Full Length Research Paper
Abstract
The use of microalgae in wastewater treatment and its biotechnological exploitation for the production of biofuels is a potential environmental application. Some species of microalgae are notable due to their lipid composition and fatty acid profile suitable for biofuel production. During the present study, a factorial 23 experimental design was conducted, which assessed three factors: i) two species of microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris and Nannochloris oculata), ii) two types of culture media [wastewater of tilapia farming (WTF) and bold’s basal medium (BB)], and iii) two types of lighting (multi-LED lamps and white light). Microalgae were inoculated in photobioreactors in 6 L of medium (WTF or BBM) at an initial concentration of 1.0 × 106 cells ml-1 at 20 ± 2°C. The highest average cell density as well as the highest productivity of biomass observed in the treatments was C. vulgaris treatment in BBM and multi-LED lighting (8.83 × 107 cells ml-1 and 0.0854 g l-1 d-1, respectively). Although the majority of lipid productivity was obtained in the exponential phase of N. oculata cultivated in multi-LEDs in both treatments (BBM with 58% and WTF with 52%), cultivation of both species was generally maintained in WTF and were those that presented the major lipid productivity (2-18 mg l-1 d-1) in comparison with those cultivated in BBM. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and eicosanoic (C16–C20) fatty acids were present in both species of microalgae in concentrations between 26 and 74%. Based on the results of the present study, we conclude that cultivation of N. oculata and/or C. vulgaris in WTF illuminated with multi-LEDs is an economic and sustainable alternative for biodiesel production because it can represent up to 58% of lipids with a fatty acid profile optimal up to 74% of the total fatty acids.
Key words: Chlorella vulgaris, Nannochloris oculata, production of fatty acids, wastewater of tilapia farming, production of biofuels.
Abbreviation
BBM, Bold’s basal medium; WTF, wastewater tilapia farming; Nn, Nannochloris oculata; Ch, Chlorella vulgaris; LED, multi-LED lighting; WL, white lights.
Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0