Experimental study for growth potential of unicellular alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa on dairy waste water: An integrated approach for treatment and biofuel production

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 116; pp. 466 - 470
• Main Authors: Kothari, Richa, Pathak, Vinayak V., Kumar, Virendra, Singh, D.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2012
• Subjects: Biofuel production; Biofuels - analysis; Biomass; Chlorella; Chlorella - cytology; Chlorella - growth & development; Chlorella pyrenoidosa; Color; Dairying; Eutrophication and dairy wastewater; Extraction; Fuels; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; Nitrates; Phosphates; Strain; Treatment; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste water; Wastewater treatment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water Purification - methods; Biofuel production; Eutrophication and dairy wastewater; Treatment
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.03.121

► Chlorella pyrenoidosa, an algal strain has good potential for bioremediation. ► C. pyrenoidosa showed about 80–85% phosphorus and 60–80% of nitrogen removal from the wastewater. ► Influent was found more suitable substrate for biodiesel production in comparison to effluent. This communication presents an integrated approach to study the potential of Chlorella pyrenoidosa for treatment of dairy wastewater (DWW) and biofuel extraction. The experiment was set up in two steps. The step-1 of the experiment was designed for treatment of dairy wastewater. The physical and chemical parameters of wastewater quality such as nitrate, phosphate, chloride, fluoride, hardness, etc., were studied. The level of nitrate and phosphate known, agents of eutrophication in water bodies was reduced by 60% and 87% in influent, 49% and 83% in the effluent, respectively. The step-2 of the experiment was designed for biofuel extraction by harvesting the biomass (algal strain) grown in dairy waste water. The result of this study shows that algal strain C. pyrenoidosa is not only an agent for mitigation of pollutant load, but it can also be used as potential agent for biofuel production.