Nutrient removal from anaerobic digestion effluents of aquatic macrophytes with the green alga, Chlorella sorokiniana

Abstract

Green microalgae have great potential for removing inorganic nutrients from wastewater and anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE). We investigated the cultivation conditions for maximum algal yield and nutrient (ammonium and phosphate) removal rates. The green microalga, Chlorella sorokiniana, was cultured using ADE from anaerobic digestion by two dominant macrophytes, Elodea nuttallii and Egeria densa, which cause environmental problems in Lake Biwa, Japan, because of excessive growth. Available magnesium (Mg) in the ADEs from both macrophytes was not sufficient for maximum algal growth and nutrient removal. We demonstrated that Mg-enrichment was essential for enhancing algal yield in, and nutrient removal rate from, ADEs.