Feasibility of algal systems for sustainable wastewater treatment

Thinesh Selvaratnam; Ambica Pegallapati; Felly Montelya; Gabriela Rodriguez; Nagamany Nirmalakhandan; Peter J. Lammers; Wayne van Voorhies

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.061

Feasibility of algal systems for sustainable wastewater treatment

Thinesh Selvaratnam, Ambica Pegallapati, Felly Montelya, Gabriela Rodriguez, Nagamany Nirmalakhandan, Peter J. Lammers, Wayne van Voorhies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

56 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper proposes cultivation of algae in urban wastewaters as a sustainable approach for removing the nutrients from the wastewaters and generating energy from the biomass. The theoretical rationale of this proposal is that, the algal systems can produce nearly double the biomass per unit nutrient intake than bacterial systems and can generate nearly 20% more net energy. Preliminary experimental results are presented to demonstrate that a thermo-tolerant and acidophilic algal strain evaluated in this study-Galdieria sulphuraria, can grow well in primary settled urban wastewaters and can reduce nutrient levels to regulatory discharge levels at reasonable rates. Nutrient removal rates found in this study (4.70-5.0mgL^-1d^-1 of nitrogen and 1.5-1.7mgL^-1d^-1 of phosphate) are comparable to those by traditional methods.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	71-76
Number of pages	6
Journal	Renewable Energy
Volume	82
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.061
State	Published - Oct 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Algal wastewater treatment
Galdieria sulphuraria
Nitrogen removal
Phosphate removal
Thermo-tolerant acidophilic strains

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

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10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.061

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title = "Feasibility of algal systems for sustainable wastewater treatment",

abstract = "This paper proposes cultivation of algae in urban wastewaters as a sustainable approach for removing the nutrients from the wastewaters and generating energy from the biomass. The theoretical rationale of this proposal is that, the algal systems can produce nearly double the biomass per unit nutrient intake than bacterial systems and can generate nearly 20% more net energy. Preliminary experimental results are presented to demonstrate that a thermo-tolerant and acidophilic algal strain evaluated in this study-Galdieria sulphuraria, can grow well in primary settled urban wastewaters and can reduce nutrient levels to regulatory discharge levels at reasonable rates. Nutrient removal rates found in this study (4.70-5.0mgL-1d-1 of nitrogen and 1.5-1.7mgL-1d-1 of phosphate) are comparable to those by traditional methods.",

keywords = "Algal wastewater treatment, Galdieria sulphuraria, Nitrogen removal, Phosphate removal, Thermo-tolerant acidophilic strains",

author = "Thinesh Selvaratnam and Ambica Pegallapati and Felly Montelya and Gabriela Rodriguez and Nagamany Nirmalakhandan and Lammers, {Peter J.} and {van Voorhies}, Wayne",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier Ltd.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.061",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Feasibility of algal systems for sustainable wastewater treatment

AU - Selvaratnam, Thinesh

AU - Pegallapati, Ambica

AU - Montelya, Felly

AU - Rodriguez, Gabriela

AU - Nirmalakhandan, Nagamany

AU - Lammers, Peter J.

AU - van Voorhies, Wayne

PY - 2015/10/1

Y1 - 2015/10/1

N2 - This paper proposes cultivation of algae in urban wastewaters as a sustainable approach for removing the nutrients from the wastewaters and generating energy from the biomass. The theoretical rationale of this proposal is that, the algal systems can produce nearly double the biomass per unit nutrient intake than bacterial systems and can generate nearly 20% more net energy. Preliminary experimental results are presented to demonstrate that a thermo-tolerant and acidophilic algal strain evaluated in this study-Galdieria sulphuraria, can grow well in primary settled urban wastewaters and can reduce nutrient levels to regulatory discharge levels at reasonable rates. Nutrient removal rates found in this study (4.70-5.0mgL-1d-1 of nitrogen and 1.5-1.7mgL-1d-1 of phosphate) are comparable to those by traditional methods.

AB - This paper proposes cultivation of algae in urban wastewaters as a sustainable approach for removing the nutrients from the wastewaters and generating energy from the biomass. The theoretical rationale of this proposal is that, the algal systems can produce nearly double the biomass per unit nutrient intake than bacterial systems and can generate nearly 20% more net energy. Preliminary experimental results are presented to demonstrate that a thermo-tolerant and acidophilic algal strain evaluated in this study-Galdieria sulphuraria, can grow well in primary settled urban wastewaters and can reduce nutrient levels to regulatory discharge levels at reasonable rates. Nutrient removal rates found in this study (4.70-5.0mgL-1d-1 of nitrogen and 1.5-1.7mgL-1d-1 of phosphate) are comparable to those by traditional methods.

KW - Algal wastewater treatment

KW - Galdieria sulphuraria

KW - Nitrogen removal

KW - Phosphate removal

KW - Thermo-tolerant acidophilic strains

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VL - 82

SP - 71

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JO - Renewable Energy

JF - Renewable Energy

ER -

Feasibility of algal systems for sustainable wastewater treatment

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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