Growth of mono- and mixed cultures of Nannochloropsis salina and Phaeodactylum tricornutum on struvite as a nutrient source

Journal Article · Sat Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Bioresource Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.09.070· OSTI ID:1339261

Davis, Ryan W. ^[1]; Siccardi, Anthony J. ^[2]; Huysman, Nathan D. ^[2]; Wyatt, Nicholas B. ^[3]; Hewson, John C. ^[3]; Lane, Todd W. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
2. Texas AgriLife Research Mariculture Lab., Corpus Christi, TX (United States)
3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

In this paper, the suitability of crude and purified struvite (MgNH₄PO₄), a major precipitate in wastewater streams, was investigated for renewable replacement of conventional nitrogen and phosphate resources for cultivation of microalgae. Bovine effluent wastewater stone, the source of crude struvite, was characterized for soluble N/P, trace metals, and biochemical components and compared to the purified mineral. Cultivation trials using struvite as a major nutrient source were conducted using two microalgae production strains, Nannochloropsis salina and Phaeodactylum tricornutum, in both lab and outdoor pilot-scale raceways in a variety of seasonal conditions. Both crude and purified struvite-based media were found to result in biomass productivities at least as high as established media formulations (maximum outdoor co-culture yield ~20 ± 4 g AFDW/m²/day). Finally, analysis of nutrient uptake by the alga suggest that struvite provides increased nutrient utilization efficiency, and that crude struvite satisfies the trace metals requirement and results in increased pigment productivity for both microalgae strains.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office; USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
• Contributing Organization: Texas AgriLife Research Mariculture Lab., Corpus Christi, TX (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000; 9.1.1.3_DE-EE0005995
• OSTI ID: 1339261
• Report Number(s): SAND2015-8883J; PII: S0960852415013498
• Journal Information: Bioresource Technology, Vol. 198; ISSN 0960-8524
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Struvite
Microalgae
Nutrient recycling
Wastewater
Mixed culture