title: Screening microalgae native to Quebec for wastewater treatment and biodiesel production.
abstract: Biodiesel production from microalgae lipids is being considered as a potential source of renewable energy. However, practical production processes will probably require the use of local strains adapted to prevailing climatic conditions. This report describes the isolation of 100 microalgal strains from freshwater lakes and rivers located in the vicinity of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Strains were identified and surveyed for their growth on secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (La Prairie, QC, Canada) using a simple and high throughput microalgal screening method employing 12 well plates. The biomass and lipid productivity of these strains on wastewater were compared to a synthetic medium under different temperatures (10±2°C and 22±2°C) and a number identified that showed good growth at 10°C, gave a high lipid content (ranging from 20% to 45% of dry weight) or a high capacity for nutrient removal.
authors.affiliation: Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Centre-ville, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Ahmed E M
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz
authors.affiliation: Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Centre-ville, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Gustavo B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Centre-ville, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Belhaj
authors.affiliation: Département de microbiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Centre-ville, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7, Canada. Electronic address: Patrick.hallenbeck@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hallenbeck
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology*; D018533:Biomass; D005453:Fluorescence; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D058086:Microalgae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D011792:Quebec; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D008055:Lipids; D009566:Nitrates; D010710:Phosphates; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Algae; Biodiesel; Biofuels; Indigenous species; Wastewater treatment