Cultivation of Spirulina platensis using pig wastewater in a semi-continuous process.
The effluent from anaerobic digestion contains organic nitrogen and phosphorus, which are both required for growth of Spirulina platensis. Effluent (20%) from the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) from a pig farm, supplemented with 4.5 g/l sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) and 0.2 g/l urea fertilizer (46:0:0, N:P:K), was found to be not only a suitable medium for the growth of Spirulina platensis but also a low-cost alternative. Cost calculation showed that this medium is 4.4 times cheaper than modifized Zarrouk's medium. The average productivities of a semi-continuous culture grown under outdoor conditions in a 6-l scale and a 100-l pilot scale were 19.9 g/m2/d and 12 g/m(2)/d, respectively. In addition, the biomass of organisms grown in UASB effluent contained approximately 57.9% protein, 1.12% gamma-linolenic acid, and 19.5% phycocyanin. The average rates of bicarbonate, total nitrogen, and phosphorus removal were 380 mg/l/d, 34 mg/l/d, and 4 mg/l/d, respectively.
Chaiklahan
Ratana
R
Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, KMUTT, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok 10150, Thailand. ratana.cha@kmutt.ac.th
Chirasuwan
Nattayaporn
N
Siangdung
Wipawan
W
Paithoonrangsarid
Kalyanee
K
Bunnag
Boosya
B
D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D053545:Spirulina / Q000254:growth & development*; D013552:Swine; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
D001639:Bicarbonates; D012722:Sewage; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen