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Mixotrophy in Synechocystis sp. for the treatment of wastewater with high nutrient content: effect of CO2 and light

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Abstract

Synechocystis sp. has remarkable mixotrophic capabilities, as well as an efficient exploitation of nitrogen and phosphorus, that may be applied in wastewater treatment based on cyanobacteria. To better investigate the exploitation of algal mixotrophy in bioremediation, this species was used in axenic respirometric tests to ascertain the effect of high light and non limiting CO2 supply on the overall regulation of mixotrophy, resulting in an inhibition of the exploitation of organic carbon. The same species was then cultured in real, unsterilized effluent obtained from the acidogenic fermentation of sludge, which contains a high concentration of nutrients (approximately 600, 90 and 6000 mg L−1 of N, P and COD, respectively) and it is often inhibiting for many microalgal species. On the contrary, Synechocystis sp., showed a remarkable growth and a removal up to 96% of phosphorus, 66% of nitrogen and of 68% of COD in such a complex waste stream.

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Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Nicola Frison, University of Verona for kindly providing the wastewater.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdepartmental Centre Giorgio Levi Cases, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padua, Italy

    Giulia Trentin & Eleonora Sforza

  2. Department of Industrial Engineering DII, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padua, Italy

    Giulia Trentin, Alberto Bertucco & Eleonora Sforza

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  1. Giulia Trentin
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  2. Alberto Bertucco
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  3. Eleonora Sforza
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Correspondence to Eleonora Sforza.

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Trentin, G., Bertucco, A. & Sforza, E. Mixotrophy in Synechocystis sp. for the treatment of wastewater with high nutrient content: effect of CO2 and light. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 42, 1661–1669 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-019-02162-1

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