Abstract
Algae were recently considered as a promising third-generation biofuel feedstock due to their superior productivity, high oil content, and environmentally friendly nature. However, the sustainable production became the major constraint facing commercial development of algal biofuels. For this study, firstly, a factorial experimental design was used to analyze the effects of the process parameters including temperatures of 8–25 °C, light intensity of 150–900 μmol·m−2s−1, and light duration of 6–24 h on the biomass yields of local alga Chlamydomonas debaryana in swine wastewater. The results were fitted with a quadratic equation (R2 = 0.9706). The factors of temperature, light duration, the interaction of light intensity-light duration, and the quadratic effect of temperature were statistically significant. When evaluating different scenarios for the sustainable production of algal biomass and biofuels in North Carolina, US, it showed that: (a) Growing C. debaryana in a 10-acre pond on swine wastewater under local weather conditions would yield algal biomass of 113 tonnes/year; (b) If all swine wastewater generated in North Carolina was treated with algae, it will require 137–485 acres of ponds, yielding biomass of 5048–10,468 tonnes/year and algal oil of 1010–2094 tonnes/year. Annually, hundreds of tonnes of nitrogen and phosphorus could be removed from swine wastewater. The required area is mainly dependent on the growth rate of algal species.
Highlights
With growing concerns about declining fossil fuel supplies, environmental issues, and increasing demand of fossil fuels, renewable biofuels have received a large amount of research attention [1]
C. debaryana was cultured with swine wastewater, which was collected from an uncovered lagoon at the university swine farm
When the light intensity increased from 50 to 150 μmolm2s1, the biomass yields in 15 and 30 days increased by 53% and 45%, respectively
Summary
With growing concerns about declining fossil fuel supplies, environmental issues, and increasing demand of fossil fuels, renewable biofuels have received a large amount of research attention [1]. It is recognized that the sustainable production of algal biomass is the major drawback to commercializing algae-based biofuels [7]. Algal growth requires three major nutrients of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, while other nutrients may be required in trace amounts, including calcium, chlorine, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, silica, sodium, sulfur, and zinc [12,13]. Wastewater is often considered as a proper growth medium for algae, increasing the environmental sustainability [13] and the economic sustainability of algal biofuels [14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
