Dual role of microalgae: Phycoremediation of domestic wastewater and biomass production for sustainable biofuels production

Global threats of fuel shortages in the near future and climate change due to green-house gas emissions are posing serious challenges and hence and it is imperative to explore means for sustainable ways of averting the consequences. The dual application of microalgae for phycoremediation and biomass production for sustainable biofuels production is a feasible option. The use of high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) for nutrient removal has been in existence for some decades though the technology has not been fully harnessed for wastewater treatment. Therefore this paper discusses current knowledge regarding wastewater treatment using HRAPs and microalgal biomass production techniques using wastewater streams. The biomass harvesting methods and lipid extraction protocols are discussed in detail. Finally the paper discusses biodiesel production via transesterification of the lipids and other biofuels such as biomethane and bioethanol which are described using the biorefinery approach.     

Economic feasibility of algal biodiesel under alternative public policies

The motivation for this research was to determine the influence of public policies on economic feasibility of producing algal biodiesel in a system that produced all its energy needs internally. To achieve this, a steady-state mass balance/unit operation system was modeled first. Open raceway technology was assumed for the production of algal feedstock, and the residual biomass after oil extraction was assumed fermented to produce ethanol for the transesterification process. The project assumed the production of 50 million gallons of biodiesel per year and using about 14% of the diesel output to supplement internal energy requirements. It sold the remainder biodiesel and ethanol as pure biofuels to maximize the rents from the renewable fuel standards quota system. Assuming a peak daily yield of 500 kg algal biomass (dry basis)/ha, the results show that production of algal biodiesel under the foregoing constraints is only economically feasible with direct and indirect public policy intervention. For example, the renewable fuel standards' tracking RIN (Renewable fuel Identification Number) system provides a treasury-neutral value for biofuel producers as does the reinstatement of the renewable fuel tax credit. Additionally, the capital costs of an integrated system are such that some form of capital cost grant from the government would support the economic feasibility of the algal biodiesel production.     

Competitiveness,role, and impact of microalgal biodiesel in the global energy future

This paper examines the competitiveness, role, and impact of microalgal biodiesel in the 21st century using a global energy system model with a detailed technological representation. The major conclusions are the following. First, the competitiveness of microalgal biodiesel decreases as CO₂ stabilization constraints become more stringent. The share of microalgal biodiesel and renewable jet fuel produced from it in total global final energy consumption over the time horizon 2010–2100 is 5.1% in the case without CO₂ constraints compared with 3.9% and 0.7% in the case of CO₂ stabilization at 550 ppmv and 400 ppmv, respectively. This is because production and combustion of microalgal biodiesel release as much CO₂ as is captured from anthropogenic sources and assimilated by microalgae and because CO₂ prices raised by stringent CO₂ stabilization constraints make the economics of microalgal biodiesel unattractive. Second, the competitiveness of microalgal biodiesel is also greatly affected by microalgal production cost and microalgal lipid yield. Under a 400 ppmv CO₂ stabilization constraint, a 50% microalgal production cost decrease leads to increase in total global microalgal biodiesel production over the time horizon by a factor of 6.5, while a 50% microalgal lipid yield increase leads to increase in it by a factor of 4.5. Third, microalgal biodiesel plays an important role in satisfying the energy demand in the transport sector, thereby replacing petroleum products and Fischer–Tropsch synfuels. An increasing proportion of microalgal biodiesel is converted into renewable jet fuel over time to be used as a fuel for aircraft. Fourth, either without CO₂ constraints or under the 550 ppmv CO₂ stabilization constraint, the participation of microalgal biodiesel in the global energy market would have a large impact on the global energy supply and consumption structure. This is not only because of its substitution for other forms of final energy, but also because of the need to satisfy the demand for CO₂ for microalgal production.     

Coproduct market analysis and water footprint of simulated commercial algal biorefineries

Algal biorefinery-based integrated industrial sector is getting increased attention in United States as a sustainable way of producing biofuel, high value products and feed ingredients. However, coproduct market analysis and water footprint (WFP) of algal biorefineries need to be studied before large scale deployment and adoption of this strategy. This article highlights the coproduct market and WFP analysis of two simulated algal biorefineries. The market analysis of primary product (biodiesel) and coproducts (algal meal (AM), omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA), glycerin) from these biorefineries showed that there is clear market for AM and O3FA up to certain level, there after diversification for other coproducts is desirable. Challenges include, vigorously finding new market and sectors to integrate the products and coproducts. Hence, comprehensive assessment of coproduct market and coproduct diversification among the biorefinery to meet the local needs and to avoid market glut by excessive production of single coproduct is needed. Our analysis also showed the clear advantages for multiproduct paradigm to attain high operational profit and to sustain initial industry developmental phase with clear return on investment. Our WFP analysis showed that algal biodiesel production requires 23–62 L MJ⁻¹ of energy produced and our calculations showed that the energy return on water invested (EROWI) for algal biodiesel at different scenarios ranged between 0.042 and 0.016 MJ. Coproducts market analysis and WFP of algal biorefineries with different production scenarios illustrated the new policy and regulatory needs for the sustainable development of an algal biofuel sector to meet liquid fuel needs.     

Net energy analysis of the production of biodiesel and biogas from the microalgae: Haematococcus pluvialis and Nannochloropsis

Microalgae have been proposed as possible alternative feedstocks for the production of biodiesel because of their high photosynthetic efficiency. The high energy input required for microalgal culture and oil extraction may negate this advantage, however. There is a need to determine whether microalgal biodiesel can deliver more energy than is required to produce it. In this work, net energy analysis was done on systems to produce biodiesel and biogas from two microalgae: Haematococcus pluvialis and Nannochloropsis. Even with very optimistic assumptions regarding the performance of processing units, the results show a large energy deficit for both systems, due mainly to the energy required to culture and dry the microalgae or to disrupt the cell. Some energy savings may be realized from eliminating the fertilizer by the use of wastewater or, in the case of H. pluvialis, recycling some of the algal biomass to eliminate the need for a photobioreactor, but these are insufficient to completely eliminate the deficit. Recommendations are made to develop wet extraction and transesterification technology to make microalgal biodiesel systems viable from an energy standpoint.     

Oxidative stress-tolerant microalgae strains are highly efficient for biofuel feedstock production on wastewater

Nutrient-rich wastewater may provide a sustainable means to cultivate microalgal biomass for biofuel use, yet many microalgal strains are very sensitive to wastewater due to toxicity caused by abiotic and biotic stresses. Naturally adapted strains that can efficiently grow in wastewater effluent are therefore of interest, however, the mechanisms by which such strains tolerate wastewater conditions are unknown. This study isolated indigenous chlorophyte microalgae strains from a municipal secondary wastewater effluent tank. The strains were identified by molecular phylogenetics and characterised by their ability to utilise exogenous organic carbon sources for mixotrophic growth and on the basis of oxidative stress tolerance, in order to elucidate the mechanisms of wastewater adaptation. Two of the strains, identified as Chlorella luteoviridis and Parachlorella hussii, could grow very well in raw wastewater due to their substantial tolerance to oxidative stress, which is highly induced by the wastewater environment. These strains exhibited high ascorbate peroxidase activity allowing increased scavenging of reactive oxygen species compared to strains that are not well adapted to the wastewater conditions. Both strains displayed high biomass and lipid productivity values in wastewater effluent. The accumulated lipids were suitable for biodiesel usage with characteristics equivalent to palm oil- and sunflower oil-derived biodiesel. The strains were also efficient in nutrient remediation from the wastewater. These results demonstrate the potential of these two strains for future biofuel applications coupled to wastewater remediation and highlight the importance of oxidative stress tolerance as a key indicator of efficient wastewater growth.     

Fermentative hydrogen production from lipid-extracted microalgal biomass residues

The conversion of lipid-extracted microalgal biomass residues (LMBRs) into hydrogen plays the dual role in renewable energy production and sustainable development of microalgal biodiesel industry. An anaerobic fermentation process to covert LMBRs into hydrogen was investigated in this work. Using batch experiments, the effects of pretreatment of inoculum (by acid, base, heat, and chloroform, respectively), initial pH (5.0–7.0), inoculum concentrations at 0.59–2.94 g VSS/l (volatile suspended solids, VSS) and substrate concentrations at 4.5–45 g VS/l (volatile solids, VS) were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the most effective hydrogen production was obtained from fermentation of LMBRs with a concentration of 36 g VS/l at the initial pH 6.0–6.5 using the heat-treated anaerobic digested sludge as inoculum. Acetate, propionate and butyrate were the main fermentation byproducts in the conversion of LMBRs into hydrogen.     

Feasibility of microalgal and macroalgal biomass co-digestion on biomethane production

Algal biomass is a promising candidate for biofuels/chemicals production in recent decades due to their huge availability and ease of cultivation methods when compared to terrestrial crops. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of algal biomass is viable option for green and sustainable biorefinery to produce energy and waste minimization. In this study, the feasibility of microalgal and macroalgal biomass on biomethane production and evaluated for mono-digestion and co-digestion process. The experiments resulted showed that mono-digestion gave relatively lower methane yield (MY) of 102–180 mL/g VS than co-digestion experiments. Co-digestion of microalgae and macroalgae biomass in the ratio of 2:8 provided the peak MY of 256 mL/g VS with an increment in MY over 40–70% than the individual algal biomass. The kinetic analysis showed that synergic effect of co-digestion with proper nutrient balance promoted the methane conversion yield from algal biomass with reduction in lag-phase time and overall improved process performances. Co-digestion of mixed algal strain is a feasible strategy to boost-up the performance of AD with relative easiness in real-field applications.     

Growth and lipid accumulation properties of a freshwater microalga, Chlorella ellipsoidea YJ1, in domestic secondary effluents

The combination of microalga-based biodiesel production and wastewater treatment is a promising approach to solve problems related to the energy crisis as well as eutrophication in bodies of water. A freshwater microalga, Chlorella ellipsoidea YJ1, with a high capacity for biomass production and lipid accumulation in secondary effluent was isolated. C. ellipsoidea YJ1 could achieve a biomass of 425 mg L⁻¹ (dry weight) in domestic secondary effluent treated with activated sludge technology; and the lipid content per unit of algal biomass was as high as 43% (w/w) in this condition. The lipid growth rate of C. ellipsoidea YJ1 in domestic secondary effluents could attain 11.4 mg/L. Furthermore, after the cultivation of C. ellipsoidea YJ1, the removal efficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus from the secondary effluent studied in this paper were more than 99% and 90%, respectively. Logistic and Monod models were used successfully to simulate the growth of C. ellipsoidea YJ1, and its maximum biomass and maximum population growth rate under different initial concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus could be simulated and predicted using the models. .     

Energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions of biodiesel production from oil derived from wastewater and wastewater sludge

It has been recognized that oils derived from microorganism and wastewater sludge are comparable replacements of traditional biodiesel production feedstock, which is energy intensive and costly. Energy balance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are essential factors to assess the feasibility of the production. This study evaluated the energy balance and GHG emissions of biodiesel production from microbial and wastewater sludge oil. The results show that energy balance and GHG emissions of biodiesel produced from microbial oil are significantly impacted by the cultivation methods and carbon source. For phototrophic microorganism (microalgae), open pond system gives 3.6 GJ higher energy gain than photo bioreactor system in per tonne biodiesel produced. For heterotrophic microorganisms, the energy balance depends on the type of carbon source. Three carbon sources including starch, cellulose, and starch industry wastewater (SIW) used in this study showed that utilization of SIW as carbon source provided the most favorable energy balance. When oil extracted from municipal sludge is used for biodiesel production, the energy gain is up to 29.7 GJ per tonne biodiesel produced, which is higher than the energy gain per tonne of biodiesel produced from SIW cultivated microbes. GHG emissions study shows that biodiesel production from microbes or sludge oil is a net carbon dioxide capture process except when starch is used as raw material for microbial oil production, and the highest capture is around 40 tonnes carbon dioxide per tonne of biodiesel produced.     

Comparison of dairy wastewater and synthetic medium for biofuels production by microalgae cultivation

This study is concerned with comparing raw dairy wastewater (DWW) with blue-green medium (BG11 medium) for biofuel production. Three microalgae strains (Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., and Chlorella zofingiensis) were cultured in tubular bubble column photobioreactors with two media separately. After 8 days of cultivation, DWW was demonstrated to be more suitable medium for microalgae biomass and lipid production than BG11 medium. The biomass and lipid produced within wastewater provided suitable feedstocks for anaerobic digestion and biodiesel conversion. Nutrients in wastewater were efficiently removed (>90% total nitrogen removal, approximately 100% ammonia removal, and >85% total phosphorus removal) during this process.     

Development of a new airlift-driven raceway reactor for algal cultivation

This paper presents the development and analysis of a new airlift-driven raceway reactor configuration for energy-efficient algal cultivation. A theoretical analysis of the energy requirements for traditional paddlewheel-driven raceway reactors and the proposed airlift-driven raceway reactors is presented. A hydrodynamic model was developed to predict the liquid circulation velocity in the reactor system based on theoretical energy balance. The predicted liquid velocity agreed well with experimentally measured liquid velocity with r² = 0.89. Based on the results of this analysis, the energy required for maintaining typical raceway velocity of 14 cm/s for mixing and keeping the cultures in suspension in a paddlewheel-driven raceway could be reduced by as much as 80% with the proposed configuration. Growth of Scenedesmus sp. was evaluated in a laboratory scale, 20 L version of the proposed reactor configuration using artificial lighting under ambient temperatures without any supplementary carbon dioxide sparging. The volumetric algal biomass productivity achieved in the proposed configuration (0.16 ± 0.03 dry g/L day) is comparable or better than that reported in the literature for paddlewheel-driven raceways.     

Technoeconomic analysis of an integrated microalgae photobioreactor, biodiesel and biogas production facility

As fossil fuel prices increase and environmental concerns gain prominence, the development of alternative fuels from biomass has become more important. Biodiesel produced from microalgae is becoming an attractive alternative to share the role of petroleum. Currently it appears that the production of microalgal biodiesel is not economically viable in current environment because it costs more than conventional fuels. Therefore, a new concept is introduced in this article as an option to reduce the total production cost of microalgal biodiesel. The integration of biodiesel production system with methane production via anaerobic digestion is proved in improving the economics and sustainability of overall biodiesel stages. Anaerobic digestion of microalgae produces methane and further be converted to generate electricity. The generated electricity can surrogate the consumption of energy that require in microalgal cultivation, dewatering, extraction and transesterification process. From theoretical calculations, the electricity generated from methane is able to power all of the biodiesel production stages and will substantially reduce the cost of biodiesel production (33% reduction). The carbon emissions of biodiesel production systems are also reduced by approximately 75% when utilizing biogas electricity compared to when the electricity is otherwise purchased from the Victorian grid. The overall findings from this study indicate that the approach of digesting microalgal waste to produce biogas will make the production of biodiesel from algae more viable by reducing the overall cost of production per unit of biodiesel and hence enable biodiesel to be more competitive with existing fuels.     

Microalgae Chlorella as a potential bio-energy feedstock

Microalgae are promising biomass species owing to their fast growth rate and high CO₂ fixation ability as compared to terrestrial plants. Microalgae have long been recognized as potentially good source for biofuel production because of their high oil content and rapid biomass production. In this study Chlorella sp. MP-1 biomass was examined for its physical and chemical characteristics using Bomb calorimeter, TGDTA, CHN and FTIR. The proximate composition was calculated using standard ASTM methodology. Chlorella sp. MP-1 biomass shows low ash (5.93%), whereas high energy (18.59 MJ/kg), carbohydrate (19.46%), and lipid (28.82%) content. The algal de-oiled cake was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric study at 10 °C/min and 30 °C/min to investigate its feasibility for thermo-chemical conversion. The present investigation suggests that within the realm of biomass energy technologies the algal biomass can be used as feedstock for bio and thermo-chemical whereas the de-oiled cake for thermo-chemical conversion thereby serving the demand of second generation biofuels.     

Microalgae for biodiesel production and other applications: A review

Sustainable production of renewable energy is being hotly debated globally since it is increasingly understood that first generation biofuels, primarily produced from food crops and mostly oil seeds are limited in their ability to achieve targets for biofuel production, climate change mitigation and economic growth. These concerns have increased the interest in developing second generation biofuels produced from non-food feedstocks such as microalgae, which potentially offer greatest opportunities in the longer term. This paper reviews the current status of microalgae use for biodiesel production, including their cultivation, harvesting, and processing. The microalgae species most used for biodiesel production are presented and their main advantages described in comparison with other available biodiesel feedstocks. The various aspects associated with the design of microalgae production units are described, giving an overview of the current state of development of algae cultivation systems (photo-bioreactors and open ponds). Other potential applications and products from microalgae are also presented such as for biological sequestration of CO₂, wastewater treatment, in human health, as food additive, and for aquaculture.     

Cost-effectiveness analysis of algae energy production in the EU

Today’s society relies heavily on fossil fuels as a main energy source. Global energy demand increase, energy security and climate change are the main drivers of the transition towards alternative energy sources. This paper analyses algal biodiesel production for the EU road transportation and compares it to the fossil fuels and 1st generation biofuels. A cost-effectiveness analysis was used to aggregate private and external costs and derive the social cost of each fuel. The following externalities were internalized: emissions (GHG and non-GHG), food prices impact, pesticides/fertilizers use and security of supply. Currently the social cost of producing algal biodiesel at 52.3 € GJ⁻¹ is higher than rapeseed biodiesel (36.0 € GJ⁻¹) and fossil fuels (15.8 € GJ⁻¹). Biotechnology development, high crude oil prices and high carbon value are the key features of the scenario where algal biodiesel outcompetes all other fuels. A substantial investment into the biotechnology sector and comprehensive environmental research and policy are required to make that scenario a reality.     

Biodiesel from microalgae – Life cycle assessment and recommendations for potential improvements

Microalgae are considered as one of the potential major source of biofuel for the future. However, their environmental benefit is still unclear and many scientific publications provide contradictory results. Here we perform the Life Cycle Assessment of the production and combustion of 1 MJ of algal methylester. The system under consideration uses standard open raceways under greenhouses. Lipid extraction and transesterification are carried out on a humid paste produced by centrifugation. Our environmental and energetic analysis shows that improving the energy balance is clearly the key priority to make microalgal cultivation sustainable and to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To achieve significant reduction of the GHG emissions, most of the studies of the literature focus on technological breakthroughs, especially at the production step. However, since a large fraction of environmental impacts and especially GHG emissions do not occur directly at the production facility but stem from the production of the electricity required for producing, harvesting and transforming algae, it seems relevant to question the source of electricity as well as algae production technology. We consider a scenario where up to 45% of electricity was produced by a local renewable source and then we compare it to the improvements resulting from technological breakthroughs resulting in higher microalgal productivity or biomass concentration. It turns out that increasing the yield only drastically reduces the climate change for low starting productivity. The climate change is always significantly reduced by the use of local renewable electricity. It is therefore wiser to increase biomass productivity to easily achievable values (10–15 gm⁻² d⁻¹), and then radically change improvements pathways by considering the composition of the electricity mix used for example. At least, it must be underlined that the introduction of renewable electricity also affect energetic efficiency, leading to a positive cumulative energy balance due to better energetic ratios.     

Biofuels from algae for sustainable development

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can produce lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in large amounts over short periods of time. These products can be processed into both biofuels and useful chemicals. Two algae samples (Cladophora fracta and Chlorella protothecoid) were studied for biofuel production. Microalgae appear to be the only source of renewable biodiesel that is capable of meeting the global demand for transport fuels. Microalgae can be converted to biodiesel, bioethanol, bio-oil, biohydrogen and biomethane via thermochemical and biochemical methods. Industrial reactors for algal culture are open ponds, photobioreactors and closed systems. Algae can be grown almost anywhere, even on sewage or salt water, and does not require fertile land or food crops, and processing requires less energy than the algae provides. Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops. the per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from 20,000 to 80,000 liters per acre, per year; this is 7–31 times greater than the next best crop, palm oil. Algal oil can be used to make biodiesel for cars, trucks, and airplanes. The lipid and fatty acid contents of microalgae vary in accordance with culture conditions. The effect of temperature on the yield of hydrogen from two algae (C. fracta and C. protothecoid) by pyrolysis and steam gasification were investigated in this study. In each run, the main components of the gas phase were CO₂, CO, H₂, and CH₄.The yields of hydrogen by pyrolysis and steam gasification processes of the samples increased with temperature. The yields of gaseous products from the samples of C. fracta and C. protothecoides increased from 8.2% to 39.2% and 9.5% to 40.6% by volume, respectively, while the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 575 to 925 K. The percent of hydrogen in gaseous products from the samples of C. fracta and C. protothecoides increased from 25.8% to 44.4% and 27.6% to 48.7% by volume, respectively, while the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 650 to 925 K. The percent of hydrogen in gaseous products from the samples of C. fracta and C. protothecoides increased from 26.3% to 54.7% and 28.1% to 57.6% by volume, respectively, while the final gasification temperature was increased from 825 to 1225 K. In general, algae gaseous products are higher quality than gaseous products from mosses.     

Lifecycle assessment of the economic, environmental and energy performance of Jatropha curcas L. biodiesel in China

Due to issues relating to the sustainability of biofuel production, second generation biofuel has attracted much attention. As a promising feedstock of second generation biodiesel, Jatropha curcas L. (JCL) is being massively planted on marginal land in China, but its viability as a biofuel source has not been systematically assessed. This paper performed a lifecycle assessment of the economic, environmental and energy (3E) performance of the JCL biodiesel, assuming JCL oil is either used for direct blending with diesel or further processed into JCL methyl ester (JME). The results show that, at the current technical levels, the production of JCL biodiesel is financially infeasible, but has positive environmental and energy performance. Despite the additional cost incurred in the transesterification process, the net present value of JME is slightly higher than that of JCL oil when a part of the cost is allocated to the co-product, i.e., glycerin. As compared with that of diesel, the production and consumption of per liter JCL oil and JME can reduce 7.34 kg and 8.04 kg CO₂ equivalent, respectively. The energy balances of both JCL oil and JME are 1.57 and 1.47, respectively, in terms of the ratio of the heat value of biodiesel and that of energy input. The main factors affecting the 3E performance of JCL biodiesel are seed yield, co-product output, and farm energy input.     

Extractable liquid,its energy and hydrocarbon content in the green alga Botryococcus braunii

Due to sparse sampling across races, studies on various strains of Botryococcus braunii have effectively been indiscriminate, and so the target strains for energy production have not come clearly into focus. This study compares extractable liquid biofuel content, bioenergy content and hydrocarbon content across 16 strains B. braunii (A, B and L races) by direct combustion of algal biomass using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). All B. braunii strains were cultured in the same environmental conditions in 250 ml flasks, and were harvested for analysis when algae reached the exponential growth phase. Significant differences were detected within and between races A, B and L. The ranges of variation in extractable liquid, biofuel energy and hydrocarbon contents in algal dry biomass were 10–40%, 10–60% and 4–25%, respectively. The race B strains (Ayame 1, Kossou 4, Overjuyo 3 and Paquemar) had more than 21% of dry weight comprising C₃₁-C₃₆ hydrocarbons, which are suitable for biofuel and bioenergy production. The Overjuyo 7 and CCAP 807/2 strains in race A and the Madras 3 and Yamoussoukro 4 strains in race L also showed high biofuel production with extractable liquid biofuel accounting for >30% of dry weight. This study identified particular B. braunii strains that are suitable for biofuel production. The application of TGA and PDSC provides a useful analytical approach for assessing the biodiesel production potential of microalgae.