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Mild disintegration methods of microalgae–bacteria flocs from wastewater treatment

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Abstract

The use of microalgae in biological wastewater treatment has been widely studied. However, there is a dearth of information about estimating the microalgae and bacteria concentrations. In order to maintain a stable algal-bacterial system, it is necessary to quantify both the algal and bacterial biomasses. Typically, microalgae and bacteria from flocs in activated sludge contribute to better biomass settleability. However, flocs cause problems when it comes to estimating the individual biomass concentrations of microalgae and bacteria in a symbiotic algae-bacteria aggregate. This study aimed to find the best disintegration treatment with low influence on the viability of the microalgal cell determined by its photosynthetic activity. In the present work, biological (enzyme solution), chemical (formaldehyde), mechanical (glass bead-beating), and physical (sonication) treatments were performed on microalgae–bacteria flocs (ALBA flocs) to disintegrate the community as a pre-treatment step in order to develop a method for estimating the algal and bacterial concentration and to quantify the degree of disintegration. The effectiveness of the methods to disintegrate ALBA flocs in descending order are the following: sonication, bead-beating, formaldehyde and enzyme application. Sonication treatment (40 W, 6 min) showed the best disintegration performance of the microalgal-bacterial flocs, up to 90 % with 17 % loss of the algal photosynthetic activity. Bead-beating (3 mm diameter, 80 s) achieved 80 % of disintegration with only 6 % loss of its photosynthetic activity. These results demonstrate the possibility of mild disintegration of compact ALBA flocs without having any adverse impact on the microalgae cell. After these treatments, it becomes possible to estimate the individual biomass concentrations of algae and bacteria manually such as with a cell-counting chamber.

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Acknowledgment

The research project CORNET 83 EN of the co-operating research associations was funded by the following ministries within the programme of “promoting pre-competitive joint research” and carried out under the umbrella of the German Federation of Industrial Co-operative Research Associations (AiF). We would like to express our sincere thanks for this support. The cooperation of Paper Foundation (PTS) Germany and TUHH is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquatic Ecophysiology and Phycology, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststraße 18, 22609, Hamburg, Germany

    Ludmilla Pell & Dieter Hanelt

  2. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Waste Resources Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Harburger Schloßstraße 36, 21079, Hamburg, Germany

    Ludmilla Pell, Sarah Löhn & Kerstin Kuchta

  3. Papiertechnische Stiftung, Hessstraße 134, 80797, Munich, Germany

    Ludmilla Pell & Gabriele Weinberger

Authors
  1. Ludmilla Pell
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  2. Sarah Löhn
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  3. Gabriele Weinberger
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  4. Kerstin Kuchta
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  5. Dieter Hanelt
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Correspondence to Ludmilla Pell.

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Pell, L., Löhn, S., Weinberger, G. et al. Mild disintegration methods of microalgae–bacteria flocs from wastewater treatment. J Appl Phycol 29, 843–851 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-0978-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-0978-1

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