TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of light regime on carbon cycling, nutrient removal, biomass yield, and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by a constructed photosynthetic consortium
AU - Wicker, Rebecca J.
AU - Autio, Heidi
AU - Daneshvar, Ehsan
AU - Sarkar, Binoy
AU - Bolan, Nanthi
AU - Kumar, Vinod
AU - Bhatnagar, Amit
N1 - Funding Information:
The first author (Rebecca J. Wicker) gratefully acknowledges financial support from Tekniikan Edistämissäätiö (Grant number: 8883). All authors sincerely express their appreciation and thanks to the reviewers whose critical commentary has significantly improved the quality of this publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s)
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - Microalgae can add value to biological wastewater treatment processes by capturing carbon and nutrients and producing valuable biomass. Harvesting small cells from liquid media is a challenge easily addressed with biofilm cultivation. Three experimental photobioreactors were constructed from inexpensive materials (e.g. plexiglass, silicone) for hybrid liquid/biofilm cultivation of a microalgal-bacterial consortia in aquaculture effluent. Three light regimes (full-spectrum, blue-white, and red) were implemented to test light spectra as a process control. High-intensity full-spectrum light caused photoinhibition and low biomass yield, but produced the most polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) (0.14 mg g−1); a renewable bioplastic polymer. Medium-intensity blue-white light was less effective for carbon capture, but removed up to 82 % of phosphorus. Low-intensity red light was the only net carbon-negative regime, but increased phosphorus (+4.98 mg/L) in the culture medium. Light spectra and intensity have potential as easily-implemented process controls for targeted wastewater treatment, biomass production, and PHB synthesis using photosynthetic consortia.
AB - Microalgae can add value to biological wastewater treatment processes by capturing carbon and nutrients and producing valuable biomass. Harvesting small cells from liquid media is a challenge easily addressed with biofilm cultivation. Three experimental photobioreactors were constructed from inexpensive materials (e.g. plexiglass, silicone) for hybrid liquid/biofilm cultivation of a microalgal-bacterial consortia in aquaculture effluent. Three light regimes (full-spectrum, blue-white, and red) were implemented to test light spectra as a process control. High-intensity full-spectrum light caused photoinhibition and low biomass yield, but produced the most polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) (0.14 mg g−1); a renewable bioplastic polymer. Medium-intensity blue-white light was less effective for carbon capture, but removed up to 82 % of phosphorus. Low-intensity red light was the only net carbon-negative regime, but increased phosphorus (+4.98 mg/L) in the culture medium. Light spectra and intensity have potential as easily-implemented process controls for targeted wastewater treatment, biomass production, and PHB synthesis using photosynthetic consortia.
KW - Biological wastewater treatment
KW - Nutrient removal
KW - Photobioreactor
KW - Photosynthetic consortia
KW - Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137652126&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127912
DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127912
M3 - Article
C2 - 36087654
AN - SCOPUS:85137652126
SN - 0960-8524
VL - 363
JO - Bioresource Technology
JF - Bioresource Technology
M1 - 127912
ER -