Organic carbon, influent microbial diversity and temperature strongly influence algal diversity and biomass in raceway ponds treating raw municipal wastewater.
Algae based wastewater treatment coupled to biofuel production has financial benefits and practical difficulties. This study evaluated the factors influencing diversity and growth of indigenous algal consortium cultivated on untreated municipal wastewater in a high rate algal pond (HRAP) for a period of 1 year using multivariate statistics. Diversity analyses revealed the presence of Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta. Dominant microalgal genera by biovolume in various seasons were Scenedesmus sp., Microcystis sp., and Chlorella sp. Scenedesmus sp., persisted throughout the year but none of three strains co-dominated with the other. The most significant factors affecting genus dominance were temperature, inflow cyanophyta and organic carbon concentration. Cyanophyta concentration affected microalgal biomass and diversity, whereas temperature impacted biomass. Preferred diversity of microalgae is not sustained in wastewater systems but is obligatory for biofuel production. This study serves as a guideline to sustain desired microalgal consortium in wastewater treatment plants for biofuel production.
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
Dae-Hyun
DH
Cho
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
Rishiram
R
Ramanan
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea; Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Jina
J
Heo
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Zion
Z
Kang
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
Byung-Hyuk
BH
Kim
Bioenergy and Biochemical Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea; Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Chi-Yong
CY
Ahn
Bioenergy and Biochemical Research Center, KRIBB, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea; Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Hee-Mock
HM
Oh
Sustainable Bioresource Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea; Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hkim@kribb.re.kr.
Hee-Sik
HS
Kim
D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D061005:Ponds; D013696:Temperature; D062065:Wastewater
D002244:Carbon; D062065:Wastewater
Algae; Biofuel; Biovolume; Cyanobacteria; Multivariate statistics