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Mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorococcum sp. under non-controlled conditions using a digestate from pig manure within a biorefinery

  • 6th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology
  • Published:
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Abstract

A number of business opportunities may arise from microalgae and wastewater treatment becoming an integrated system, as biofuels and high-added value products could be obtained simultaneously. This study, performed under controlled and non-controlled conditions, aimed at cultivating Chlorococcum sp. using a digestate from pig manure as culture medium and assessing its growth and biochemical composition for further applications. Under controlled conditions, cultures of Chlorococcum sp. were established testing various digestate dilutions (v/v). It was found that all tested dilutions (up to 8% v/v) promoted a higher biomass density, compared to the control culture in modified Bold’s Basal Medium (modified BBM). Under non-controlled conditions, it was found that the biomass productivity using the digestate diluted 5.6% v/v (23.4 mg L−1 day−1) was statistically similar to the one obtained using modified BBM (26.4 mg L−1 day−1). The volatile fatty acids contained in the digestate might have allowed mixotrophic growth for Chlorococcum sp. The intracellular lipid content in Chlorococcum sp. remained constant throughout the experiments in both, treatment and control cultures, while carbohydrates increased from 20 to 45% of the cell dry weight in the treatment and from 20 to 42% in the control one. It was concluded that conditions of nitrogen starvation and fluctuating irradiance and temperature benefit carbohydrate accumulation in this strain, since intracellular carbohydrate content increased nearly two-fold during this period. Additionally, the obtained biomass has the potential to be used as feedstock for bioethanol production. This system can meet the concept of a microalgae-based biorefinery, in which biofuels and high-added value products are produced from microalgae and wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the 152931 grant financial support provided by the Ministry of Energy (SENER) and the National Council for Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT). Eloy Montero Hernández acknowledges CONACYT for the graduate scholarship granted during his studies to obtain the Master of Science degree. The authors also acknowledge the technical support of Anilú Mendoza, Karla Tapia, Erik González, and Javier Hernández. Finally, the authors acknowledge the taxonomic characterization of the strain of Chlorococcum sp. by Dr. Eberto Novelo at the Science Faculty of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Biotechnology Group, Institute of Ecology (INECOL), Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    Eloy Montero & Eugenia J. Olguín

  2. Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Via Maragliano 77, I-50144, Florence, Italy

    Roberto De Philippis

  3. Advanced Molecular Studies Network, Institute of Ecology (INECOL), Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    Frédérique Reverchon

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  1. Eloy Montero
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  2. Eugenia J. Olguín
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  4. Frédérique Reverchon
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Correspondence to Eugenia J. Olguín.

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Montero, E., Olguín, E.J., De Philippis, R. et al. Mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorococcum sp. under non-controlled conditions using a digestate from pig manure within a biorefinery. J Appl Phycol 30, 2847–2857 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1467-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1467-5

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