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Bioremediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters integrated with enhanced biodiesel production using novel oleaginous microalgae

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Abstract

The study illustrates the synergistic potential of novel microalgal, Chlamydomonas debaryana IITRIND3, for phycoremediation of domestic, sewage, paper mill and dairy wastewaters and then subsequent utilisation of its biomass for biodiesel production. Among these wastewaters, maximum lipid productivity (87.5 ± 2.3 mg L−1 day−1) was obtained in dairy wastewater with removal efficiency of total nitrogen, total phosphorous, chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon to be 87.56, 82.17, 78.57 and 85.97 %, respectively. Metal ions such as sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium were also removed efficiently from the wastewaters tested. Pigment analysis revealed loss of chlorophyll a while increase in carotenoid content in algal cells cultivated in different wastewaters. Biochemical data of microalgae grown in different wastewaters showed reduction in protein content with an increase in carbohydrate and lipid contents. The major fatty acids in algal cells grown in dairy wastewater were C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:2 and C18:3. The physical properties of biodiesel derived from microalgae grown in dairy wastewater were in compliance with the ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 fuel standards and were comparable to plant oil methyl esters.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful for financial support by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, Bio-Care Programme, DBT Sanction No.: 102/IFD/SAN/3539/2011-2012 (Grant No.: DBT-608-BIO) and JRF to Neha Arora (Grant No.: 7001-35-44).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Biotechnology Department, IITR, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, 247667, India

    Neha Arora, Alok Patel, Km Sartaj, Parul A. Pruthi & Vikas Pruthi

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  1. Neha Arora
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  2. Alok Patel
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  3. Km Sartaj
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  4. Parul A. Pruthi
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  5. Vikas Pruthi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vikas Pruthi.

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Responsible editor: Gerald Thouand

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Supplementary Figure 1

Nile red staining of C. debaryana IITRIND3 cells grown in different wastewaters (DOCX 1231 kb)

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Arora, N., Patel, A., Sartaj, K. et al. Bioremediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters integrated with enhanced biodiesel production using novel oleaginous microalgae. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 20997–21007 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7320-y

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