Biogas production from anaerobic digestion of Spirulina maxima algal biomass

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.260240822· OSTI ID:6408556

Samson, R; LeDuy, A

The photosynthetic spectrum of solar energy could be exploited for the production of chemical energy of methane through the combined algal-bacterial process. In this process, the algae are mass produced from light and from carbon in the first step. The algal biomass is then used as a nutrient for feeding the anaerobic digester, in the second step, for the production of methane by anaerobic bacteria. The carbon source for the production of algal biomass could be either organic carbon from wastewaters (for eucaryotic algae), or carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or from the combustion exhaust gases (for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae). The technical feasibility data on the anaerobic digestion of algal biomass have been reported for many species of algae including macroscopic algae and microscopic algae. Research being conducted in the authors' laboratory consists of using the semimicroscopic blue-green alga Spirulina maxima as the sole substrate for this combined algal-bacterial process. This species of alga is very attractive for the process because of its capability of using the atmospheric carbon dioxide as carbon source and its simple harvesting methods. Furthermore, it appeared that the fermentability of S. maxima is significantly higher than other microscopic algae. This communication presents the results on the anaerobic inoculum development by the adaptation technique. This inoculum was then used for the semicontinuous anaerobic digestion of S. maxima algal biomass. The evolutions of biogas production and composition, biogas yield, total volatile fatty acids, alkalinity, ammonia nitrogen, pH, and electrode potential were followed.

• Research Organization: Dept of Chemical Engineering, Laval Univ, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada G1K 7P4
• OSTI ID: 6408556
• Journal Information: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Vol. 24:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALGAE
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
CYANOBACTERIA
METHANE
PRODUCTION
BIOMASS PLANTATIONS
CARBON
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
PH VALUE
PRODUCTIVITY
ALKANES
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DIGESTION
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
MICROORGANISMS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
090122* - Hydrocarbon Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
550700 - Microbiology
140504 - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)