title: Cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris on wastewater containing high levels of ammonia for biodiesel production.
abstract: The feasibility of cultivating Chlorella vulgaris with wastewater containing high ammonia nitrogen concentrations was examined. The average specific growth rate of C. vulgaris was 0.92 d(-1) at 17 mg L(-1) NH4+-N, but declined to 0.33 d(-1) at NH4+-N concentrations of 39-143 mg L(-1). At 39 mg L(-1) NH4+-N, lipid productivity reached a maximum value (23.3 mg L(-1)d(-1)) and dropped sharply at higher NH4+-N levels, which demonstrated NH4+-N should be controlled for biodiesel production. C16 and C18 fatty acids accounted for 80% of total fatty acids. Increasing NH4+-N from 17 to 207 mg L(-1) yielded additional short-chain and saturated fatty acids. Protein content was in positive correlation with NH4+-N content from 17 mg L(-1) (12%) to 207 mg L(-1) (42%). Carbohydrate in the dried algae cell was in the range of 14-45%, with a peak value occurring at 143 mg L(-1) NH4+-N. The results demonstrate that product quality can be manipulated by NH4+-N concentrations of the initial feeds.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. solidwaste@tongji.edu.cn
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000378:metabolism*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008697:Methane / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia; D056804:Biofuels; D008697:Methane; D009584:Nitrogen; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical