The effects of light regime on carbon cycling, nutrient removal, biomass yield, and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by a constructed photosynthetic consortium
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Date
2022
Authors
Wicker, R.J.
Autio, H.
Daneshvar, E.
Sarkar, B.
Bolan, N.
Kumar, V.
Bhatnagar, A.
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Bioresource Technology, 2022; 363:1-9
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Abstract
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.
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Data source: Supplementary data, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127912
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Copyright 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)