growth and excretion were relatively high in spring before leaf emergence, low in summer when canopy shade was extensive and high again in autumn after leaf-fall. During the time that snails grazed primarily on epilithon (winter, spring and summer), growth and excretion rates followed changes in light and epilithon biomass. In autumn, when snails primarily grazed fallen leaves, leaf-associated microbes provided large subsidies of nitrogen for the snails. Nitrogen accumulation in snail biomass was greater in the 2 months following leaf-fall than at any other time of the year. 3. Snails were less important as nitrogen sinks than as sources of recycled nitrogen in Walker Branch. Over the course of the year, snails excreted approximately 12 times more nitrogen than they accumulated in biomass. Nitrogen accrued during growth in spring was subsequently lost in summer when primary production declined and snails underwent tissue loss. Catabolic losses represented >40% of the nitrogen excreted by the snails in summer. Net nitrogen growth efficiency (growth/assimilation), which varied with food availability, was only 8% for the entire year. Neither growth nor excretion was positively correlated with nitrogen concentrations in grazing substrata. 4. Snails achieved high standing crops and were significant contributors to nitrogen spiralling in Walker Branch. On an areal basis, nitrogen in snail biomass (mgN m-2) was two to five times greater than that in epilithon biomass, depending on the season. Snails assimilated and excreted up to 50% of the nitrogen initially taken up by autotrophs and leaf microbes, and they were likely to have additional effects on nitrogen spiraling through egestion and the cropping of assimilative biomass. Primary consumers like Elimia are important catalysts of nutrient movement through headwater streams, decreasing residence times and facilitating fluxes to downstream waters [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, zeolite was employed for the separation and recovery of P from synthetic wastewater and its use as phosphorus (P) source for the cultivation of the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris and the cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis. At P-loaded zeolite concentration of 0.15-1 g/L, in which P was limited, the two species displayed quite different behavior regarding their growth and biomass composition. C. vulgaris preferred to increase the intracellular P and did not synthesize biomass, while A. platensis synthesized biomass keeping the intracellular P as low as possible. In addition under P limitation, C. vulgaris did display some little alteration of the biomass composition, while A. platensis did it significantly, accumulating carbohydrates around 70% from about 15%-20% (control). Both species could desorb P from zeolite biologically. A. platensis could recover over 65% and C. vulgaris 25% of the P bounded onto zeolite. When P-loaded zeolite concentration increased to 5 g/L, P was adequate to support growth for both species. Especially in the case of C. vulgaris, growth was stimulated from the presence of P-loaded zeolite and produced more biomass compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted for 3 years during 2006–2009 in India to study the effects of plant nutrient recycling through crop residue management, green manuring, and fertility levels on yield attributes, crop productivity, nutrient uptake, and biofertility indicators of soil health in a rice–wheat cropping system. The study revealed that soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and carbon dioxide (CO2) evolution were significantly greatest under crop residue incorporation (CRI) + Sesbania green manuring (SGM) treatment and were found at levels of 364μg g−1soil and 1.75μg g−1soil h−1, respectively; these were increased significantly by recycling of organic residues. Activities of dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzymes increased significantly after 3 years, with maximum activity under CRI + SGM treatment. The CRI with or without SGM significantly influenced the plant height, number of tillers m−2, number of grains panicle−1or ear−1, and 1000-grain weight. Mean yield data of rice and wheat revealed that CRI or crop residue burning (CRB) resulted in slightly greater yield over crop residue removal (CRR) treatment. The CRI + SGM treatment again observed significantly greatest grain yields of 7.54 and 5.84 t ha−1and straw yields of 8.42 and 6.36 t ha−1in rice and wheat, respectively, over other crop residue management treatments. Total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake in rice–wheat system was greatest with amounts of 206.7, 37.2, and 205.6 kg ha−1, respectively, in CRI + SGM treatment. Fertility levels significantly influenced the rice and wheat yield with greatest grain yields of 6.66 and 5.68 t ha−1and straw yields of 7.94 and 5.89 t ha−1in rice and wheat, respectively, with the application of 150% of recommended NPK. Total NPK uptake in rice–wheat system also increased significantly with increase in fertility levels with greatest magnitude by supplying 150% of recommended NPK. Overall, nutrient recycling through incorporation of crop residues and Sesbania green manuring along with inorganics greatly improved the crop productivity, nutrient uptake, and biofertility indicators of soil health with substantial influence on SMBC, CO2evolution, and dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzyme activities. This indicates that crop residue management along with Sesbania green manuring practice could be a better option for nutrient recycling to sustain the crop productivity and soil health in intensive rice–wheat cropping system in India as well as in similar global agroecological situations, especially in China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a closed Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton (NPZ) model that allows for a delay in the nutrient recycling. A delay-dependent conservation law allows us to quantify the total biomass in the system. With this, we can investigate how a planktonic ecosystem is affected by the quantity of biomass it contains and by the properties of the delay distribution. The quantity of biomass and the length of the delay play a significant role in determining the existence of equilibrium solutions, since a sufficiently small amount of biomass or a long enough delay can lead to the extinction of a species. Furthermore, the quantity of biomass and length of delay are important since a small change in either can change the stability of an equilibrium solution. We explore these effects for a variety of delay distributions using both analytical and numerical techniques, and verify these results with simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the extent to which nitrogenous and phosphorus nutrients from liquid anaerobic digestates could be recycled for photosynthetic growth of a microalga, Scenedesmus sp. AMDD. Digestates recovered from the anaerobic digestion of cow manure and swine manure and a co-digestion of swine manure and algal biomass were diluted in distilled water and used for algal growth with and without supplemental CO addition. Nutrient assimilation and final biomass yield were retarded in all but the swine manure/algae co-digestate cultures supplemented with high CO. Swine manure digestate cultures supplemented with the typical complement of micronutrients normally added with a commonly used growth medium or with Fe/EDTA failed to grow any better than unamended controls. When the culture medium was prepared by blending swine manure digestate with 25 or 50 % algal biomass digestate, diluting it with lake water or by supplementing with magnesium, nutrient assimilation and final algal biomass yields were maximized, indicating that magnesium was critically limiting for algal growth in swine manure digestates. Magnesium amendment thus appears to be essential if nutrients from swine manure digestates are recycled for algal growth. No such requirement is necessary for recycling nutrients from digestates generated wholly or in part from algal biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective wastewater treatment through conventional methods that rely on heavy aeration are expensive to install and operate. Duckweed is capable of recovering or extracting nutrients or pollutants and is an excellent candidate for bio-remediation of wastewaters. Such plants grow very fast, utilizing wastewater nutrients and also yield cost effective protein-rich biomass as a by-product. Duckweeds being tiny surface-floating plants are easy to harvest and have an appreciable amount of protein (15%–45% dry mass basis) and a lower fiber (7%–14% dry mass basis) content. Besides nutrient extraction, duckweeds has been found to reduce total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand in wastewater significantly. Depending on the initial concentrations of nutrients, duckweed-covered systems can remove nitrate (NO3−) at daily rates of 120–590 mg NO3−m−2(73%–97% of initial concentration) and phosphate (PO4−) at 14–74 mg PO4−m−2(63%–99% of initial concentration). Removal efficiencies within 3 days of 96% and 99% have been reported for BOD and ammonia (NH3). Besides several genera of duckweeds (Spirodela,Lemna,Wolffia), other surface-floating aquatic plants like water hyacinth (Eichhornia) are well known for their phyto-remediation qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Several ongoing projects are harvesting maritime biomass from the Baltic Sea for eutrophication mitigation and utilisation of the recovered biomass. Some of this biomass comprises common reed (Phragmites australis), one of the most widespread vascular plants on Earth. Reed utilisation from eutrophied coastal areas needs to be evaluated. Therefore, a system analysis was performed of reed harvesting for biofuel and biofertiliser production. The specific objectives of the analysis were to: investigate the methane yield associated with anaerobic co-digestion of reed; make a primary energy assessment of the system; quantify Greenhouse Gas (GHG) savings when a fossil reference system is replaced; and estimate the nutrient recycling potential of the system. The results from energy and GHG calculations are highly dependent on conditions such as system boundaries, system design, allocation methods and selected indicators. Therefore a pilot project taking place in Kalmar County, Sweden, was used as a case study system. Laboratory experiments using continuously stirred tank reactor digesters indicated an increased methane yield of about 220 m3 CH4/t volatile solids from co-digestion of reed. The energy balance for the case study system was positive, with energy requirements amounting to about 40% of the energy content in the biomethane produced and with the non-renewable energy input comprising about 50% of the total energy requirements of the system. The net energy value proved to be equivalent to about 40 L of petrol/t reed wet weight. The potential to save GHG emissions compared with a fossil reference system was considerable (about 80%). Furthermore an estimated 60% of the nitrogen and almost all the phosphorus in the biomass could be re-circulated to arable land as biofertiliser. Considering the combined benefits from all factors investigated in this study, harvesting of common reed from coastal zones has the potential to be beneficial, assuming an appropriate system design, and is worthy of further investigations regarding other sustainability aspects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A model of competition between plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free organisms in the chemostat with periodic input of nutrient and two distributed delays is investigated. The delays model the fact that the nutrient is partially recycled after the death of the biomass by bacterial decomposition. It is assumed that there is inter-specific competition between the plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free organisms as well as intra-specific competition within each population. Analysis of the extinction of the organisms, including plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free organisms, and the permanence of the system are carried out. Furthermore, sufficient conditions ensuring the existence and global stability of the positive periodic solution are established. Numerical simulations illustrate the theoretical results. Finally, we present a procedure by which one can control the parameters of the model to keep the plasmid-bearing organism stay eventually in a desired set. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we consider the global behaviors of Monod type chemostat model with nutrient recycling and impulsive input. By introducing a new study method, the sufficient and necessary conditions on the permanence and extinction of the microorganisms are obtained. Furthermore, by using the Liapunov function method, the sufficient condition on the global attractivity of the system is established. Lastly, an example is given, the numerical simulation shows that if only the system is permanent, then it also is globally attractive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The asymptotic behavior of solutions of a chemostat-type model in which two species compete for a limiting nutrient supplied at a constant rate is considered. The model incorporates a general nutrient uptake function and two distributed delays. The first delay models the fact that the nutrient is partially recycled after the death of the biomass by bacterial decomposition and the second indicates that the growth of the species depends on the past concentration of the nutrient. Furthermore, it is assumed that there is interspecific competition between the two species as well as intraspecific competition within each species. Conditions for boundedness of solutions and existence of nonnegative equilibria are given. By constructing appropriate Liapunov-like functionals, some sufficient conditions for global attractivity of the positive equilibrium is obtained. The combined effects of the two different delays are studied. The main results of Freedman and Xu [H.I. Freedman, Y. Xu, Models of competition in the chemostat with instantaneous and delayed nutrient recycling, J. Math. Biol. 31 (1993) 513–527] and Ruan and He [S. Ruan, X.-Z. He, Global stability in chemostat-type competition models with nutrient recycling, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 58 (1) (1998) 170–192] are improved and extended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In an effort to generate more information on the use of biosolids in the turf industry, a study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of biosolids with recommended organic sources in enhancing soil microbial populations and N availability in putting green sand rootzones. The treatments included four types of rootzones as follows: sand (control), sand mixed with Dakota reed-sedge peat (10%, v/v), sand mixed with yard-waste compost (10%, v/v), and sand mixed with biosolids (10%, v/v), which were established at the North Shore Country Club golf course, Glenview, IL, USA in 1997. All plots received the same fertilizers mainly in organic forms at 100kgNha−1 year−1. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) turf was established, and was managed as a practice putting green. Soil microbial biomass in the rootzone (0–30cm) was higher either under compost (fall 2004 and summer 2005) or biosolids (summer 2003) than other treatments. Rootzone ammonium oxidizer populations were higher with biosolids (5400g−1 soil) than peat (1200g−1 soil) and compost (500g−1 soil) amendment and in control (400g−1 soil) in summer 2003. The nitrite oxidizer populations were higher with biosolids (24000g−1 soil) than compost (8300g−1 soil) and peat (4700g−1 soil) amendment and in control (3700g−1 soil) in summer 2005. Soil potentially mineralizable N, also being lowest in control, was higher in the biosolids-amended than compost- and peat-amended rootzones. In most seasons, the nitrate concentrations in biosolids rootzone (3.16–19.3mgkg−1) were higher than in compost (2.79–17.7mgkg−1), peat (1.83–14.4mgkg−1), and control rootzone (0.81–15.2mgkg−1). The study indicates that while compost could restore soil microbial biomass better than peat, biosolids could maintain greater N supply than peat and compost. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A wastewater-fed, partly indoor aquaculture plant (36 basins, 360 m2 and 420 m3 in total) was designed in Otelfingen/Zurich, Switzerland. It was charged with the effluent from a methanization plant processing organic household waste and started operation in spring 1998. The aim of the successive arrangement of the different modules and steps was to efficiently recycle water-borne nutrients in the form of aquatic biomass products, such as floating (ornamental) macrophytes, fish, zoo- and phytoplankton, suitable for selling on the Swiss market. Besides treating the effluent (total organic carbon [TOC], total nitrogen, nitrate [NO3-N], ammonium [NH4-N], and total phosphorus concentrations being 670 g/m3, 255 g/m3, 150 g/m3, 95 g/m3, and 52 g/m3, respectively) according to Swiss law requirements, the research focused on the search for suitable aquatic organisms and their testing at different environmental conditions. During the 16-week experimental period, a total of 2,150 kg fresh weight (FW) of biomass (97% as floating macrophytes) was harvested. This way, 176 g/week nitrogen and 47 g/week phosphorus were eliminated by assimilation, corresponding to 25-35% of the system's inflow. Due to relatively high evapotranspiration rates (on average 35.4 mm/week) and for water reconditioning purpose in the fish stocking basins, fresh water was added. Nevertheless, the system's final effluent was very low (21% of total inflow plus rainfall) and was carrying only about 2% and 0.5% of the input loads of nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively. Hence, the elimination rate was significantly above the average performance of a conventional system normally applied in Middle Europe, although the concentration values of most parameters in the outflow were comparable. Macrophyte production (and thus nutrient assimilation) was close to theoretical maxima in basins with high nutrient levels. Both plankton and fish growth were, at their best, only moderately satisfying. The semi-continual planktonic microalgae culture, and therefore also zooplankton culture, could be improved if the light absorbing humic substances were removed in a pre-treatment. Under given conditions (i.e., temperate climate) fish would rather play an accompanying role in the ecological production process. A wastewater-fed aquaculture facility resembles an integrated production plant rather than a wastewater disposal site. In addition to that, it has potential to prove advantageous over the highly developed conventional wastewater treatment plants established in Middle Europe. Further research in this field is essential and also recommended, considering political programs like Agenda 21, which contemplate the need for sustainable strategies for handling resources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

1. The inter- and intra-annual changes in the biomass, elemental (carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)) and taxonomical composition of the phytoplankton in a high mountain lake in Spain were studied during 3 years with different physical (fluctuating hydrological regime) and chemical conditions. The importance of internal and external sources of P to the phytoplankton was estimated as the amount of P supplied via zooplankton recycling (internal) or through ice-melting and atmospheric deposition (external). 2. Inter-annual differences in phytoplankton biomass were associated with temperature and total dissolved phosphorus. In 1995, phytoplankton biomass was positively correlated with total dissolved phosphorus. In contrast, the negative relationship between zooplankton and seston biomass (direct predatory effects) and the positive relationship between zooplankton P excretion and phytoplankton biomass in 1997 (indirect P-recycling effects), reinforces the primary role of zooplankton in regulating the total biomass of phytoplankton but, at the same time, encouraging its growth via P-recycling. 3. Year-to-year variations in seston C : P and N : P ratios exceeded intra-annual variations. The C : P and N : P ratios were high in 1995, indicating strong P limitation. In contrast, in 1996 and 1997, these ratios were low during ice-out (C : P < 100 and N : P < 10) and increased markedly as the season progressed. Atmospheric P load to the lake was responsible for the decline in C : P and N : P ratios. 4. Intra-annual variations in zooplankton stoichiometry were more pronounced than the overall differences between 1995 and 1996. Thus, the zooplankton N : P ratio ranged from 6.9 to 40.1 (mean 21.4) in 1995, and from 10.4 to 42.2 (mean 24.9) in 1996. The zooplankton N : P ratio tended to be low after ice-out, when the zooplankton community was dominated by copepod nauplii, and high towards mid- and late-season, when these were replaced by copepodites and adults. 5. In 1995, the minimum demands for P of phytoplankton were satisfied by ice-melting, atmospheric loading and zooplankton recycling over 100%. In order of importance, atmospheric inputs (> 1000%), zooplankton recycling (9–542%), and ice-melting processes (0.37–5.16%) satisfied the minimum demand for P of phytoplankton during 1996 and 1997. Although the effect of external forces was rather sporadic and unpredictable in comparison with biologically driven recycle processes, both may affect phytoplankton structure and elemental composition. 6. We identified three conceptual models representing the seasonal phosphorus flux among the major compartments of the pelagic zone. While ice-melting processes dominated the nutrient flow at the thaw, biologically driven processes such as zooplankton recycling became relevant as the season and zooplankton ontogeny progressed. The stochastic nature of P inputs associated with atmospheric events can promote rapid transitional changes between a community limited by internal recycling and one regulated by external load. 7. The elemental composition of the zooplankton explains changes in phytoplankton taxonomic and elemental composition. The elemental negative balance (seston N : P < zooplankton N : P, low N : P recycled) during the thaw, would promote a community dominated by species with a high demand for P (Cryptophyceae). The shift to an elemental positive balance (seston N : P > zooplankton N : P, high N : P recycled) in mid-season would skew the N : P ratio of the recycled nutrients, favouring dominance by chrysophytes. The return to negative balance, as a consequence of the ontogenetic increase in zooplankton N : P ratio and the external P inputs towards the end of the ice-free season, could alleviate the limitation of P and account for the appearance of other phytoplankton classes (Chlorophyceae or Dinophyceae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae biomass (MB) is a promising source of renewable energy, especially when the cultivation is associated with wastewater treatment. However, microalgae wastewater technologies still have much to improve. Additionally, microalgae biomass valorization routes need to be optimized to be a sustainable and feasible source of green bioenergy. Thus, this paper aimed to evaluate the environmental impacts of the production of briquettes from MB, cultivated during domestic wastewater treatment. Also, it was evaluated how much the drying of the MB affected the life cycle and the environment. Improvements in the life cycle to mitigate the environmental impacts of this energy route were proposed. Cradle-to-gate modeling was applied to obtain a life cycle assessment (LCA) from cultivation to the valorization of MB, through its transformation into a solid biofuel. With LCA, it was possible to identify which technical aspect of the process needs to be optimized so that environmental sustainability can be achieved. Two scenarios were compared, one with the microalgae growth in a high-rate algal pond (HRAP) (scenario 1) and the other in a hybrid reactor, formed by a HRAP and a biofilm reactor (BR) (scenario 2). LCA highlighted the electric power mix, representing, on average, 60% of the total environmental impacts in both scenarios. The valorization of MB in briquettes needs to consume less energy to offset its yield. The environment suffered pressure in freshwater eutrophication, due to the release of 3.1E-05 and 3.9E-05 kg of phosphorus equivalent; in fossil resources scarcity, with the extraction of 1.4E-02 and 4.5E-02 kg of oil equivalent; and in climate change, by the emission of 1.0E-01 and 1.9E-01 kg of carbon dioxide (CO 2) equivalent, in scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. Scenario 1 was highly damaging to terrestrial ecotoxicity, with the release of 3.5E-01 kg of 1,4 Dichlorobenzene, coming from the CO 2 used in MB growth. This category was the one that most negatively pressured the environment, differing from scenario 2, in which this input was not required. This was the only impact category in which scenario 2 had a better environmental performance when compared to scenario 1. Cotton, required in scenario 2, represented up to 87% of emissions in some of the evaluated categories. Despite the impacts that occurred in the two modeled scenarios, the environmental gains due to the use of wastewater for microalgae growth, replacing the synthetic cultivation medium, stood out. In the sensitivity analysis, two alternative scenarios were proposed: (i) electricity consumption for drying has been reduced, due to the natural decrease of MB humidity, and (ii) MB briquettes were considered a substitute for coal briquettes. Results indicated that pressures on climate change and fossil resource scarcity were eliminated in both scenarios and this also occurred for freshwater eutrophication in scenario 2. This paper contributes to the improvement and development of converting MB routes into more sustainable products, causing less pressure on the environment. Also, the study contributes to filling a gap in the literature, discussing methods and technologies to be improved, and consequently making microalgae biotechnology environmentally feasible and a potential renewable energy alternative. [Display omitted] • Environmental impacts of microalgae biomass briquette were obtained. • The environment was stressed on terrestrial ecotoxicity, by CO 2 supplementation. • The net energy of the process was negative due to drying. • Optimizing biomass drying improved energy and environmental performance. • Microalgae biomass briquettes to replace coal benefit the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trophic cascades have been the subject for considerable research during the last decade. A review of the literature suggests that trophiccascades have been observed in many kinds of systems and organisms. However, the extent to which trophic cascades have community-wide effects (e.g. affecting total primary producer biomass/density) is only indisputably demonstrated in aquatic systems. The lack of unequivocalevidence for community-wide trophic cascades from terrestrial systems may be due to (1) the absence of appropriately scaled experiments involving mammal herbivores or (2) that community-wide trophic cascades are less common in terrestrial systems. Experimental and theoretical studies have shown that adaptive foraging and consumer nutrient recycling are important elements of trophic cascades. In most studies, covariation in abundance has been found between adjacent levels that can in many cases be related to horizontal (several species at each trophic level) and vertical (species feeding from more than one trophiclevel) heterogeneity in food webs. A major cause to vertical heterogeneity is the presence of size structure in populations. The dynamic implications of horizontal and vertical heterogeneity cause the trophic level concept to be of limited value for the analysis of trophic dynamics. Theoretical and experimental studies should profit from focusing on how flexible behavior, nutrient recycling and horizontal and vertical heterogeneity affect indirect interactions in general. An approach based on community modules is suggested to be the most profitable route to take to make progress in this research area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a chemostat-type model in which a single species feeds on a limiting nutrient supplied at a constant rate. The model incorporates a general nutrient uptake function and two distributed (infinite) delays. The first delay models the fact that the nutrient is partially recycled after the death of the biomass by bacterial decomposition, and the second delay indicates that the growth of the species depends on the past concentration of the nutrient. By constructing appropriate Liapunov-like functionals, we obtain sufficient conditions for local and global stability of the positive equilibrium of the model. Quantitative estimates on the size of the delays for local and global stability are also obtained with the help of the Liapunov-like functionals. The technique we use in this paper may be used as well to study global stability of other types of physical models with distributed delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to produce hydrochar from high-ash low-lipid Chlorella vulgaris biomass via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process. The effects of hydrothermal temperature and retention time with respect to the physicochemical properties of hydrochar were studied in the range of 180–250 °C and 0.5–4 h, respectively. It was found that the hydrothermal temperature had resulted in a significant reduction of hydrochar yield as compared to the retention time. The raw microalgal biomass was successfully converted into an energy densified hydrochar via an optimized HTC reaction, with higher heating value (HHV) of 24.51 kJ/g, which was approximately two-times higher than that of raw biomass. In addition, the overall carbon recovery rate and energy yield were in the range of 53.2–86.4% and 46.9–76.6%, respectively. The high quality of the produced hydrochar was further supported by the plot of van Krevelen diagram and combustion behaviour analysis. Besides, the aqueous phase collected from HTC process could be further used as nutrients source to cultivate C. vulgaris , in which up to 70% of the biomass yield could be attained as compared to the control cultivation condition. The reusability of the aqueous phase collected from HTC process as an alternative nutrients source to cultivate microalgal indicated the feasibility and positive integration of HTC process in microalgal biofuel processing chain. • Hydrochar production from HTC of microalgal biomass was optimized. • HTC temperature was found to be an effective parameter to produce quality hydrochar. • Energy intensified hydrochar has similar HHV as sub-bituminous coal. • Aqueous phase produced from HTC could be used as nutrient source to cultivate C. vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]