Abstract
Four microalgal species, Chlorella vulgaris, Botryococcus braunii, Ankistrodesmus falcatus, and Tetradesmus obliquus were studied for enhanced phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater after their exposure to phosphorus starvation. Microalgae were exposed to phosphorus starvation conditions for three and five days and then used in a batch experiment to purify an effluent from a small WWTP. After 3-day P-starvation, C. vulgaris biomass growth rate increased by 50% and its PO4 removal rate reached > 99% within 7 days. B. braunii maintained good biomass growth rate and nutrient removal regardless of the P-starvation. All species showed 2–5 times higher alkaline phosphatase activity increase for P-starved biomass than at the reference conditions, responding to the decline of PO4 concentration in wastewater and biomass poly-P content. The overall efficiency of biomass P-starvation on enhanced phosphorus uptake was found to be dependent on the species, N/P molar ratio in the wastewater, as well as the biomass P content.
Highlights
Phosphorus (P) is a major nutrient causing eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems
This paper investigates the impact of various P-starvation periods on phosphate removal efficiency from municipal wastewater
Differences in biomass growth rate (μ), biomass productivity (Pr), and biomass increase were observed among the species and applied P-starvation periods (Figure 2)
Summary
Phosphorus (P) is a major nutrient causing eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Among the many phosphorus sources, effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) provide significant loading of P into the surface waters. Recovery of P from wastewaters is lately gaining more attention [1]. Chemical precipitation and enhanced biological (bacterial) uptake are the main methods for additional P removal used in WWTPs. Chemical precipitation and enhanced biological (bacterial) uptake are the main methods for additional P removal used in WWTPs These methods are well established and applied in the large WWTPs, their use in small WWTPs is often not practiced due to legislative acts.
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