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Nutrient removal from high strength nitrate containing industrial wastewater using Chlorella sp. strain ACUF_802

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Abstract

the research aim of this study was to characterize an isolated native strain of Chlorella sp. ACUF_802, well adapted to a high nitrate concentration environment and to investigate its potential to nitrate and phosphate removal from industrial wastewaters with the minimal addition of chemical reagents and energy. The isolated strain was identified and evaluated for its capability to support biomass growth and nutrient removal from synthetic wastewater in batch tests using different concentrations of carbon and nitrogen, different carbon sources and N:P ratios. The strain was isolated via the plating method from the settler of a pilot scale moving bed biofilm reactor performing a nitrification process. The strain was identified using molecular analysis with rDNA primers. Using sodium bicarbonate as carbon source, the batch productivity (71.43 mg L−1 day−1) of the strain Chlorella sp. ACUF_802 was calculated with a logistic model and compared to the values reported in the literature. Assays on the effect of the N:P ratio indicated that the productivity was increased 36% when the N:P ratio was close to 1 (111.96 mg L−1 day−1), but for a complete phosphorus removal a 5:1 N:P ratio with nitrate concentrations ≤125 mg∙L−1 is recommended. The isolated microalgae strain Chlorella sp. ACUF_802 showed versatility to grow in the synthetic industrial wastewaters tested and can be considered as an appropriate organism for nitrogen removal from industrial wastewaters in the presence of an organic or inorganic carbon source.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank to Niculina Musat and Julian Hofer for their pertinent comments and proof reading of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate “Environmental Technologies for Contaminated Solids, Soils, and Sediments, EteCoS3” (FPA 2010/0009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, via Di Biasio, 43, 03043, Cassino, Italy

    Jairo Hernan Moreno Osorio & Giovanni Esposito

  2. Department of Mathematics and Applications Renato Caccioppoli, University of Naples “Federico II”, via Cintia - Complex Monte S. Angelo, 26, 80126, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo Luongo & Luigi Frunzo

  3. Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, via Claudio 21, 80125, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo Luongo

  4. Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, via Cintia - Complex Monte S. Angelo, 26, 80126, Naples, Italy

    Angelo Del Mondo, Gabriele Pinto & Antonino Pollio

  5. UNESCO-IHE institute for water education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX, Delft, The Netherlands

    Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens

  6. National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland

    Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens

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  1. Jairo Hernan Moreno Osorio
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  2. Vincenzo Luongo
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Moreno Osorio, J.H., Luongo, V., Del Mondo, A. et al. Nutrient removal from high strength nitrate containing industrial wastewater using Chlorella sp. strain ACUF_802. Ann Microbiol 68, 899–913 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-018-1400-9

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