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Evaluation of electrocoagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation harvesting methods on microalgae consortium grown in anaerobically digested abattoir effluent

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Abstract

Microalgae dewatering is a major bottleneck for biomass production in a large-scale microalgal production system which accounts for 20–60% of production cost. In this study, three dewatering systems of electrocoagulation, flocculation, and pH-induced flocculation were evaluated for microalgal consortium grown in anaerobically digested abattoir effluent at pH 6.5 and 9.5. At the shortest time (15 min) and the highest current density (0.08 A cm−2), the highest microalgae recoveries of 78 and 84% were obtained with the corresponding power consumptions of 1.25 and 1.07 kWh kg−1 for cultures at pH 6.5 and 9.5. For microalgae suspension at pH 6.5, the highest biomass recovery of 77% was obtained when 100 mg L−1 of FeCl3·6H2O (after 15 min) or 100 mg L−1 of Al2(SO4)3·18H2O (after 30 min) was added. However, microalgal recoveries significantly increased when FeCl3·6H2O or Al2(SO4)3·18H2O was used with the culture at pH 9.5. pH-Induced experiments showed that cultures adjusted at pH 10.5 had 36% higher biomass recovery compared to that in cultures at pH 8.5 after 2 h. The results of this study showed that cultures at higher pH (9.5) had a better microalgae recovery in all dewatering systems than cultures at lower pH (6.5).

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Funding

This Wastes to Profits project was supported by Meat and Livestock Australia through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the partners.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Algae R & D Centre, Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, Australia

    Mohammadjavad Raeisossadati & Navid R. Moheimani

  2. Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia

    Navid R. Moheimani

  3. Engineering and Energy, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, Australia

    Parisa A. Bahri

Authors
  1. Mohammadjavad Raeisossadati
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  2. Navid R. Moheimani
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  3. Parisa A. Bahri
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Correspondence to Navid R. Moheimani.

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Raeisossadati, M., Moheimani, N.R. & Bahri, P.A. Evaluation of electrocoagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation harvesting methods on microalgae consortium grown in anaerobically digested abattoir effluent. J Appl Phycol 33, 1631–1642 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-021-02403-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-021-02403-5

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