@article{59321ee61a854830adb9e215fbd35b99,
title = "Algal wastewater treatment: Photoautotrophic vs. mixotrophic processes",
abstract = "Photoautotrophic algal systems have been investigated as potentially greener and more sustainable alternatives to the traditional bacteria-based wastewater treatment (WWT) systems. This paper presents mixotrophic algal systems as better suited for WWT. Since the literature is void of mixotrophic WWT systems, a brief review of the laboratory results from the literature comparing the different types of algal metabolisms is presented first. Details of a mixotrophic WWT system driven by an extremophilic alga, Galdieria sulphuraria (pH = 1 to 4; temperature = 25 to 56 °C) are presented next. Results from pilot scale version of this mixotrophic system (700 L) are summarized to show that it can reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrients in primary-settled wastewater in a single step to yield discharge-ready effluent in <3 days of fed-batch processing. Average volumetric removal rates of BOD5 (16.5 ± 3.6 mg L−1 d−1) and ammoniacal nitrogen (6.09 ± 0.92 mg L−1 d−1) in this mixotrophic system were found to be not different from those reported for the photoautotrophic high rate algal ponds (significance level of 0.05); but, that of phosphates (1.40 ± 0.57 mg L−1 d−1) is greater than that reported for the photoautotrophic high rate algal ponds (significance level of 0.05). Additionally, the extreme culture conditions in this particular mixotrophic system enabled concurrent reductions of E. coli (>5 log) and other pathogenic bacteria.",
keywords = "Autotrophy, BOD removal, Galdieria sulphuraria, Heterotrophy, Mixotrophy, Nutrient removal, Pathogen removal",
author = "N. Nirmalakhandan and T. Selvaratnam and Henkanatte-Gedera, {S. M.} and D. Tchinda and Abeysiriwardana-Arachchige, {I. S.A.} and Delanka-Pedige, {H. M.K.} and Munasinghe-Arachchige, {S. P.} and Y. Zhang and Holguin, {F. O.} and Lammers, {P. J.}",
note = "Funding Information: Support provided by City of Las Cruces Utilities Division in accommodating the algal testbed at the Las Cruces Wastewater Treatment Plant is acknowledged. This study was supported in part by the NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) award # EEC 1028968; the National Science Foundation award #IIA-1301346 Energize New Mexico (EPSCoR); the College of Engineering at NMSU; the Ed & Harold Foreman Endowed Chair; the City of Las Cruces Utilities; and the Las Cruces Wastewater Treatment Plant. All authors whose names listed this manuscript certify that they have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content, including participation in the concept, design, analysis, writing, or revision of the manuscript. All authors whose names are listed in this manuscript certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest, or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. No conflicts, informed consent, human or animal rights applicable. All authors whose names are listed in this manuscript have contributed significantly to the work, have read the manuscript, attest to the validity and legitimacy of the data and its interpretation, and agree to its submission to Algal Research for peer review. Funding Information: This study was supported in part by the NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) award # EEC 1028968 ; the National Science Foundation award # IIA-1301346 Energize New Mexico (EPSCoR); the College of Engineering at NMSU ; the Ed & Harold Foreman Endowed Chair ; the City of Las Cruces Utilities ; and the Las Cruces Wastewater Treatment Plant . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019",
year = "2019",
month = aug,
doi = "10.1016/j.algal.2019.101569",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "41",
journal = "Algal Research",
issn = "2211-9264",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
}