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Evaluation of the composition and identification of periphytic microalgae biomass in the algal turf scrubber system under different concentrations of nutrients

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Abstract

The main objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior of an ATS system, analyzing the microalgae taxa and biomass produced under different concentrations of nutrients. A fertilizer solution containing NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) in the concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 g L−1 was used. The highest biomass productivity, 13.3 ± 2.5 g m−2 days−1, was found using 5 g L−1 of NPK. The maximum lipid content found was 9.6 ± 1.4% (w/w) and, among the fatty acids identified, palmitic acid is found in greater abundance (35.1 ± 9.4%). The productivity potential of the oil was estimated at 2,865 L ha−1 year−1. The carbohydrate concentration was 23.0 ± 2.5% (w/w) and no statistical differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the fatty acids composition and the carbohydrate content between the samples. The productivity of the periphyton showed a positive correlation with the concentration of nutrients that enter the system. In contrast, the concentration of carbohydrates found in the biomass remained stable at all of the nutrient rates studied. The microalgae evaluation identified that most of the taxa found belong to the class Bacillariophyceae (diatoms).

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—Brasil (CNPq) under Grant number 439323/2018-5 and number 310228/2019-0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Excellence in Oilchemistry and Biotechnology, University of Santa Cruz Do Sul (UNISC), Av. Independência 2293, Rio Grande Do Sul, CEP 96815-900, Brazil

    Mateus da Silva Szarblewski, Giséle Alves, Lisianne Brittes Benitez, Rosana de Cassia de Souza Schneider & Tiele Medianeira Rizzetti

  2. Environmental Technology Postgraduate Program, University of Santa Cruz Do Sul (UNISC), Av. Independência 2293, Bloco 53, Rio Grande Do Sul, CEP 96815-900, Brazil

    Mateus da Silva Szarblewski, Giséle Alves, Carla Giselda Heinrich, Adriana Dupont, Eduardo A. Lobo, Lisianne Brittes Benitez, Rosana de Cassia de Souza Schneider & Tiele Medianeira Rizzetti

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  1. Mateus da Silva Szarblewski
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da Silva Szarblewski, M., Alves, G., Heinrich, C.G. et al. Evaluation of the composition and identification of periphytic microalgae biomass in the algal turf scrubber system under different concentrations of nutrients. Sustain. Water Resour. Manag. 9, 90 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00873-8

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