ABSTRACT
Two-stage cultivation for microalgae biomass is a promising strategy to boost lipid accumulation and productivity. Most of the currently described processes use energy-intensive centrifugation for cell separation after the first cultivation stage. This laboratory study evaluated alkaline flocculation as low-cost alternative separation method to harvest Nannochloropsis oculata prior to cultivation in the second nutrient-depleted cultivation stage. Biomass concentration over time and the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II expressed as Fv:Fm ratio showed identical patterns for both harvesting methods in both stages. The composition of total lipids, carbohydrates, and protein was similar for biomass harvested via alkaline flocculation or centrifugation. Likewise, both harvest methods yielded the same increase in total lipid content, to 40% within the first 2days of the nutrient-depleted stage, with an enrichment in C16 fatty acid methyl esters. Centrifugation can therefore be replaced with alkaline flocculation to harvest Nannochloropsis oculata after the first cultivation stage.
Subject(s)
Biotechnology/methods , Lipids/biosynthesis , Microalgae/metabolism , Stramenopiles/metabolism , Biomass , Centrifugation , Fatty Acids/chemistry , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Flocculation , Lipids/chemistry , Microalgae/growth & development , Photosystem II Protein Complex/metabolism , Stramenopiles/growth & developmentABSTRACT
Anaerobic digestion treatment of brewer's spent yeast (SY) is a viable option for bioenergy capture. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay was performed with three different samples (SY1, SY2, and SY3) and SY1 dilutions (75, 50, and 25 % on a v/v basis). Gompertz-equation parameters denoted slow degradability of SY1 with methane production rates of 14.59-4.63 mL/day and lag phases of 10.72-19.7 days. Performance and kinetic parameters were obtained with the Gompertz equation and the first-order hydrolysis model with SY2 and SY3 diluted 25 % and SY1 50 %. A SY2 25 % gave a 17 % of TCOD conversion to methane as well as shorter lag phase (<1 day). Average estimated hydrolysis constant for SY was 0.0141 (±0.003) day(-1), and SY2 25 % was more appropriate for faster methane production. Methane capture and biogas composition were dependent upon the SY source, and co-digestion (or dilution) can be advantageous.
Subject(s)
Biofuels , Methane/metabolism , Yeasts/metabolism , Anaerobiosis , Hydrolysis , KineticsABSTRACT
Spent yeast (SY), a major challenge for the brewing industry, was treated using a microbial electrolysis cell to recover energy. Concentrations of SY from bench alcoholic fermentation and ethanol were tested, ranging from 750 to 1500mgCOD/L and 0 to 2400mgCOD/L respectively. COD removal efficiency (RE), coulombic efficiency (CE), coulombic recovery (CR), hydrogen production and current density were evaluated. The best treatment condition was 750mgCOD/LSY+1200mgCOD/L ethanol giving higher COD RE, CE, CR (90±1%, 90±2% and 81±1% respectively), as compared with 1500mgCOD/LSY (76±2%, 63±7% and 48±4% respectively); ethanol addition was significantly favorable (p value=0.011), possibly due to electron availability and SY autolysis. 1500mgCOD/LSY+1200mgCOD/L ethanol achieved higher current density (222.0±31.3A/m(3)) and hydrogen production (2.18±0.66 [Formula: see text] ) but with lower efficiencies (87±2% COD RE, 71.0±.4% CE). Future work should focus on electron sinks, acclimation and optimizing SY breakdown.
