Optimizing microalgae cultivation and wastewater treatment in large-scale offshore photobioreactors

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 86-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Novoveská ◽  
Anastasia K.M. Zapata ◽  
Jeffrey B. Zabolotney ◽  
Matthew C. Atwood ◽  
Eric R. Sundstrom
Environments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Eugenio Geremia ◽  
Maddalena Ripa ◽  
Claudio Marcello Catone ◽  
Sergio Ulgiati

Microalgae have received much attention in the last few years. Their use is being extended to different fields of application and technologies, such as food, animal feed, and production of valuable polymers. Additionally, there is interest in using microalgae for removal of nutrients from wastewater. Wastewater treatment with microalgae allows for a reduction in the main chemicals responsible for eutrophication (nitrogen and phosphate), the reduction of organic substrates (by decreasing parameters such as BOD and COD) and the removal of other substances such as heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. By selecting and reviewing 202 articles published in Scopus between 1992 and 2020, some aspects such as the feasibility of microalgae cultivation on wastewater and potential bioremediation have been investigated and evaluated. In this review, particular emphasis was placed on the different types of wastewaters on which the growth of microalgae is possible, the achievable bioremediation and the factors that make large-scale microalgae treatment feasible. The results indicated that the microalgae are able to grow on wastewater and carry out effective bioremediation. Furthermore, single-step treatment with mixotrophic microalgae could represent a valid alternative to conventional processes. The main bottlenecks are the large-scale feasibility and costs associated with biomass harvesting.


1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 291-298
Author(s):  
Frits A. Fastenau ◽  
Jaap H. J. M. van der Graaf ◽  
Gerard Martijnse

More than 95 % of the total housing stock in the Netherlands is connected to central sewerage systems and in most cases the wastewater is treated biologically. As connection to central sewerage systems has reached its economic limits, interest in on-site treatment of the domestic wastewater of the remaining premises is increasing. A large scale research programme into on-site wastewater treatment up to population equivalents of 200 persons has therefore been initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment. Intensive field-research work did establish that the technological features of most on-site biological treatment systems were satisfactory. A large scale implementation of these systems is however obstructed in different extents by problems of an organisational, financial and/or juridical nature and management difficulties. At present research is carried out to identify these bottlenecks and to analyse possible solutions. Some preliminary results are given which involve the following ‘bottlenecks':-legislation: absence of co-ordination and absence of a definition of ‘surface water';-absence of subsidies;-ownership: divisions in task-setting of Municipalities and Waterboards; divisions involved with cost-sharing;-inspection; operational control and maintenance; organisation of management;-discharge permits;-pollution levy;-sludge disposal. Final decisions and practical elaboration of policies towards on-site treatment will have to be formulated in a broad discussion with all the authorities and interest groups involved.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
María José Rodríguez-Torres ◽  
Ainoa Morillas-España ◽  
José Luis Guzmán ◽  
Francisco Gabriel Acién

One of the most critical variables in microalgae-related processes is the pH; it directly determines the overall performance of the production system especially when coupling with wastewater treatment. In microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes, the adequacy of pH has a large impact on the microalgae/bacteria consortium already developing on these systems. For cost-saving reasons, the pH is usually controlled by classical On/Off control algorithms during the daytime period, typically with the dynamics of the system and disturbances not being considered in the design of the control system. This paper presents the modelling and pH control in open photobioreactors, both raceway and thin-layer, using advanced controllers. In both types of photobioreactors, a classic control was implemented and compared with a Proportional–Integral (PI) control, also the operation during only the daylight period and complete daily time was evaluated. Thus, three major variables already studied include (i) the type of reactors (thin-layers and raceways), (ii) the type of control algorithm (On/Off and PI), and (iii) the control period (during the daytime and throughout the daytime and nighttime). Results show that the pH was adequately controlled in both photobioreactors, although each type requires different control algorithms, the pH control being largely improved when using PI controllers, with the controllers allowing us to reduce the total costs of the process with the reduction of CO2 injections. Moreover, the control during the complete daily cycle (including night) not only not increases the amount of CO2 to be injected, otherwise reducing it, but also improves the overall performance of the production process. Optimal pH control systems here developed are highly useful to develop robust large-scale microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes.


Author(s):  
Jakub Zdarta ◽  
Katarzyna Jankowska ◽  
Karolina Bachosz ◽  
Oliwia Degórska ◽  
Karolina Kaźmierczak ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose of Review In the presented review, we have summarized recent achievements on the use of immobilized oxidoreductases for biodegradation of hazardous organic pollutants including mainly dyes, pharmaceuticals, phenols, and bisphenols. In order to facilitate process optimization and achievement of high removal rates, effect of various process conditions on biodegradation has been highlighted and discussed. Recent Findings Current reports clearly show that immobilized oxidoreductases are capable of efficient conversion of organic pollutants, usually reaching over 90% of removal rate. Further, immobilized enzymes showed great recyclability potential, allowing their reuse in numerous of catalytic cycles. Summary Collected data clearly indicates immobilized oxidoreductases as an efficient biocatalytic tools for removal of hazardous phenolic compounds, making them a promising option for future water purification. Data shows, however, that both immobilization and biodegradation conditions affect conversion efficiency; therefore, process optimization is required to achieve high removal rates. Nevertheless, we have demonstrated future trends and highlighted several issues that have to be solved in the near-future research, to facilitate large-scale application of the immobilized oxidoreductases in wastewater treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5717
Author(s):  
Mian Muhammad-Ahson Aslam ◽  
Hsion-Wen Kuo ◽  
Walter Den ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Muhammad Sultan ◽  
...  

As the world human population and industrialization keep growing, the water availability issue has forced scientists, engineers, and legislators of water supply industries to better manage water resources. Pollutant removals from wastewaters are crucial to ensure qualities of available water resources (including natural water bodies or reclaimed waters). Diverse techniques have been developed to deal with water quality concerns. Carbon based nanomaterials, especially carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with their high specific surface area and associated adsorption sites, have drawn a special focus in environmental applications, especially water and wastewater treatment. This critical review summarizes recent developments and adsorption behaviors of CNTs used to remove organics or heavy metal ions from contaminated waters via adsorption and inactivation of biological species associated with CNTs. Foci include CNTs synthesis, purification, and surface modifications or functionalization, followed by their characterization methods and the effect of water chemistry on adsorption capacities and removal mechanisms. Functionalized CNTs have been proven to be promising nanomaterials for the decontamination of waters due to their high adsorption capacity. However, most of the functional CNT applications are limited to lab-scale experiments only. Feasibility of their large-scale/industrial applications with cost-effective ways of synthesis and assessments of their toxicity with better simulating adsorption mechanisms still need to be studied.


2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.F. Gokcay ◽  
G. Sin

Environmental legislations in the Western world impose stringent effluent quality standards for ultimate protection of the environment. This is also observed in Turkey. The current paper presents efforts made to simulate an existing 0.77 million m3/day conventional activated sludge plant located at Ankara, AWTP. The ASM1 model was used for simulation in this study. The model contains numerous stoichiometric and kinetic parameters, some of which need to be determined on case by case bases. The easily degradable COD (SS) was determined by two methods, physical-chemical and respirometric methods, namely. The latter method was deemed unreliable and rejected in the further study. Dynamic simulation with SSSP program predicted effluent COD and MLSS values successfully while overestimating OUR. A complete fit could only be obtained by introducing a dimensionless correction factor (ηO2 = 0.58) to the oxygen term in ASM1.


2017 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Brückner ◽  
K. Kirchner ◽  
Y. Müller ◽  
S. Schiwy ◽  
K. Klaer ◽  
...  

Abstract The project DemO3AC (demonstration of large-scale wastewater ozonation at the Aachen-Soers wastewater treatment plant, Germany) of the Eifel-Rur Waterboard contains the construction of a large-scale ozonation plant for advanced treatment of the entire 25 million m³/yr of wastewater passing through its largest wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In dry periods, up to 70% of the receiving water consists of treated wastewater. Thus, it is expected that effects of ozonation on downstream water biocoenosis will become observable. Extensive monitoring of receiving water and the WWTP shows a severe pollution with micropollutants (already prior to WWTP inlet). (Eco-)Toxicological investigations showed increased toxicity at the inlet of the WWTP for all assays. However, endocrine-disrupting potential was also present at other sampling points at the WWTP and in the river and could not be eliminated sufficiently by the WWTP. Total cell counts at the WWTP are slightly below average. Investigations of antibiotic resistances show no increase after the WWTP outlet in the river. However, cells carrying antibiotic-resistant genes seem to be more stress resistant in general. Comparing investigations after implementation of ozonation should lead to an approximation of the correlation between micropollutants and water quality/biocoenosis and the effects that ozonation has on this matter.


2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 660-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Craggs ◽  
S. Heubeck ◽  
T. J. Lundquist ◽  
J. R. Benemann

This paper examines the potential of algae biofuel production in conjunction with wastewater treatment. Current technology for algal wastewater treatment uses facultative ponds, however, these ponds have low productivity (∼10 tonnes/ha.y), are not amenable to cultivating single algal species, require chemical flocculation or other expensive processes for algal harvest, and do not provide consistent nutrient removal. Shallow, paddlewheel-mixed high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) have much higher productivities (∼30 tonnes/ha.y) and promote bioflocculation settling which may provide low-cost algal harvest. Moreover, HRAP algae are carbon-limited and daytime addition of CO2 has, under suitable climatic conditions, the potential to double production (to ∼60 tonnes/ha.y), improve bioflocculation algal harvest, and enhance wastewater nutrient removal. Algae biofuels (e.g. biogas, ethanol, biodiesel and crude bio-oil), could be produced from the algae harvested from wastewater HRAPs, The wastewater treatment function would cover the capital and operation costs of algal production, with biofuel and recovered nutrient fertilizer being by-products. Greenhouse gas abatement results from both the production of the biofuels and the savings in energy consumption compared to electromechanical treatment processes. However, to achieve these benefits, further research is required, particularly the large-scale demonstration of wastewater treatment HRAP algal production and harvest.


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