An Innovative Low-Cost Equipment for Electro-Concentration of Microalgal Biomass

Edwar M Sanchez-Galvis,Janet B García-Martínez,Andrés F Barajas-Solano,Jefferson E Contreras-Ropero,Ingri Y Cardenas-Gutierrez,Antonio Zuorro

doi:10.3390/app10144841

Edwar M Sanchez-Galvis, Janet B García-Martínez + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/app10144841

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Abstract

Microalgal harvesting is one of the most challenging processes in the development of algal research and development. Several methods, such as centrifugation, flocculation and filtration, are available at the laboratory scale. However, the requirement for expensive pieces of equipment and the possibility of biomass contamination are recurring gaps that hinder the development of microalgae R&D (research and development) in different parts of the world. Recently, electroflotation has been proved to be a suitable method for the harvesting of different species of microalgae and cyanobacteria. To this day, there are no companies that sell laboratory-scale electroflotation equipment; this is mainly due to the gap in the knowledge of which factors (time, mixing rate, number of electrodes and others) will affect the efficiency of concentration without reducing the biomass quality. This paper aims to build an innovative, low-cost electroflotation system for under 300 USD (United States dollar) with cheap and resistant materials. To achieve our goal, we tested the interaction of three variables (time, mixing rate and amount of electrodes). Results showed that an efficiency closer to 100% could be achieved in under 20 min using > 10 electrodes and 150 rpm (round per minute). We hope this innovative approach can be used by different researchers to improve our knowledge of the concentration and harvesting of algae and cyanobacteria.

Highlights

IntroductionThe R&D (research and development) on microalgal usage has expanded tremendously over the last two decades
The R&D on microalgal usage has expanded tremendously over the last two decades
We found affected the concentration of algal biomass positively, without a high increase in that mixingtemperature

Summary

Introduction

The R&D (research and development) on microalgal usage has expanded tremendously over the last two decades. This microorganism has led an industrial expansion of novel products for different markets worldwide. Microalgae cells are tiny, usually ranging from one to ten micrometers with a low specific gravity (1–1.1 g/L) [1], and when produced in large-scale reactors (such as open ponds or Photobioreactors), they tend to be highly diluted (on the order of 1 to 2 g/L) [2,3]. The most troublesome step of microalgae research and production is the concentration and dewatering of produced biomass. This process is a labor-intensive and time-intensive.

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