Recycling industrial wastewater for improved carbohydrate-rich biomass production in a semi-continuous photobioreactor: Effect of hydraulic retention time

This study aimed to investigate a mixed micmalgae culture's capacity to simultaneously remove nutrients and organic matter from industrial effluents while producing carbohydrate-rich biomass. A culture initially dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp. was inoculated in a lab-scale stirred tank photobioreactor, operating at 10, 8, and 6 days hydraulic retention time (HRT). The results show that different HRT led to different inorganic carbon profiles and N:P ratios in the culture, influencing microbial changes, and carbohydrate content. Hence, higher N-NH4+ removal efficiencies were obtained at HRT of 10 d and decreased with decreasing HRT. Whereas, complete depletion of P-PO43- was achieved only at HRT of 8 d and 6 d. Also, the highest COD removal efficiency (60%) was achieved at 6 d of HRT. The maximum accumulation of carbohydrates was achieved at HRT of 8 d, which presented an N:P ratio of 22:1 and carbon availability, recording a constant carbohydrate content of 57% without any additional carbon source. Furthermore, this operational condition reached the best biomass production of 0.033 g L(-1)d(-1) of easy-settling cyanobacteria dominated culture. According to the results, this process presents an alternative to recycling industrial effluents and, at the same time, grow valuable biomass, closing a loop for sustainable economy.

Automated summary

This study investigated the potential of a mixed microalgae culture to remove nutrients and organic matter from industrial effluents while producing carbohydrate-rich biomass. Different hydraulic retention times (HRT) resulted in varying inorganic carbon profiles, N:P ratios, and microbial changes in the culture, affecting nutrient removal efficiencies and carbohydrate content. The optimal HRT for achieving high biomass production and COD removal efficiency was found to be 8 days, with a consistent carbohydrate content of 57% without additional carbon source.