Search

Integration of the microalgae and activated sludge (MAAS) process in municipal wastewater treatment and biogas production from recovered MAAS was investigated by studying the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of semi-continuous photo-bioreactors. An average total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency (RE) of maximum 81.5 ± 5.1 and 64.6 ± 16.2% was achieved at 6 and 4 days HRT. RE of total phosphorous (TP) increased slightly at 6 days (80 ± 12%) HRT and stabilized at 4 days (56 ± 5%) and 2 days (55.5 ± 5.5%) HRT due to the fluctuations in COD and N/P mass ratio of the periodic wastewater. COD and organic carbon were removed efficiently and a rapidly settleable MAAS with a sludge volume index (SVI_10) of less than 117 mL g(-1) was observed at all HRTs. The anaerobic digestion of the untreated MAAS showed a higher biogas yield of 349 ± 10 mL g VS(-1) with 2 days HRT due to a low solids retention time (SRT). Thermal pretreatment of the MAAS (120 °C, 120 min) did not show any improvement with biogas production at 6 days (269 ± 3 (untreated) and 266 ± 16 (treated) mL gVS(-1)), 4 days (258 ± 11(untreated) and 263 ± 10 (treated) mL gVS(-1)) and 2 days (308 ± 19 mL (treated) gVS(-1)) HRT. Hence, the biogas potential tests showed that the untreated MAAS was a feasible substrate for biogas production. Results from this proof of concept support the application of MAAS in wastewater treatment for Swedish conditions to reduce aeration, precipitation chemicals and CO2 emissions., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the natural environment, heavy metal contamination can occur as long-term pollution of sites or as pulses of pollutants from wastewater disposal. In this study two freshwater green algae, Chlorella sp. FleB1 and Scenedesmus YaA6, were isolated from lead-polluted water samples and the effects of 24 h vs 4 and 8 d exposure of cultures to lead on growth, photosynthetic physiology and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of these algae were investigated. In Chlorella sp. FleB1, there was agreement between lead impacts on chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and growth in most case. However, in Scenedesmus acutus YaA6 growth was inhibited at lower lead concentrations (0.03-0.87 × 10(-9) M), under which ROS, measured by 2',7' dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate fluorescence, were 4.5 fold higher than in controls but photosynthesis was not affected, implying that ROS had played a role in the growth inhibition that did not involve direct effects on photosynthesis. Effects of short-term (5 h, 24 h) vs long-term (4 d and 8 d) exposure to lead were also compared between the two algae. The results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of lead toxicity to algae., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

For the commercialization of microalgal based biofuels, utilization of de-oiled carbohydrate rich biomass is important. In the present study, chemo-enzymatic hydrolysis of mixotrophically grown Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 de-oiled biomass is evaluated. Among the chemical hydrolysis, use of 0.5M HCl for 45 min at 121°C resulted in highest saccharification yield of 37.87% w/w of de-oiled biomass. However, enzymatic hydrolysis using Viscozyme L at loading rate of 20 FBGU/g of de-oiled biomass, pH 5.5 and temperature 45°C for 72 h resulted in saccharification yield of 43.44% w/w of de-oiled biomass. Further, 78% ethanol production efficiency was achieved with enzymatically hydrolyzed de-oiled biomass using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 6793. These findings of the present study show application of mixotrophically grown de-oiled biomass of Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 as promising feedstock for bioethanol production., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present investigation, the application of NMR spectroscopic techniques was extensively used with an objective to explore the biodiesel potential of biomass cultivated on a lab scale using strains of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus ecornis. The effect of variation in the composition of culturing medium on the neutral and polar lipids productivity, and fatty acid profile of solvent extracts of microalgae biomass was studied. Determination of unsaturated fatty acid composition (C18:N = 1-3, ω3 C20:5, ω3 C22:6), polyunsaturated fatty esters (PUFEs), saturated fatty acids (SFAs), unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), free fatty acids (FFAs), and iodine value were achieved from a single (1)H NMR spectral analysis. The results were validated by (13)C NMR and GC-MS analyses. It was demonstrated that newly developed methods based on (1)H and (13)C NMR techniques are direct, rapid, and convenient for monitoring the microalgae cultivation process for enhancement of lipid productivity and their quality aspects in the solvent extracts of microalgal biomasses without any sample treatment and prior separation compared to other methods. The fatty acid composition of algae extracts was found to be similar to vegetable and fish oils, mostly rich in C16:0, C18:N (N = 0 to 3), and n-3 omega polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The lipid content, particularly neutral lipids, as well as most of the quality parameters were found to be medium specific by both the strains. The newly developed methods based on NMR and ultrasonic procedure developed for efficient extraction of neutral lipids are cost economic and can be an effective aid for rapid screening of algae strains for modulation of lipid productivity with desired biodiesel quality and value-added products including fatty acid profile.

Aims: Chlorophyll is a photosynthetic pigment found in plants and algal organisms and is a bioproduct with human health benefits and a great potential for use in the food industry. The chlorophyll content in microalgae strains varies in response to environmental factors. In this work, we assessed the effect of nitrogen depletion and low light intensity on the chlorophyll content of the Scenedesmus dimorphus microalga., Methods and Results: The growth of S. dimorphus under low light intensity led to a reduction in cell growth and volume as well as increased cellular chlorophyll content. Nitrogen starvation led to a reduction in cell growth and the chlorophyll content, changes in the yield and productivity of chlorophylls a and b. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the ultrastructural changes in the S. dimorphus exposed to nitrogen and light deficiency., Conclusions: In contrast to nitrogen depletion, low light availability was an effective mean for increasing the total chlorophyll content of green microalga S. dimorphus., Significance and Impact of the Study: The findings acquired in this work are of great biotechnological importance to extend knowledge of choosing the right culture condition to stimulate the effectiveness of microalgae strains for chlorophyll production purposes., (© 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The effect of inhibiting nitrification on algal growth and nutrient uptake was studied in photobioreactors treating municipal wastewater. As previous studies have indicated that algae prefer certain nitrogen species to others, and because nitrifying bacteria are inhibited by microalgae, it is important to shed more light on these interactions. In this study allylthiourea (ATU) was used to inhibit nitrification in wastewater-treating photobioreactors. The nitrification-inhibited reactors were compared to control reactors with no ATU added. Microalgae had higher growth in the inhibited reactors, resulting in a higher chlorophyll a concentration. The species mix also differed, with Chlorella and Scenedesmus being the dominant genera in the control reactors and Cryptomonas and Chlorella dominating in the inhibited reactors. The nitrogen speciation in the reactors after 8 days incubation was also different in the two setups, with N existing mostly as NH4-N in the inhibited reactors and as NO3-N in the control reactors., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biofuels derived from microalgae have promise as carbon-neutral replacements for petroleum. However, difficulty extracting microalgae-derived lipids and the co-extraction of non-lipid components add major costs that detract from the benefits of microalgae-based biofuel. Selective fermentation could alleviate these problems by managing microbial degradation so that carbohydrates and proteins are hydrolyzed and fermented, but lipids remain intact. We evaluated selective fermentation of Scenedesmus biomass in batch experiments buffered at pH 5.5, 7, or 9. Carbohydrates were fermented up to 45% within the first 6 days, protein fermentation followed after about 20 days, and lipids (measured as fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) were conserved. Fermentation of the non-lipid components generated volatile fatty acids, with acetate, butyrate, and propionate being the dominant products. Selective fermentation of Scenedesmus biomass increased the amount of extractable FAME and the ratio of FAME to crude lipids. It also led to biohydrogenation of unsaturated FAME to more desirable saturated FAME (especially to C16:0 and C18:0), and the degree of saturation was inversely related to the accumulation of hydrogen gas after fermentation. Moreover, the microbial communities after selective fermentation were enriched in bacteria from families known to perform biohydrogenation, i.e., Porphyromonadaceae and Ruminococcaceae. Thus, this study provides proof-of-concept that selective fermentation can improve the quantity and quality of lipids that can be extracted from Scenedesmus., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This work investigated the effects of swine wastewater-derived biogas on microalgae biomass production and nutrient removal rates from piggery wastewater concomitantly with biogas filtration. Photobioreactors with dominant Scenedesmus spp. were prepared using non-sterile digestate and exposed to different photoperiods. In the presence of biogas and autotrophic conditions microalgae yield of 1.1±0.2 g L(-1) (growth rate of 141.8±3.5 mg L(-1) d(-1)) was obtained leading to faster N-NH3 and P-PO4(3-) assimilation rate of 21.2±1.2 and 3.5±2.5 mg L(-1) d(-1), respectively. H2S up to 3000 ppmv was not inhibitory and completely removed. Maximum CO2 assimilation of 219±4.8 mg L(-1) d(-1) was achieved. Biological consumption of CH4 up to 18% v/v was verified. O2 up to 22% v/v was controlled by adding acetate to exacerbate oxygen demand by microorganisms. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment coupled to biogas purification accelerates nutrient removal concomitantly producing valuable biomass and biomethane., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we integrated physicochemical and biological strategies for the robust treatment of piggery effluent in which high levels of organic constituents, inorganic nutrients, color, and salts remained. Piggery effluent that was stabilized in an anaerobic digester was sequentially coagulated, micro-filtered, and air-stripped prior to biological treatment with mixotrophic algal species that showed tolerance to high salinity (up to 4.8% as Cl(-)). The algae treatment was conducted with continuous O2 supplementation instead of using the combination of high lighting and CO2 injection. The microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda employed as a bio-agent was capable of assimilating both nitrogen (222 mg N g cell(-1) d(-1)) and phosphorus (9.3 mg P g cell(-1) d(-1)) and utilizing dissolved organics (2053 mg COD g cell(-1) d(-1)) as a carbon source in a single treatment process under the heterotrophic growth conditions. The heterotrophic growth of S. quadricauda proceeded rapidly by directly incorporating organic substrate in the oxidative assimilation process, which coincided with the high productivity of algal biomass, accounting for 2.4 g cell L(-1) d(-1). The algae-treated wastewater was subsequently ozonated to comply with discharge permits that limit color in the effluent, which also resulted in improved biodegradability of residual organics. The integrated treatment scheme proposed in this study also achieved 89% removal of COD, 88% removal of TN, and 60% removal of TP. The advantage of using the hybrid configuration suggests that this would be a promising strategy in full-scale treatment facilities for piggery effluent., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A comparative evaluation of the removal of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) by sorption and degradation by two microalgal species, Selenastrum capricornutum and Scenedesmus acutus was performed. The monitoring of the amount of BaP remaining in the liquid culture media and the biomass along with the appearance of three metabolites (4,5 dihydrodiol-BaP; 7,8-dihydrodiol-BaP; and 9,10 dihydrodiol-BaP) at short time periods (from 0.25 to 72 h) in cultures exposed to BaP was made by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence and UV detection. Complete removal of BaP was achieved by the two live microalgal species: S. capricornutum at 15 h of exposure (99%) and S. acutus at 72 h of exposure (95%). Sorption is an important phenomenon for BaP removal by S. capricornutum but biodegradation is the principal means of removing BaP in live cells. The formation of metabolites by S. capricornutum is rapid and seems to be proportional to the amount of the BaP added to cultures. In contrast, in these bioassays, most of the BaP removal of S. acutus is due to sorption rather than degradation. The appearance of metabolites in the cultures is very slow and at a low amount compared to cultures of S. capricornutum. The similarities and differences existing between the two microalgae are important for the establishment of the conditions for bioremediation.

The present study dealt with biomass, lipid concentration, fatty acid profile and biodiesel properties of microalga Scenedesmus abundans under different phosphate concentrations, pH and light intensities, one at a time. Among different phosphate concentrations, higher biomass (770.10±11.0mg/L) and lipid concentration (176.87±4.6mg/L) were at the concentration of 60mg/L. Light intensity at 6000lux yielded higher biomass and lipid concentration of 742.0±9.7 and 243.15±9.1mg/L, respectively. The biomass (769.0±12.3mg/L) and lipid (179.47±5.5mg/L) concentration were highest at pH 8 and pH 6, respectively. All the culture treatments showed marked effect on the fatty acid profile and biodiesel properties of the extracted oil. FAME derived biodiesel properties were compared with European biodiesel standards (EN 14214), Indian biodiesel standards (IS 15607) and American biodiesel standards (ASTM D 6751-08) to assess the suitability of algal oil as biodiesel feedstock., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The cultivation of Scenedesmus armatus was carried out under outdoor Thailand climate conditions. The highest actual growth rate occurred at around 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a wide pH range of 6.4 to 11. The supply of CO2 had slight influence on growth characteristics but did exert some observable effects on nutritional accumulations. Adding CO2 from 2 to 15% by volume in the aeration (0.2 vvm) caused an increase in lipid and protein from 19.8 to 25.6 and 37.8 to 48.2% w/w, respectively, whereas carbohydrate decreased from 42.5 to 26.2% w/w. Scenedesmus armatus cultivated with 2% CO2-enriched air provided the highest the average of the average biomass productivity of 91.25 mg L(-1) d(-1), which corresponded to a CO2 fixation of 165 mg CO2 L(-1) d(-1) with the average lipid, protein, and carbohydrate productivities of 22.24, 38.34, and 30.67 mg L(-1) d(-1).

This work investigates the potential use of a brewery wastewater as a medium for the cultivation of the oleaginous species Scenedesmus dimorphus with the double aim of removing nutrients and to produce biomass as feedstock for biodiesel. For this purpose, effects of nitrogen (61.8-247 mg L(-1)), phosphorous (1.4-5.5 mg L(-1)), and iron (1.5-6 mg L(-1)) concentrations on growth, nutrients uptake, lipid accumulation, and fatty acids profile of this microalga were investigated. Results showed that brewery wastewater can be used as a culture medium even if nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations should have been modified to improve both biomass (6.82 g L(-1)) and lipid accumulation (44.26%). The analysis revealed a C16-C18 composition of 93.47% fatty acids methyl esters with a relative high portion of unsaturated ones (67.24%). High removal efficiency (>99%) for total nitrogen and total phosphorous and a reduction of up to 65% in chemical oxygen demand were achieved, respectively. The final microalgae biomass, considering its high lipid content as well as its compliance with the standards for the quality of biodiesel, and considering also the high removal efficiencies obtained for macronutrients and organic carbon, makes the brewery wastewater a viable option as a priceless medium for the cultivation of microalgae.

Digestate coming from an Anaerobic Digestion unit in a Biogas Plant, feeded on cow manure and vegetable waste from markets, has been used. About 8-35 L polyethylene transparent bags have been employed as cultivation container, outdoor. Different aliquots of digestate, alone or mixed with commercial liquid fertiliser, were employed to cultivate in batch Scenedesus dimorphus, a freshwater green microalga, in the ENEA facilities of Casaccia Research Center, near Rome, Italy. The cultivation period was June-July 2013. The average daily yields of dry microalgae biomass varied from 20 mg/L/d to 60 mg/L/d, mean 38.2 mg/L/d. Final dry biomass concentration varied from 0.18 to 1.29 g/L, mean 0.55 g/L. S. dimorphus proved to be very efficient in removing N and P from the culture medium. Another fact emerged from these trials is that S. dimorphus inner composition resulted to be variable in response to the tested different culture conditions.

The paper investigated the feasibility of biomethane (bio-CH4) production from the anaerobic co-digestion of the microalgae Scenedesmus quadricauda (S. quadricauda) and thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS). The concept was tested in bench-scale anaerobic digesters by varying the proportions of volatile solids (VS) loading from S. quadricauda and TWAS and two critical operational parameters, temperature and alkalinity. The CH(4) production for the various S. quadricauda and TWAS proportions ranged from 234 to 318 mL/g of chemical oxygen demand (COD) digested and 329 to 530 mL/g of VS digested at 35 °C. The reductions in total solids (TS), COD, and VS ranged from 25 to 44%, 46 to 53%, and 40 to 53%, respectively. Temperature had a significant effect on CH(4) production, lower temperatures greatly reduced CH(4) production. No significant difference in CH(4) production was observed for experiments conducted at alkalinity levels of 70, 1630, and 3200 mg/L as CaCO(3).

This study investigated the photoperiodic effects on the biomass production and nutrient removal in the algal-bacterial wastewater treatment, under the following three conditions: (1) a natural 12h:12h LD cycle, (2) a dark-elongated 12h:60h LD cycle, and (3) a two-phase photoperiodic 12h:60h LD, followed by 12h:12h LD cycles. The two-phase photoperiodic operation showed the highest dry cell weight and lipid productivity (282.6mgL(-1)day(-1), 71.4mgL(-1)day(-1)) and most efficient nutrient removals (92.3% COD, 95.8% TN, 98.1% TP). The genetic markers and sequencing analyses indicated rapid increments of bacteria, subsequent growths of Scenedesmus, and stabilized population balances between algae and bacteria. In addition, the two-phase photoperiod provided a higher potential for the algal-bacterial consortia to utilize various organic carbon substrates., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study compared the acidogenic fermentation of Scenedesmus sp.-AMDD at laboratory-scale, under mesophilic (35°C) and thermophilic conditions (55°C). Preliminary batch tests were performed to evaluate best conditions for volatile fatty acid (VFA) production from microalgal biomass, with respect to the inoculum, pH and nutrients. The use of bovine manure as inoculum, the operating pH of 4.5 and the addition of a nutrient mix, resulted in a high VFA production of up to 222mgg(-1) total volatile solid (TVS), with a butyrate share of 27%. Both digesters displayed similar hydrolytic activity with 0.38±0.02 and 0.42±0.03 g soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD)g(-1) TVS for the digesters operated at 35 and 55°C, respectively. Mesophilic conditions were more favorable for VFA production, which reached 171±5, compared to 88±12 mg soluble CODg(-1) TVS added under thermophilic conditions (94% more). It was shown that in both digesters, butyrate was the predominant VFA., (Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) are asked to improve both energy efficiency and nutrient removal efficacy. Integration of algaculture offers several potential synergies that could address these goals, including an opportunity to leverage anaerobic digestion at WRRFs. In this study, bench-scale experiments are used to measure methane yield during co-digestion of Scenedesmus dimorphus or mixed WRRF-grown algae with WRRF biosolids. The results indicate that normalized methane yield decreases with increasing algae content in a manner than can be reasonably well fit using linear regression (R(2) = 67%). It is thus possible to predict methane yield for any mixture of algae and biosolids based on the methane yield of the biosolids alone. Using revised methane yields, the energy return on investment of a typical WRRF increases from 0.53 (without algae) to 0.66 (with algae). Thus, algae-based wastewater treatment may hold promise for improving WRRF energy efficiency without compromising effluent quality.

The use of alga biomass for biogas generation has been studied for over fifty years but until today, several distinct features, like inefficient degradation and low C/N ratios, limit the applicability of algal biomass for biogas production in larger scale. In this work we investigated a novel, one-stage combined cultivation/fermentation strategy including inherently progressing nitrogen starvation conditions to generate improved microalgal biomass substrates. For this strategy, comparable low amounts of nitrogen fertilizers were applied during cultivation and no additional enzymatic, chemical or physical pretreatments had to be performed. The results of this study demonstrate that progressing nitrogen limitation leads to continuously increasing C/N ratios of the biomass up to levels of 24-26 for all three tested alga strains (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Parachlorella kessleri and Scenedesmus obliquus). Importantly, the degradation efficiency of the algal cells increased with progressing starvation, leading to strain-specific cell disintegration efficiencies of 35%-100% during the fermentation process. Nitrogen limitation treatment resulted in a 65% increase of biogas yields for C. reinhardtii biomass (max. 698±23mL biogas g(-1) VS) when compared to replete conditions. For P. kessleri and S. obliquus, yields increased by 94% and 106% (max. 706±39mL and 586±36mL biogas g(-1) VS, respectively). From these results we conclude that this novel one-stage cultivation strategy with inherent nitrogen limitation can be used as a pretreatment for microalgal biomass generation, in order to produce accessible substrates with optimized C/N ratios for the subsequent anaerobic fermentation process, thus increasing methane production and avoiding the risk of ammonia inhibition effects within the fermenter., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A microalgal biomass offers a potential alternative to the maize silage commonly used in biogas technology. In this study, photoautotrophically grown Scenedesmus obliquus was used as biogas substrate. This microalga has a low C/N ratio of 8.5 relative to the optimum 20-30. A significant increase in the ammonium ion content was not observed. The methane content of the biogas generated from Sc. obliquus proved to be higher than that from maize silage, but the specific biogas yield was lower. Semi-continuous steady biogas production lasted for 2 months. Because of the thick cell wall of Sc. obliquus, the biomass-degrading microorganisms require additional time to digest its biomass. The methane concentration in the biogas was also high, in co-digestion (i.e., 52-56%) as in alga-fed anaerobic digestion (i.e., 55-62%). These results may be related to the relative predominance of the order Clostridiales in co-digestion and to the more balanced C/N ratio of the mixed algal-maize biomass. Predominance of the order Methanosarcinales was observed in the domain Archaea, which supported the diversity of metabolic pathways in the process., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The low volatility of ionic liquids effectively eliminates a major pathway for environmental release and contamination; however, the good solubility, low degree of environmental degradation and biodegradation of ILs may pose a potential threat to the aquatic environment. The growth inhibition of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus by five 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids (ILs) ([Cnmim]Cl, n=6, 8, 10, 12, 16) was investigated, and the effect on cellular membrane permeability and the ultrastructural morphology by ILs ([Cnmim]Cl, n=8, 12, 16) were studied. The results showed that the growth inhibition rate increased with increasing IL concentration and increasing alkyl chain lengths. The relative toxicity was determined to be [C6mim]Cl<[C8mim]Cl<[C10mim]Cl<[C12mim]Cl<[C16mim]Cl. The algae were most sensitive to imidazolium chloride ILs at 48 h according to the results from the growth inhibition rate and cellular membrane permeability tests. The ultrastructural morphology showed that the ILs had negative effects on the cellular morphology and structure of the algae. The cell wall of treated algae became wavy and separated from the cell membrane. Chloroplast grana lamellae became obscure and loose, osmiophilic material was deposited in the chloroplast, and mitochondria and their cristae swelled. Additionally, electron-dense deposits were observed in the vacuoles., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper focuses on the selection of native microalgae strains suitable for wastewater treatment and biofuel production. Four Chlorophyceae strains were isolated from North-eastern Tunisia. Their performances were compared in continuous mode at a 0.3 1/day dilution rate. The biomass productivity and nutrient removal capacity of each microalgae strain were studied. The most efficient strain was identified as Scenedesmus sp. and experiments at different dilution rates from 0.2 to 0.8 1/day were carried out. Maximal biomass productivity of 0.9 g/L day was obtained at 0.6 1/day. The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium and phosphorus was in the range of 92-94%, 61-99% and 93-99%, respectively. Carbohydrates were the major biomass fraction followed by lipids and then proteins. The saponifiable fatty acid content was in the 4.9-13.2% dry biomass range, with more than 50% of total fatty acids being composed of saturated and monosaturated fatty acids., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The low productivity of microalgae has restricted scale-up application of microalgae-based biodiesel processes. Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) was investigated to enhance the biomass and metabolite productivity. At a very low concentration (10(-7)M) DA-6 made Chlorella ellipsoidea SDEC-11 and Scenedesmus quadricauda SDEC-13 obtain enlarged cell size, 114mgL(-1)d(-1), 101mgL(-1)d(-1) biomass productivity and 39.13mgL(-1)d(-1), 32.69mgL(-1)d(-1) lipid productivity, respectively. Biomass and lipid productivity of SDEC-11 and SDEC-13 were 100mgL(-1)d(-1) and 30.05mgL(-1)d(-1), 94mgL(-1)d(-1) and 28.43mgL(-1)d(-1), respectively, without DA-6. Twice hormone dose in 10(-6)M DA-6 medium resulted in higher biomass productivity (106mgL(-1)d(-1)) and longer exponential growth of SDEC-13. DA-6 also ensured the property of microalgae biodiesel to meet the EN 14214 standard. The current investigation demonstrated that DA-6 accelerated the microalgae growth and simultaneously improved the quality and quantity of lipid for biodiesel production., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Algal-bacterial symbiotic system, with biological synergism of physiological functions of both algae and bacteria, has been proposed for cultivation of microalgae in municipal wastewater for biomass production and wastewater treatment. The algal-bacterial symbiotic system can enhance dissolved oxygen production which enhances bacterial growth and catabolism of pollutants in wastewater. Therefore, the oxygen production efficiency of microalgae in algal-bacterial systems is considered as the key factor influencing the wastewater treatment efficiency. In the present study, we have proposed a novel approach which uses static magnetic field to enhance algal growth and oxygen production rate with low operational cost and non-toxic secondary pollution. The performance of oxygen production with the magnetic field was evaluated using Scenedesmus obliquus grown in municipal wastewater and was calculated based on the change in dissolved oxygen concentration. Results indicated that magnetic treatment stimulates both algal growth and oxygen production. Application of 1000 GS of magnetic field once at logarithmic growth phase for 0.5 h increased the chlorophyll-a content by 11.5% over the control after 6 days of growth. In addition, magnetization enhanced the oxygen production rate by 24.6% over the control. Results of the study confirmed that application of a proper magnetic field could reduce the energy consumption required for aeration during the degradation of organic matter in municipal wastewater in algal-bacterial symbiotic systems., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The environmental bioavailability of copper was determined using a hollow-fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM) device as a chemical surrogate and two microalgae species (Scenedesmus acutus and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata). Several experimental conditions were studied: pH, the presence of organic matter, inorganic anions, and concomitant cations. The results indicated a strong relationship between the response given by the HFSLM and the microalgae species with free copper concentrations measured by an ion selective electrode (ISE), in accordance with the free-ion activity model (FIAM). A significant positive correlation was evident when comparing the bioavailability results measured by the HFSLM and the S. acutus microalga species, showing that the synthetic device may emulate biological uptake and, consequently, be used as a chemical test for bioavailability measurements using this alga as a biological reference., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a microalgae-based technology was employed to treat wastewater and produce biodiesel at the same time. A local isolate Scenedesmus sp. was found to be a well suited species, particularly for an effluent from anaerobic digester (AD) containing low carbon but high nutrients (NH3-N=273mgL(-1), total P=58.75mgL(-1)). This algae-based treatment was quite effective: nutrient removal efficiencies were over 99.19% for nitrogen and 98.01% for phosphorus. Regarding the biodiesel production, FAME contents of Scenedesmus sp. were found to be relatively low (8.74% (w/w)), but overall FAME productivity was comparatively high (0.03gL(-1)d(-1)) due to its high biomass productivity (0.37gL(-1)d(-1)). FAMEs were satisfactory to the several standards for the biodiesel quality. The Scenedesmus-based technology may serve as a promising option for the treatment of nutrient-rich wastewater and especially so for the AD effluent., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microalgae are well known for their biotechnological potential, namely with regard to bioactive lipidic components-especially carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), well-known for therapeutic applications based on their antioxidant capacity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of four distinct food-grade solvents upon extractability of specific lipidic components, and on the antioxidant capacity exhibited against both synthetic (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•)) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS(+•))) and biological reactive species (O₂(•)⁻ and (•)NO⁻). A eukaryotic microalga (Scenedesmus obliquus (M2-1)) and a prokaryotic one (Gloeothece sp.) were used as case studies. Concerning total antioxidant capacity, the hexane:isopropanol (3:2) and acetone extracts of Sc. obliquus (M2-1) were the most effective against DPPH(•) and ABTS(+•), respectively. Gloeothece sp. ethanol extracts were the most interesting scavengers of O₂(•)⁻, probably due the high content of linolenic acid. On the other hand, acetone and hexane:isopropanol (3:2) extracts were the most interesting ones in (•)NO⁻ assay. Acetone extract exhibited the best results for the ABTS assay, likely associated to its content of carotenoids, in both microalgae. Otherwise, ethanol stood out in PUFA extraction. Therefore, profiles of lipidic components extracted are critical for evaluating the antioxidant performance-which appears to hinge, in particular, on the balance between carotenoids and PUFAs.

In photosynthetic organisms sulfate constitutes the main sulfur source for the biosynthesis of GSH and its precursor Cys. Hence, sulfur availability can modulate the capacity to cope with environmental stresses, a phenomenon known as SIR/SED (Sulfur Induced Resistance or Sulfur Enhanced Defence). Since chromate may compete for sulfate transport into the cells, in this study chromium accumulation and tolerance were investigated in relation to sulfur availability in two strains of the unicellular green alga Scenedesmus acutus with different Cr-sensitivities. Paradoxically, sulfur deprivation has been demonstrated to induce a transient increase of Cr-tolerance in both strains. Sulfur deprivation is known to enhance the sulfate uptake/assimilation pathway leading to important consequences on Cr-tolerance: (i) reduced chromate uptake due to the induction of high affinity sulfate transporters (ii) higher production of cysteine and GSH which can play a role both through the formation of unsoluble complexes and their sequestration in inert compartments. To investigate the role of the above mentioned mechanisms, Cr accumulation in total cells and in different cell compartments (cell wall, membranes, soluble and miscellaneous fractions) was analyzed in both sulfur-starved and unstarved cells. Both strains mainly accumulated chromium in the soluble fraction, but the uptake was higher in the wild-type. In this type a short period of sulfur starvation before Cr(VI) treatment lowered chromium accumulation to the level observed in the unstarved Cr-tolerant strain, in which Cr uptake seems instead less influenced by S-starvation, since no significant decrease was observed. The increase in Cr-tolerance following S-starvation seems thus to rely on different mechanisms in the two strains, suggesting the induction of a mechanism constitutively active in the Cr-tolerant strain, maybe a high affinity sulfate transporter also in the wild-type. Changes observed in the cell wall and membrane fractions suggest a strong involvement of these compartments in Cr-tolerance increase following S-starvation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Biofilm cultivation of microalgae may be useful for biofuel production. However, many aspects for this cultivation method have not been well assessed. Accordingly, aeration strategy for biofilm cultivation of Scenedesmus dimorphus has been explored., Results: Biomass, lipid and triacylglycerol (TAG) productivity in increased S. dimorphus as the CO2 concentration increased within 0.038-0.5% and kept constant with further increases. The biomass, lipid and TAG productivity increased with the speed increasing and an obvious threshold point was observed at 6.6 ml(-2) min(-1). The lipid and TAG content was unaffected by the aeration rate., Conclusions: Both the CO2 concentration as well as aeration speed affected the growth of S. dimorphus in biofilm cultivation. The optimized aeration strategy for biofilm cultivation was continuous air flow enriched with 1% CO2 (v/v) at 6.6 ml(-2) min(-1).

Chronic effects of the ionic liquid [C4mim][Cl] (mp 73 °C) towards the microalga, Scenedesmus quadricauda were studied by flow cytometry, monitoring multiple endpoints of cell density, esterase activity, membrane integrity, reactive oxygen species and chlorophyll fluorescence. Toxicity was clearly in evidence, and although increased esterase activity indicated hormesis during initial exposure to [C4mim][Cl], inhibition of both esterase activity and chlorophyll fluorescence became apparent after 3 days. Cell density was also decreased by culturing with [C4mim][Cl], but this effect was clearly concentration-dependent and only became significant during the second half of the experiment. In contrast, [C4mim][Cl] had only a modest effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caused little damage to cell membranes., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The toxicity of municipal wastewater to the receiving water bodies is still unknown, due to the lack of regulated toxicity based index for wastewater discharge in China. Our study aims at gaining insight into the acute toxic effects of local municipal wastewater on alga, Scenedesmus obliquus. Four endpoints, i.e. cell density, chlorophyll-A concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and cell membrane integrity, of alga were analyzed to characterize the acute toxicity effects of wastewater from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment techniques: sequencing batch reactor (SBR), Linpor and conventional activated sludge. Influent and effluent from each treatment stage in these three WWTPs were sampled and evaluated for their acute toxicity. Our results showed that all three techniques can completely affect the algal chlorophyll-A synthesis stimulation effects of influent; the algal cell growth stimulation effect was only completely removed by the secondary treatment process in conventional activated sludge technique; toxic effects on cell membrane integrity of two influents from WWTPs with SBR and conventional activated sludge techniques were completely removed; the acute toxicity on SOD activity was partially reduced in SBR and conventional activated sludge techniques while not significantly reduced by Linpor system. As to the disinfection unit, NaClO disinfection enhanced wastewater toxicity dramatically while UV radiation had no remarkable influence on wastewater toxicity. Our results illustrated that SOD activity and chlorophyll-A synthesis were relatively sensitive to municipal wastewater toxicity. Our results would aid to understand the acute toxicity of municipal wastewater, as well as the toxicity removal by currently utilized treatment techniques in China., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The effect of temperature on microalgal ammonium uptake was investigated by carrying out four batch experiments in which a mixed culture of microalgae, composed mainly of Scenedesmus sp., was cultivated under different temperatures within the usual temperature working range in Mediterranean climate (15-34 °C). Ammonium removal rates increased with temperature up to 26 °C and stabilized thereafter. Ratkowsky and Cardinal temperatures models successfully reproduced the experimental data. Optimum (31.3 °C), minimum (8.8 °C) and maximum (46.1 °C) temperatures for ammonium removal by Scenedesmus sp. under the studied conditions were obtained as model parameters. These temperature-related parameters constitute very useful information for designing and operating wastewater treatment systems using these microalgae., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This work investigated a top-lit open microalgae bioreactor that uses a gas-lift system to enable deeper production depths, thereby significantly reducing the footprint. Growth of Scenedesmus sp. in a one-meter deep system by sparged with 6% CO2-enhanced air was evaluated. The results gave comparable volumetric biomass productivity (0.06 g(dw) L(-1) day(-1)), but around three-times higher areal productivity (60.0 g(dw)m(-)(2) day(-)(1)) than reported for traditional raceways. The lipid content of the Scenedesmus sp. was increased by 27% with an enhanced level of CO2 in the sparging gas., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nutrient deprivation is a commonly-used trigger for microalgal lipid accumulation, but its adverse impact on microalgal growth seems to be inevitable. In this study, Scenedesmus sp. LX1 was found to show similar physiological and biochemical variation under oligotrophic and eutrophic conditions during growth with intracellular phosphorus. Under both conditions microalgal chlorophyll content and photosynthesis activity was stable during this growth process, leading to significant increase of single cell weight and size. Therefore, while algal density growth rate dropped significantly to below 1.0 × 10(5)cells mL(-1) d(-1) under oligotrophic condition, the biomass dry weight growth rate still maintained about 40 mg L(-1) d(-1). Meanwhile, the lipid content in biomass and triacylglycerols (TAGs) content in lipids increased significantly to about 35% and 65%, respectively. Thus, high biomass growth rate and high lipid/TAG content were achieved simultaneously at the late growth phase with intracellular phosphorus. Besides, microalgal biomass produced was rich in carbohydrate with low protein content., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The biomass and lipid/carbohydrate production by a green microalga Scenedesmus obliquus under mixotrophic condition using food wastewater and flue gas CO2 with municipal wastewater was investigated. Different dilution ratios (0.5-2%) of municipal wastewater with food wastewater were evaluated in the presence of 5, 10 and 14.1% CO2. The food wastewater (0.5-1%) with 10-14.1% CO2 supported the highest growth (0.42-0.44 g L(-1)), nutrient removal (21-22 mg TN L(-1)), lipid productivity (10-11 mg L(-1)day(-1)) and carbohydrate productivity (13-16 mg L(-1)day(-1)) by S. obliquus after 6 days of cultivation. Food wastewater increased the palmitic and oleic acid contents up to 8 and 6%, respectively. Thus, application of food wastewater and flue gas CO2 can be employed for enhancement of growth, lipid/carbohydrate productivity and wastewater treatment efficiency of S. obliquus under mixotrophic condition, which can lead to development of a cost effective strategy for microalgal biomass production., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The recent increase in nanomaterial usage has led to concerns surrounding its health risks and environmental impact. The food chain is an important pathway for high-trophic-level organisms absorbing and enriching nanomaterials. Our study therefore simulated nanometer titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) transfer along a 2-step food chain, from the unicellular alga Scenedesmus obliquus to the water flea Daphnia magna. We also explored the effect of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) on nano-TiO2 bioavailability. A suspension of 10 mg/L nano-TiO2 was optimally dispersed in aqueous solutions by 5 mg/L SDBS. After 72 h, S. obliquus growth was not significantly affected by 10 mg/L nano-TiO2, 5 mg/L SDBS and their mixed suspension. SDBS not only improved nano-TiO2 stability in water, but also increased its uptake in S. obliquus and enhanced its accumulation in D. magna. Our study suggests that nano-TiO2 is mildly toxic to S. obliquus, and can be transferred along the aquatic food chain with a biomagnification effect.

In this work, we studied the potential use of secondary-treated wastewater as nutrient source in the production of freshwater microalgae strains. Experiments were performed indoors in a semicontinuous mode, at 0.3 day(-1), simulating outdoor conditions. We demonstrated that all the tested strains can be produced by using only secondary-treated wastewater as the nutrient source. The utilization of secondary-treated wastewater imposes nutrient-limiting conditions, with maximal biomass productivity dropping to 0.5 g l(-1) day(-1) and modifies the biochemical composition of the biomass by increasing the amount of lipids and carbohydrates while reducing the biomass protein content. We measured fatty acid content and productivity of up to 25 %d.wt. and 110 mg l(-1) day(-1), respectively. We demonstrated that all the tested strains were capable of completely removing the nitrogen and phosphorus contained in the secondary-treated wastewater, and while the use of this effluent reduced the cells' photosynthetic efficiency, the nitrogen and phosphorus coefficient yield increased. Muriellopsis sp. and S. subpicatus were selected as the most promising strains for outdoor production using secondary-treated wastewater as the culture medium; this was not only because of their high productivity but also their photosynthetic efficiency, of up to 2.5 %, along with nutrient coefficient yields of up to 96 gbiomass gN (-1) and 166 gbiomass gP (-1). Coupling microalgae production processes to tertiary treatment in wastewater treatment plants make it possible to recover nutrients contained in the water and to produce valuable biomass, especially where nutrient removal is required prior to wastewater discharge.

Microalgae offer a promising technology to remove and re-use the nutrients N and P from wastewater. For effective removal of both N and P, it is important that microalgae can adjust the N and P concentration in their biomass to the N and P supply in the wastewater. The aim of this study was to evaluate to what extent microalgae can adjust the N and P concentrations in their biomass to the N and P supply in the wastewater, and to what extent supply of one nutrient influences the removal of the other nutrient. Using Chlorella and Scenedesmus as model organisms, we quantified growth and biomass composition in medium with different initial N and P concentrations in all possible combinations. Nutrient supply marginally affected biomass yield of both microalgae but had a strong influence on the composition of the biomass. The nutrient concentrations in the biomass ranged 5.0-10.1 % for N and 0.5-1.3 % for P in Chlorella and 2.9-8.4 % for N and 0.5-1.7 % for P in Scenedesmus. The concentrations of P in the biomass remained low and were relatively constant (0.6-0.8 % P) when the N concentration in the biomass was low. As a result, removal of P from the wastewater was influenced by the concentration of N in the wastewater. When the initial N concentration in the wastewater was above 40 mg L(-1) the microalgae could remove up to 6 mg P L(-1), but this removal was only 2 mg P L(-1) when the initial N concentration was below 20 mg L(-1). A lower N supply increased the carbohydrate concentration to about 40% and lipid concentration to about 30% for both species, compared to around 15% and 10% respectively at high N supply. Our results show that sufficiently high N concentrations are needed to ensure effective P removal from wastewater due to the positive effect of N on the accumulation of P., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Despite recent advances in down-stream processing, production of microalgae remains substantially limited because of economical reasons. Harvesting and dewatering are the most energy-intensive processing steps in their production and contribute 20-30% of total operational cost. Bio-flocculation of microalgae by co-cultivation with filamentous fungi relies on the development of large structures that facilitate cost effective harvesting. A yet unknown filamentous fungus was isolated as a contaminant from a microalgal culture and identified as Isaria fumosorosea. Blastospores production was optimized in minimal medium and the development of pellets, possibly lichens, was followed when co-cultured with Chlorella sorokiniana under strict autotrophic conditions. Stable pellets (1-2mm) formed rapidly at pH 7-8, clearing the medium of free algal cells. Biomass was harvested with large inexpensive filters, generating wet slurry suitable for hydrothermal gasification. Nutrient rich brine from the aqueous phase of hydrothermal gasification supported growth of the fungus and may increase the process sustainability., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microalgae are often considered as a promising alternative source of vegetable oils. These oils can be used for food and biofuel applications. Productivities that are projected for large-scale microalgal oil production are, however, often poorly supported by scientific evidence and based on too optimistic assumptions. To facilitate the inclusion of the microalgal physiology in these projections, existing knowledge and novel scientific insights were condensed into a mechanistic model that describes photosynthesis and carbon partitioning during nitrogen starvation. The model is validated using experimental data from both wild-type and a starchless mutant of Scenedesmus obliquus. The model is subsequently used to quantify how reactor design, process design, and strain improvement can improve the oil productivity from 2.1 to up to 10.9 g m(-2) day(-1). These projected productivities are used to reflect on commonly assumed oil productivities and it is concluded that the microalgal oil productivity is often overestimated several folds., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Variations in the exogenous nitrogen level are known to significantly affect the physiological status and metabolism of microalgae. However, responses of red, green and yellow-green algae to nitrogen (N) availability have not been compared yet. Porphyridium cruentum, Scenedesmus incrassatulus and Trachydiscus minutus were cultured in the absence of N in the medium and subsequent resupply of N to the starved cells. Culture growth and in-gel changes in isoenzyme pattern and activity of glutamate synthase, glutamate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were studied. The results demonstrated that the algae responded to the fully N-depleted and N-replete culture conditions by species-specific metabolic enzyme changes, suggesting differential regulation of both enzyme activity and cellular metabolism. Substantial differences in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes between N-depleted and N-replete cells of each species as well as between the species were also found. In the present work, besides the more general responses, such as adjustment of growth and pigmentation, we report on the involvement of specific metabolic and antioxidant enzymes and their isoforms in the mechanisms operating during N starvation and recovery in P. cruentum, T. minutus and S. incrassatulus.

Microalgae, Scenedesmus bijuga, was cultivated in anaerobically digested food wastewater effluent (FWE) to treat the wastewater and produce biodiesel simultaneously. Three different mixing ratios with municipal wastewater were compared for finding out proper dilution ratio in biodiesel production. Of these, 1/20 diluted FWE showed the highest biomass production (1.49 g/L). Lipid content was highest in 1/10 diluted FWE (35.06%), and the lipid productivity showed maximum value in 1/20 diluted FWE (15.59 mg/L/d). Nutrient removal was also measured in the cultivation. FAME compositions were mainly composed of C16-C18 (Over 98.94%) in S. bijuga. In addition, quality of FAMEs was evaluated by Cetane Number (CN) and Bis-allylic Position Equivalent (BAPE)., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, the effects of the type and concentration of nitrogen sources on the cell growth and lutein content of an isolated microalga Scenedesmus obliquus FSP-3 were investigated. With batch culture, the highest lutein content (4.61 mg/g) and lutein productivity (4.35 mg/L/day) were obtained when using 8.0 mM calcium nitrate as the nitrogen source. With this best nitrogen source condition, the microalgae cultivation was performed using two bioreactor strategies (namely, semi-continuous and two-stage operations) to further enhance the lutein content and productivity. Using semi-continuous operation with a 10% medium replacement ratio could obtain the highest biomass productivity (1304.8 mg/L/day) and lutein productivity (6.01 mg/L/day). This performance is better than most related studies., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this co-culture of oleaginous yeast-Rhodotorula glutinis and microalgae-Scenedesmus obliquus, microalgae potentially acts as an oxygen generator for the growth of aerobic yeast while the yeast mutually provides CO2 to the microalgae as both carry out the production of lipids. To explore the synergistic effects of co-cultivation on the cells growth and total lipids accumulation, several co-culture process parameters including the carbon source concentration, temperature and dissolved oxygen level would be firstly investigated in the flask trials. The results of co-culture in a 5L photobioreactor revealed that about 40-50% of biomass increased and 60-70% of total lipid increased was observed as compared to the single culture batches. Besides the synergistic effects of gas utilization, the providing of trace elements to each other after the natural cells lysis was believed to be another benefit to the growth of the overall co-culture system., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the reuse of nitrogen from fuel-extracted algal residues was investigated. The alga Scenedesmus acutus was found to be able to assimilate nitrogen contained in amino acids, yeast extracts, and proteinaceous alga residuals. Moreover, these alternative nitrogen resources could replace nitrate in culturing media. The ability of S. acutus to utilize the nitrogen remaining in processed algal biomass was unique among the promising biofuel strains tested. This alga was leveraged in a recycling approach where nitrogen is recovered from algal biomass residuals that remain after lipids are extracted and carbohydrates are fermented to ethanol. The protein-rich residuals not only provided an effective nitrogen resource, but also contributed to a carbon "heterotrophic boost" in subsequent culturing, improving overall biomass and lipid yields relative to the control medium with only nitrate. Prior treatment of the algal residues with Diaion HP20 resin was required to remove compounds inhibitory to algal growth., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study investigates the use of defatted algal biomass (DAB) as a non-conventional low cost adsorbent. The maximum adsorption capacity of biomass (raw, defatted and sulfuric acid pretreated DAB) was determined by liquid phase adsorption studies in batch mode for the removal of methylene blue present at various concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mg L(-1)) from aqueous solutions. The data was well fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacity for raw, defatted and sulfuric acid pretreated DAB was found to be 6.0, 7.73 and 7.80 mg g(-1), respectively. The specific surface area of raw, defatted and sulfuric acid pretreated DAB was estimated to be 14.70, 18.94, and 19.10 m(2) g(-1), respectively. To evaluate the kinetic mechanism that controls the adsorption process, pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, intraparticle diffusion and particle diffusion has been tested. The data fitted quite well with pseudo-second order kinetic model., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper investigates anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and algae (Scenedesmus sp.) with and without extraction of intracellular algal co-products, with views towards the development of a biorefinery concept for lipid, protein and/or biogas production. Protein and/or lipids were extracted from Scenedesmus sp. using free nitrous acid pre-treatments and solvent-based Soxhlet extraction, respectively. Processing increased algae methane yield between 29% and 37% compared to raw algae (VS basis), but reduced the amount of algae available for digestion. Co-digestion experiments showed a synergy between pig manure and raw algae that increased raw algae methane yield from 0.163 to 0.245 m(3) CH4 kg(-1)VS. No such synergy was observed when algal residues were co-digested with pig manure. Finally, experimental results were used to develop a high-level concept for an integrated biorefinery processing pig manure and onsite cultivated algae, evaluating methane production and co-product recovery per mass of pig manure entering the refinery., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The microalga Scenedesmus obliquus was cultured in two cultivation stages: (1) in batch with real wastewater; (2) maintaining the stationary phase with different conditions of CO2, light and salinity according to a factorial design in order to improve the lipid content. The presence of the three factors increased lipid content from 35.8% to 49% at the end of the second stage; CO2 presence presented the highest direct effect increasing lipid content followed by light presence and salt presence. The ω-3 fatty acids content increased with CO2 and light presence acting in isolation, nevertheless, when both factors acted together the interaction effect was negative. The ω-3 eicosapentaenoic acid content of the oil from S. obliquus slightly exceeded the 1% maximum to be used as biodiesel source (EU normative). Therefore, it is suggested the blend with other oils or the selective extraction of the ω-3 fatty acids from S. obliquus oil., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration potential of two microalgae, Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus abundans was evaluated in a tubular batch photobioreactor with provision for continuous flow of 10% CO2 enriched air through the headspace. CO2 sequestration and biomass growth was affected by gas flow rate over the range 20-60ml/min and 40ml/min was found to maximize algal growth and CO2 sequestration. Moles of CO2 sequestered over 20h at a gas flow rate of 40ml/min was estimated using a novel rapid screening approach as 0.096 and 0.036, respectively, for C. pyrenoidosa and S. abundans. At this gas flow rate the maximum growth rate was 4.9mgL(-1)h(-1) and 2.5mgL(-1)h(-1) for C. pyrenoidosa and S. abundans, respectively. The CO2 sequestration and growth rate were comparable at height/diameter ratio of 8 and 16., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microalgal mixotrophic cultivation is one of the most potential ways to enhance biomass and biofuel production. In the present study, first of all ability of microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 to utilize various carbon sources under mixotrophic growth condition was evaluated followed by optimization of glucose concentration and light intensity to obtain higher biomass, lipid and carbohydrate contents. Under optimized condition i.e. 4 g/L glucose and 150 μmol m(-2) s(-1) light intensity, Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 produced 1.2g/L dry cell weight containing 23.62% total lipid and 42.68% carbohydrate. Addition of glucose shown nutritional stress ameliorating effects and around 70% carbohydrate and 25% total lipid content was found with only 21% reduction in dry cell weight under nitrogen starved condition. This study shows potential application of mixotrophically grown Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 for bioethanol and biodiesel production feed stock., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)