Cultivation of Chlorella protothecoides in the medium amended with cigarette butt leachate wastewater for enhanced biomass and macromolecular productions

Abstract

Microalgal cultivation in wastewater can significantly reduce the nutrient requirements and helps in wastewater management. In this study, Chlorella protothecoides was cultured on cigarette butt leachate admixed with culture medium. The cigarette butt leachate concentrations in the culture medium were set from 0 % to 100 % and a maximum biomass production was achieved at 60 % concentration (1.24 g L−1). The lipid content of Chlorella protothecoides was increased by 9.98 %, carbohydrate content by 40.93 % and protein content by 42.93 % with 60 % of cigarette butt leachate concentration as compared to the control. Water quality analysis after microalgal cultivation revealed that the N and P elements in the cigarette butt leachate wastewater were removed completely by the microalgal growth. Life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis was carried out to evaluate the environmental sustainability of the process, which has revealed that the cigarette butt leachate wastewater has significant reduction in the environmental impacts with a CO2 emission reduction up to 338 %. The study empirically suggested that the cigarette butt leachate mixed culture medium has potentially promoted the growth, lipid and protein in Chlorella protothecoides which can improve the upstream economics along with the environmental benefits of waste management.