Improved microalgal productivity and nutrient removal through operating wastewater high rate algal ponds in series

Sutherland, DL; Park, J; Ralph, PJ; Craggs, RJ

Improved microalgal productivity and nutrient removal through operating wastewater high rate algal ponds in series

Sutherland, DL Park, J Ralph, PJ Craggs, RJ

Permalink

Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Algal Research, 2020, 47
Issue Date:: 2020-05-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	1-s2.0-S2211926419308938-main.pdf	Published version	1.05 MB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Sutherland, DL
dc.contributor.author	Park, J
dc.contributor.author	Ralph, PJ
dc.contributor.author	Craggs, RJ
dc.date.accessioned	2020-12-16T04:06:27Z
dc.date.available	2020-12-16T04:06:27Z
dc.date.issued	2020-05-01
dc.identifier.citation	Algal Research, 2020, 47
dc.identifier.issn	2211-9264
dc.identifier.issn	2211-9264
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144759
dc.description.abstract	© 2020 Elsevier B.V. High rate algal ponds are recognised as a cost effective and efficient upgrade to conventional wastewater ponds for the treatment of a wide range of wastewaters. Their design allows microalgae to proliferate, which, in turn, results in high levels of nutrient removal, via algal assimilation. Furthermore, these ponds offer the opportunity to recover resources, in the form of algal biomass, for beneficial re-use, thus creating a circular bio-economy using wastewater. However, both increased microalgal biomass and nutrient removal is required to make coupled full-scale systems commercially viable. The performance of high rate algal ponds operated in series, on short hydraulic retention time of 4 days, versus in parallel, on a longer retention time of 8 days, was assessed with respect to nutrient removal and microalgal production. For microalgal productivity, the combined total volatile suspended solids (organic matter) and chlorophyll-a biomass were significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (191 ± 41 kg per day for volatile suspended solids) than Parallel (127 ± 18 kg per day) operation. The combined total dissolved inorganic nitrogen removed per day was significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (23 ± 4 kg of nitrogen per day) than Parallel (17 ± 4 kg) operation. The total amount of phosphorus removed per day was unaffected by mode of operation. Higher biomass production under short retention times came at the expense of nitrogen removal but treatment of the harvested effluent through a second pond in series, resulted in overall higher daily nitrogen removal and biomass production than ponds in parallel, for the same volume of wastewater treated. This study has demonstrated that with simple modifications to pond operation higher microalgal yields and improved effluent water quality without increased capital or operational costs.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation.ispartof	Algal Research
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.algal.2020.101850
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
dc.subject	0607 Plant Biology, 0904 Chemical Engineering, 1003 Industrial Biotechnology
dc.title	Improved microalgal productivity and nutrient removal through operating wastewater high rate algal ponds in series
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	47
utslib.for	0607 Plant Biology
utslib.for	0904 Chemical Engineering
utslib.for	1003 Industrial Biotechnology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2020-12-16T04:05:35Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	47

Abstract:

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. High rate algal ponds are recognised as a cost effective and efficient upgrade to conventional wastewater ponds for the treatment of a wide range of wastewaters. Their design allows microalgae to proliferate, which, in turn, results in high levels of nutrient removal, via algal assimilation. Furthermore, these ponds offer the opportunity to recover resources, in the form of algal biomass, for beneficial re-use, thus creating a circular bio-economy using wastewater. However, both increased microalgal biomass and nutrient removal is required to make coupled full-scale systems commercially viable. The performance of high rate algal ponds operated in series, on short hydraulic retention time of 4 days, versus in parallel, on a longer retention time of 8 days, was assessed with respect to nutrient removal and microalgal production. For microalgal productivity, the combined total volatile suspended solids (organic matter) and chlorophyll-a biomass were significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (191 ± 41 kg per day for volatile suspended solids) than Parallel (127 ± 18 kg per day) operation. The combined total dissolved inorganic nitrogen removed per day was significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (23 ± 4 kg of nitrogen per day) than Parallel (17 ± 4 kg) operation. The total amount of phosphorus removed per day was unaffected by mode of operation. Higher biomass production under short retention times came at the expense of nitrogen removal but treatment of the harvested effluent through a second pond in series, resulted in overall higher daily nitrogen removal and biomass production than ponds in parallel, for the same volume of wastewater treated. This study has demonstrated that with simple modifications to pond operation higher microalgal yields and improved effluent water quality without increased capital or operational costs.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/144759