Phycoremediation of Potato Industry Wastewater for Nutrient Recovery, Pollution Reduction, and Biofertilizer Production for Greenhouse Cultivation of Lettuce and Celery in Sandy Soils

Abstract

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment offers an eco-friendly opportunity for simultaneous nutrient recovery and biomass generation, aligning with the circular bioeconomy concept. This approach aims to utilize the nutrients of potato industry wastewater (PIW) for algal growth while mitigating the environmental impact of this industrial byproduct. This study focused on cultivating three cyanobacterial strains, Anabaena oryzae, Nostoc muscorum, and Spirulina platensis, in PIW and synthetic media for 30 days to assess feasibility. Growth performance was monitored by measuring chlorophyll content, dry weight (DW), optical density (OD), and pH at 3-day intervals. The high-performing cyanobacterial biomass from the laboratory findings was formulated into a biofertilizer, which was then evaluated in a controlled greenhouse experiment on celery and lettuce plants. The biofertilizer replaced conventional NPK mineral fertilizers at different levels (25%, 50%, and 75%), while a control group received 100% chemical fertilizer. The results showed favourable growth of all three cyanobacteria strains and their mixture in PIW throughout the experiment. The mixed cyanobacteria followed by Spirulina platensis exhibited the highest growth rates, achieving chlorophyll contents of 3.75 and 2.30 µg·mL−1, DWs of 1.79 g·L−1 and 1.63 g·L−1, and ODs of 0.41 and 0.38, respectively, surpassing the other treatments. The formulated biofertilizers, Spi-PIW (Spirulina platensis + potato industry wastewater) and Cyano-PIW (mixed culture+ potato industry wastewater), significantly enhanced plant height, root and stem lengths, and the number of leaves per plant in celery and lettuce compared to the control group. These biofertilizer treatments also improved chlorophyll contents, as well as macro- and micronutrient levels, in the two crops. Additionally, the application of these biofertilizers improved certain sandy soil properties, i.e., pH, total organic matter, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In conclusion, utilizing PIW as a substrate for cultivating cyanobacteria strains and producing high-quality liquid bio-organic fertilizers holds potential for reducing recommended NPK fertilizer doses by 25–50% in celery and lettuce growth, providing an environmentally friendly approach.