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Testing the Waste Based Biorefinery Concept: Pilot Scale Cultivation of Microalgal Species on Spent Anaerobic Digestate Fluids

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Abstract

Purpose

A waste based biorefinery approach has been tested.

Methods

This has been investigated by culturing in a 800 L photobioreactor two autotrophic microalgae namely Nannochloropsis oceanica and Scenedesmus quadricauda utilising filtered spent anaerobic digestate fluids of N:P ratio 14.22 as substrate.

Results

Significant rates of bioremediation simultaneously with biomass and associated end product formation were achieved. Nitrogen and phosphorus of waste based media was decreased up to 90%. The biomass biochemical analysis of the microalgae when grown on the waste based formulated media demonstrated the comparable content of lipids and proteins with the species grown on f/2 media.

Conclusions

Theoretical biomethane potential generation, should the algal cultures be placed in an anaerobic digester, was calculated at 0.58 L CH4 g−1 VS for N. oceanica and 0.48 L CH4 g−1 VS for S. quadricauda showing comparable results with other studies of different source of biomass.

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Acknowledgements

This work was made by financial support from FP7 BioAlgaeSorb, INTERREG EnAlgae and ALG-AD projects. The authors are also grateful to Pr. Kevin Flynn, Dr. Ingrid Lupatsch and Dr Phillip Kenny for their helpful suggestions during manuscript preparation. This manuscript was partially written and submitted for potential evaluation at University of South Wales (USW), Sustainable Environment Center (SERC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR), College of Science, Swansea University, Wallace Building, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK

    Alla Silkina & Naomi E. Ginnever

  2. Sustainable Environment Research Centre (SERC), Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, UK

    Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof

  3. Systems and Process Engineering Centre (SPEC), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, SA1 8EN, UK

    Michael Gerardo & Robert W. Lovitt

  4. Membranology Ltd c/o Broomfield & Alexander Li Charter Court Phoenix Way, Swansea, SA7 9FS, UK

    Robert W. Lovitt

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  1. Alla Silkina
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  2. Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof
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  3. Naomi E. Ginnever
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Correspondence to Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof.

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Silkina, A., Zacharof, MP., Ginnever, N.E. et al. Testing the Waste Based Biorefinery Concept: Pilot Scale Cultivation of Microalgal Species on Spent Anaerobic Digestate Fluids. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 3883–3896 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-019-00766-y

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