Evaluation of a thermo-tolerant acidophilic alga, Galdieria sulphuraria, for nutrient removal from urban wastewaters

T Selvaratnam; A K Pegallapati; F Montelya; G Rodriguez; N Nirmalakhandan; W Van Voorhies; P J Lammers

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.075

Evaluation of a thermo-tolerant acidophilic alga, Galdieria sulphuraria, for nutrient removal from urban wastewaters

Bioresour Technol. 2014 Mar:156:395-9. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.075. Epub 2014 Jan 27.

Authors

T Selvaratnam¹, A K Pegallapati¹, F Montelya¹, G Rodriguez¹, N Nirmalakhandan², W Van Voorhies³, P J Lammers⁴

Affiliations

¹ Civil Engineering Dept., New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
² Civil Engineering Dept., New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA. Electronic address: nkhandan@nmsu.edu.
³ Molecular Biology Program, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
⁴ Energy Research Laboratory, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.

PMID: 24582952
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.075

Abstract

Nutrient removal from primary wastewater effluent was tested using Galdieria sulphuraria, an acidophilic and moderately thermophilic alga. Biomass yield recorded in this study (27.42g biomass per g nitrogen removed) is higher than the average reported in the literature (25.75g g(-1)) while, the theoretical yield estimated from the empirical molecular formula of algal biomass is 15.8g g(-1). Seven-day removal efficiencies were 88.3% for ammoniacal-nitrogen and 95.5% for phosphates; corresponding removal rates were 4.85 and 1.21mg L(-1)d(-1). Although these rates are lower than the average literature values for other strains (6.36 and 1.34mg L(-1)d(-1), respectively), potential advantages of G. sulphuraria for accomplishing energy-positive nutrient removal are highlighted. Feasibility of growing G. sulphuraria outdoors at densities higher than in high-rate oxidation ponds is also demonstrated.

Keywords: Algal wastewater treatment; Biomass yield; Galdieria sulphuraria; Nutrient removal.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Physiological*
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biomass
Cities
Nitrogen / isolation & purification*
Phosphorus / isolation & purification*
Photobioreactors
Rhodophyta / growth & development
Rhodophyta / metabolism*
Sewage / chemistry
Temperature
Wastewater / chemistry*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / isolation & purification*

Substances

Sewage
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Phosphorus
Nitrogen