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Dairy Wastewaters for Algae Cultivation, Polyhydroxyalkanote Reactor Effluent Versus Anaerobic Digester Effluent

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Abstract

Nutrients in dairy wastewaters can be remediated through assimilation into algal biomass. Anaerobically digested manure creates an effluent (ADE) that is useful for algal cultivation while alternate processing of manure through a polyhydroxyalkanoate reactor generates a distinct effluent (PHAE), not previously characterized for algal cultivation. Each effluent was evaluated for growth rate, biomass production, and nutrient recovery using type algae species Chlorella vulgaris. Growth rates were elevated in 5, 10, and 20 % dilutions of PHAE (0.59, 0.53, 0.42 days−1) compared to equal concentrations of ADE (0.40, 0.36, 0.37 days−1). In addition, the growth phase lasted up to twice as long for PHAE, resulting in a fourfold higher stationary phase algal concentration (cells∙mL−1) compared to ADE. Growth in ADE was limited by specific inhibitory properties: high concentrations of dissolved organic matter, ammonia, and elevated bacterial load. Maximum nutrient removal rates for ADE and PHAE were 0.95 and 3.46 mg·L−1·day−1 for nitrogen and 0.67 and 0.04 mg·L−1·day−1 for phosphorus, respectively. Finally, biomass derived from PHAE was higher in lipids (11.3 % versus 7.2 %) and thus has a greater potential as a feedstock for biofuel compared to ADE.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Anaerobic digester

ADE:

Anaerobic digester effluent

CFU:

Colony forming unit

CH4 :

Methane

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand

CO2e:

Carbon dioxide equivalent

DOM:

Dissolved organic matter

EROI:

Energy return on investment

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

N:

Nitrogen

NH3 :

Ammonia

NO3 – :

Nitrate

PHA:

Polyhydroxyalkanoate

PHAE:

Polyhydroxyalkanoate reactor effluent

P:

Phosphorus

RFS:

Renewable fuel standard

SD:

Standard deviation

TDP:

Total dissolved phosphorus

TDN:

Total dissolved nitrogen

TS:

Total solids

VFA:

Volatile fatty acid

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded in part by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), 00041394 Task Order 33. Additional funding was provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowship, 2011–2013. FP-91736101, and the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) award number 2012–68002–19952.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive Mail Stop 1515, Boise, ID, 83725, USA

    Maxine Passero, Ben Cragin & Kevin Feris

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1022, Moscow, ID, 83844-1022, USA

    Erik R. Coats

  3. Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1132, Moscow, ID, 83844-1132, USA

    Armando G. McDonald

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  1. Maxine Passero
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  2. Ben Cragin
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  5. Kevin Feris
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Correspondence to Kevin Feris.

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Passero, M., Cragin, B., Coats, E.R. et al. Dairy Wastewaters for Algae Cultivation, Polyhydroxyalkanote Reactor Effluent Versus Anaerobic Digester Effluent. Bioenerg. Res. 8, 1647–1660 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-015-9619-9

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