Abstract
Currently, the scientific community is keenly working on environmental-friendly processes for the production of clean energy and sustainable development. The study was conducted to cultivate microalgae in raw institutional wastewater for water treatment, enriched production of biomass and CO2 sequestration. The strains which were used in this study are Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorella sp. which were isolated from Kallar Kahar Lake, Pakistan. Both strains were cultivated in synthetic growth medium (Bold’s Basal Medium) to enhance biomass production. Afterward, microalgae cultures were inoculated in wastewater sample in mixotrophic mode under ambient conditions. The impurities in wastewater were successfully removed from the original sample by the 7th day of operation. COD 95%, nitrate 99.7% and phosphate 80.5% were removed by applying Scenedesmus sp. Meanwhile, Chlorella sp. reduced 84.86% COD, 98.2% nitrate and 70% phosphate, respectively. Interestingly, sulfates were removed from wastewater completely by both strains. Besides being useful in wastewater remediation, these microalgae strains were subsequently harvested for lipid extraction and potential biofuel production was determined. Therefore, the applied method is an environmentally safe, cost-effective and alternative technology for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the achieved biomass through this process can be used for the production of biofuels.
Highlights
The demand for energy and clean water is increasing day by day due to the rapid increase in population, industrialization and urbanization
The strains which were used in this study are Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorella sp. which were isolated from Kallar Kahar Lake, Pakistan
Results indicated significant improvement in water quality within a detention period of 7 days. This treated wastewater can be reused or discharged into the environment, as excessive nutrients and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were reduced to levels within the limits of the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQs)
Summary
The demand for energy and clean water is increasing day by day due to the rapid increase in population, industrialization and urbanization. The basic source of the energy is fossil fuels, which are exhaustible and not replenished on a human time scale. Biomass production and utilization for biofuel generation is the most attractive technology. Biofuel such as biodiesel is a biodegradable and nontoxic source of fuels. It is being produced from variety of biomass including soybean, sunflower, coconut, canola, palm oil and waste oil; its production on large scale is not sustainable (Mostafa et al 2012). The idea of algae cultivation in wastewater
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.
