Growth of Scenedesmus obliquus on anaerobic soybean wastewater using different wasted organics for high biomass production and nutrients recycling

Abstract

The microalgae culture in mixing sewage with different characteristics may significantly improve biomass production and nutrients recycling efficiency. In this study, three waste organic wastewater including molasses, alcohol and glycerol wastewater were mixed with anaerobic soybean wastewater as mediums for microalgae culture. The optimal mixture of molasses, alcohol and glycerol wastewater was at an initial carbon-nitrogen ratio of 7:1, 5:1 and 10:1, improving biomass production by 60.4%, 31.3% and 68.7%, respectively. The removal efficiencies of organics, ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus at optimal mixture were 54.8–62.4%, 79.5–99.1% and 49.3–61.5%, and the removal rates increased by 340–630%, 27.5–66.3% and 36.3–70.2% compared to the blank culture. In addition, the culture in mixed wastewater increased lipids contrast by 0.7–1.3 times, while achieving higher saturation in fatty acids. The results suggested that microalgae culture using mixed wastewater was a strategy for high biomass production and nutrients recycling efficiency.