Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
IJARET
IAEME
Avanish K Tiwari[2],
G Sanjay Kumar[1],
[1]
ABSTRACT
The possibility of microalgae nitrogen treatment was tested in biogas digester wastewater. In
this work, Chlorella pyrenoidosa was cultivated in biogas digester wastewater as a nutrient source.
The growth kinetics of the algae as well as the bioremediation effect on the waste water was studied
at different environmental conditions. The microalgae, Chlorella pyrenoidosa can utilize the nitrogen
content present in biogas digester wastewater as a substrate for its growth. The growth of microalgae
was found to follow the Monod growth model satisfactorily. Under the different condition in biogas
waste water medium of microalgae, a maximum biomass of 3.75 gm/l and 1.5 gm/l was obtained in
fifteen days. The net specific growth rate of microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa was found to be 0.1
D-1. The growing algae also removed 92.8 % of nitrate nitrogen (NO3 -N) at 19 2 C and 76 % at
30 2 C from the biogas wastewater. Treated Biogas waste water can be further used for the
anaerobic digestion of algal biomass for the production of biogas. Anaerobic co-digestion of cultured
microalgae and cow dung is to be done with treated water to maintain C\N ratio and to optimize the
yield of biogas. This suggests that the cultivation of C. pyrenoidosa in biogas wastewater would be
efficient, saving water as well as producing digestible biomass. Thus, on one hand the biogas waste
water is being treated and on the other, the alga is showing substantial growth.
Keywords: Anaerobic Digestion, Biogas, Biogas Waste Water, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa, Cultivation,
Nitrate;
1. INTRODUCTION
The world is facing problems with a wide variety of pollutants and contaminates from
various developmental activities. Microalgae have vast industrial and economic potential as valuable
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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
sources for pharmaceuticals, health foods, carotenoids, dyes, ne chemicals, bio fuels, and others [1].
Bioremediation of wastewater by microalgae can provide the microalgae feedstock for their biomass
energy, as well as reduce the material cost of the bio fuel [2]. The algal cells were able to consume
high concentrations of nitrate ion and, therefore, can possibly contribute to purification of industrial
and domestic wastewater [3]. The coupled process of algae cultivation and succeeding biogas
production is a better option compared to algal biodiesel production [4].
A possible solution for overcoming the high cost of production is to integrate algae
cultivation with an existing biogas plant, where algae can be cultivated using the discharges of CO2
and digestate as nutrient input, and then the attained biomass can be converted directly to biogas or
bio methane by the existing infrastructures[4]. Energy and GHGs balances of algal bio methane
production were assessed in the perspective of life cycle, and comparison with ley crop was
conducted [4].
The growth of green algae Chlorella sp. on wastewaters sampled from four different points of
the treatment process flow of a local municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) was done. They
investigate how well the algal growth removed nitrogen, phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand
(COD), and metal ions from the wastewaters [5].
The domestic wastewater samples were collected from sewage wastewater treatment plant
Bopodi from Pune city was used to study the role of microalgae in wastewater treatment. Chlorella
sp. shows the best removal capacity of nitrate and phosphate reduction [6].
Microalgae have been used for the bioremediation of textile dyes in wastewater from
industrial textile processes [7]. Microalgae such as Chlorella and Scenedesmus have shown tolerance
and bioremediation capabilities to certain heavy metals [7]. Both nitrogen and phosphorus are the
major sources of eutrophication, therefore, high concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorus can cause
algal blooms and other hazardous environmental problems [1]. Nitrate in wastewater is generally
produced as an intermediate of nitrogen metabolism by microorganisms, beginning with
ammonification of proteins or other nitrogen-containing compounds, followed by nitrification of
ammonia into nitrite, and later, oxidation of nitrite into nitrate. Based on the understanding nitrate
accumulation becomes a concern in water quality management [8].
Algae can capture carbon dioxide in the flue gas from coal red power plants thereby reducing
greenhouse gas and also producing algal biomass, which can be converted into bio-fuel. Chlorella,
Scenedesmus and Spirulina are the most widely used algae for nutrient removal [9].
This study is focused on applications for nitrogen removal in biogas digester wastewaters,
exploiting the photosynthetic ability of microalgae. When microalgal cells are cultured under
photoautotrophic conditions, these cells can utilize nitrate nitrogen from waste water.
2. MATERIAL & METHODS
2.1 Sludge Collection
Biogas digester outlet slurry used as substrate for this research was collected from the 3 m3
cow dung based biogas plant in UPES, Dehradun. The sludge obtained from the gravity thickener at
the facility was filtered on-site with a mesh and transferred into a polymer container for storage.
2.2 Substrate Preparation
Sludge was stored in a polymer container following collection and stored at 4C. For use as
substrate, the collected sludge was transferred to 1 lit conical flask (mini reactors) for incubation.
The substrate containing mini reactors were then autoclaved at 121C for 20 minutes for the removal
of foreign contaminants.
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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
Table 1: Model state variables and initial and final concentration of nitrogen source
Parameter
Values 19 2C
Values 30 2C
max (d 1)
0.1002
0.100
x0 (gm/750 mL)
0.1
0.35
xf (gm/750 mL)
3.71
1.40
87
84
6.19
20.16
Conditions
%
Removal
19 c 2c
87
6.19
92.8 %
30 c 2c
84
20.16
76 %
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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
HRT (d)
Methane (%)
20
430
67
20
490
61
Algae (98 %)
20
455
62
It was clear that the set that contained algae alone can effectively digested compared to the
cow dung alone. In order to keep the nitrogen balance within the system, the amount of nitrogen
leaving the system must also enter the system, either through the co-digestion material or as fertilizer
[10]. By co-digesting cow dung-microalgae and treated water mixture, the C\N can be maintained.
4. CONCLUSION
The cultivation of the microalga, C. pyrenoidosa in the biogas wastewater was studied and
analyzed. The results from this study demonstrated the feasibility of cultivating Chlorella sp. in
biogas wastewaters outlet slurry. Chlorella sp. could adapt well in biogas wastewaters outlet slurry
with small lag phases observed. Algal growth was significantly enhanced in the centrate because of
its much higher levels of nitrogen content in biogas wastewaters outlet slurry. The microalgae C.
pyrenoidosa had good growth in the biogas wastewater and its wet weight reached 3.71 gm in 750 ml
after cultivation for fifteen (15) days. Although, the concentrations of nitrate nitrogen in the
wastewater were extremely high, the microalga could still grow well in the wastewater. Biogas waste
water is the suitable method for cultivation of microalgae. Microalgae C. pyrenoidosa removes
around 92.8 percent of the concentration of nitrate in the biogas waste water in the 30 days of
inoculation. This work treat the biogas waste water for further use and produced microalgae may be
further undergo an-aerobic digestion in a lab scale batch type anaerobic digester for the production of
bio gas as a renewable source of energy. This concludes that the cultivation of C. pyrenoidosa in
biogas wastewater would be efficient, economic and saving water for anaerobic digestion as well as
producing biogas.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors thank the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for research grants. They also
thank the Centre for Alternate Energy Research, UPES for support.
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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976
6480(Print), ISSN 0976 6499(Online) Volume 5, Issue 7, July (2014), pp. 57-62 IAEME
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