abstract: Over the past decade, there has been a revival in applied algal research and attempts at commercialization. However, the main limitation in algal commercialization is the process of cultivation, which is one of the main cost and energy burdens in producing biomass that is economically feasible for different products. There are several parameters that must be considered when growing algae, including the type of growth system and operating mode, preferred organism(s), and many other criteria that affect the process of algal cultivation. The purpose of this dissertation was to assess key variables that affect algal productivity and to improve outdoor algal cultivation procedures. The effect of reducing or eliminating aeration of algal cultures at night, in flat panel photobioreactors (panels), was investigated to assess the reduction of energy consumption at night. The lack of aeration at night resulted in anoxic conditions, which significantly reduced lipid accumulation and productivity, but did not affect log phase biomass productivity. In addition, the reduction in aeration resulted in lower pH values, which prevented ammonia volatility and toxicity. Raceways are operated at deeper cultivation depths, which limit culture density and light exposure. Experimentation was accomplished to determine the effects of decreasing cultivation depth, which resulted in increased lipid accumulation and lipid productivity, but did not significantly affect biomass productivity. A comparison of semi-continuous cultivation of algae in raceways and panels in side-by-side experiments showed that panels provided better temperature control and higher levels of mixing, which resulted in higher biomass productivity. In addition, sub-optimal morning temperatures in raceways compared to panels were a significant factor in reducing algae biomass productivity. The results from this research indicate that increasing lipid productivity and biomass productivity cannot be completed simultaneously. Therefore, the desired product will determine if lipid or biomass productivity is more crucial, which also dictates whether the system should be operated in batch mode to either allow lipid accumulation or in semi-continuous mode to allow high biomass productivity. This work is a critical step in improving algal cultivation by understanding key variables that limit biomass and lipid productivity. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil and Environmental Engineering 2015

No description available.

O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi a avaliação do potencial da utilização do dióxido de carbono proveniente da fermentação alcoólica no cultivo Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis, visando demonstrar a possibilidade do uso de um gás efluente na produção de biomassa microbiana de alto valor comercial. Para tanto, tal cianobactéria foi cultivada em tanques abertos, em escala laboratorial, em temperatura de 30 ± 1 °C e intensidade luminosa de 156 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1. O estudo de diversas variáveis de cultivo levou à fixação das seguintes condições: concentração do inóculo de 400 ± 20 mg L-1; pH de 9,0 ± 0,3, controlado por meio da adição de dióxido de carbono proveniente de cilindros; meio de cultura Schlösser, modificado de maneira a conter 0,497 e 16,4 g L-1 de carbonato e bicarbonato de sódio, respectivamente, e apenas 5,9 mM de nitrato de sódio; adição de 7,5 mM de sulfato de amônio no decorrer de 13 dias, em quantidades diárias exponencialmente crescentes, através do processo descontínuo alimentado de cultivo. Sob tais condições foram obtidos os seguintes resultados: concentração celular máxima (Xm) de 2990 mg L-1, produtividade celular (PX) de 185 mg L-1 d-1, velocidade específica máxima de crescimento (µm) de 0,42 d-1, fator de conversão de nitrogênio em células (YX/N) de 8,85 mg mg-1, teor final de clorofila (CLf) de 4,3 mg g-1, e teores de proteínas (PTN) e lipídeos (LIP) de 35 e 21 %, respectivamente. Com a finalidade de estimular o crescimento celular de A. platensis, optou-se por aumentar o valor da intensidade luminosa de 156 para 192 ou 252 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1 no 5º, 8º ou 11º dia de cultivo. Os melhores resultados cinéticos (Xm = 3954 mg L-1, PX = 253 mg L-1 d-1) e de conteúdo da biomassa (CLf = 4,2 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 19 %) foram obtidos com aumento da intensidade luminosa para 192 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1 no 8º dia de cultivo. Os ensaios realizados sob tais condições otimizadas, porém com dióxido de carbono proveniente da fermentação alcoólica, levaram à obtenção dos seguintes resultados: Xm = 3298 mg L-1, PX = 206 mg L-1 d-1, CLf = 4,0 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 17 %. Por fim, conclui-se viável a utilização do gás carbônico resultante da fermentação alcoólica no cultivo de A. platensis. Sugere-se um estudo mais aprofundado da influência desse gás efluente industrial no metabolismo e crescimento de tal microrganismo fotossintetizante, a fim de possibilitar a obtenção de resultados de concentração e produtividade celulares tão altos quanto aqueles obtidos quando do uso de gás carbônico puro. / The main objective of this work was the evaluation of the potential of using carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation on Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis cultivation, aiming to prove the feasibility of applying an effluent gas in the production of high added-value microbial biomass. In order to do so, the cyanobacterium was cultivated in laboratorial-scale open raceway tanks at temperature 30 ± 1 °C and light intensity 156 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1. After the study of several cultivation variables, the following conditions were set: inoculum concentration 400 ± 20 mg L-1; pH 9,0 ± 0,3, controlled by the addition of carbon dioxide from cylinders; Schlösser medium, modified as to contain 0,497 and 16,4 g L-1 sodium carbonate and bicarbonate, respectively, and only 5,9 mM sodium nitrate; addition of 7,5 mM ammonium sulphate throughout 13 days, at exponentially increasing amounts, by the fed-batch cultivation process. Under such conditions, the following results were obtained: maximum cell concentration Xm = 2990 mg L-1, cell productivity PX = 185 mg L-1 d-1, maximum specific growth rate µm = 0,42 d-1, cell to nitrogen conversion factor YX/N = 8,85 mg mg-1, final chlorophyll content CLf = 4,3 mg g-1, and content of proteins (PTN) and lipids (LIP) of 35 and 21 %, respectively. Objectiving further optimized A. platensis growth, it was chosen to increase the light intensity from 156 to 192 or 252 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1 on the 5th, 8th or 11th day of cultivation. The best results in terms of growth (Xm = 3954 mg L-1, PX = 253 mg L-1 d-1) and biomass content (CLf = 4,2 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 19 %) were reached with increasing the light intensity to 192 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1 on the 8th day of cultivation. The runs carried out under such optimum conditions, but using carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation, led to the following results: Xm = 3298 mg L-1, PX = 206 mg L-1 d-1, CLf = 4,0 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 17 %. Conclusively, the use of carbonic acid gas from alcoholic fermentation on A. platensis cultivation was found viable. It would be valuable to further study the influence of this industrial effluent gas on the metabolism and growth of such photosynthetic microorganism, in order to make it possible reaching cell concentration and productivity results as high as those obtained using pure carbon dioxide.

O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi a avaliação do potencial da utilização do dióxido de carbono proveniente da fermentação alcoólica no cultivo Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis, visando demonstrar a possibilidade do uso de um gás efluente na produção de biomassa microbiana de alto valor comercial. Para tanto, tal cianobactéria foi cultivada em tanques abertos, em escala laboratorial, em temperatura de 30 ± 1 °C e intensidade luminosa de 156 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1. O estudo de diversas variáveis de cultivo levou à fixação das seguintes condições: concentração do inóculo de 400 ± 20 mg L-1; pH de 9,0 ± 0,3, controlado por meio da adição de dióxido de carbono proveniente de cilindros; meio de cultura Schlösser, modificado de maneira a conter 0,497 e 16,4 g L-1 de carbonato e bicarbonato de sódio, respectivamente, e apenas 5,9 mM de nitrato de sódio; adição de 7,5 mM de sulfato de amônio no decorrer de 13 dias, em quantidades diárias exponencialmente crescentes, através do processo descontínuo alimentado de cultivo. Sob tais condições foram obtidos os seguintes resultados: concentração celular máxima (Xm) de 2990 mg L-1, produtividade celular (PX) de 185 mg L-1 d-1, velocidade específica máxima de crescimento (µm) de 0,42 d-1, fator de conversão de nitrogênio em células (YX/N) de 8,85 mg mg-1, teor final de clorofila (CLf) de 4,3 mg g-1, e teores de proteínas (PTN) e lipídeos (LIP) de 35 e 21 %, respectivamente. Com a finalidade de estimular o crescimento celular de A. platensis, optou-se por aumentar o valor da intensidade luminosa de 156 para 192 ou 252 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1 no 5º, 8º ou 11º dia de cultivo. Os melhores resultados cinéticos (Xm = 3954 mg L-1, PX = 253 mg L-1 d-1) e de conteúdo da biomassa (CLf = 4,2 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 19 %) foram obtidos com aumento da intensidade luminosa para 192 ± 20 µmol fótons m-2 s-1 no 8º dia de cultivo. Os ensaios realizados sob tais condições otimizadas, porém com dióxido de carbono proveniente da fermentação alcoólica, levaram à obtenção dos seguintes resultados: Xm = 3298 mg L-1, PX = 206 mg L-1 d-1, CLf = 4,0 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 17 %. Por fim, conclui-se viável a utilização do gás carbônico resultante da fermentação alcoólica no cultivo de A. platensis. Sugere-se um estudo mais aprofundado da influência desse gás efluente industrial no metabolismo e crescimento de tal microrganismo fotossintetizante, a fim de possibilitar a obtenção de resultados de concentração e produtividade celulares tão altos quanto aqueles obtidos quando do uso de gás carbônico puro. / The main objective of this work was the evaluation of the potential of using carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation on Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis cultivation, aiming to prove the feasibility of applying an effluent gas in the production of high added-value microbial biomass. In order to do so, the cyanobacterium was cultivated in laboratorial-scale open raceway tanks at temperature 30 ± 1 °C and light intensity 156 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1. After the study of several cultivation variables, the following conditions were set: inoculum concentration 400 ± 20 mg L-1; pH 9,0 ± 0,3, controlled by the addition of carbon dioxide from cylinders; Schlösser medium, modified as to contain 0,497 and 16,4 g L-1 sodium carbonate and bicarbonate, respectively, and only 5,9 mM sodium nitrate; addition of 7,5 mM ammonium sulphate throughout 13 days, at exponentially increasing amounts, by the fed-batch cultivation process. Under such conditions, the following results were obtained: maximum cell concentration Xm = 2990 mg L-1, cell productivity PX = 185 mg L-1 d-1, maximum specific growth rate µm = 0,42 d-1, cell to nitrogen conversion factor YX/N = 8,85 mg mg-1, final chlorophyll content CLf = 4,3 mg g-1, and content of proteins (PTN) and lipids (LIP) of 35 and 21 %, respectively. Objectiving further optimized A. platensis growth, it was chosen to increase the light intensity from 156 to 192 or 252 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1 on the 5th, 8th or 11th day of cultivation. The best results in terms of growth (Xm = 3954 mg L-1, PX = 253 mg L-1 d-1) and biomass content (CLf = 4,2 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 19 %) were reached with increasing the light intensity to 192 ± 20 µmol photons m-2 s-1 on the 8th day of cultivation. The runs carried out under such optimum conditions, but using carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation, led to the following results: Xm = 3298 mg L-1, PX = 206 mg L-1 d-1, CLf = 4,0 mg g-1, PTN = 28 %, LIP = 17 %. Conclusively, the use of carbonic acid gas from alcoholic fermentation on A. platensis cultivation was found viable. It would be valuable to further study the influence of this industrial effluent gas on the metabolism and growth of such photosynthetic microorganism, in order to make it possible reaching cell concentration and productivity results as high as those obtained using pure carbon dioxide.

No description available.

Coal seams are commonly associated with poor quality water that requires treatment. Water treatment can be very expensive and can severely affect the profitability of mining projects. This study investigated the potential cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina) in coal seam water to beneficiate coal seam water in order to effectively offset the water treatment cost. The study was conducted in Northern South Africa and formed part of a larger Coal Seam Water Beneficiation Project (CSWBP). The study consisted of laboratory based Flask Studies and outdoor High Rate Algal Pond Studies. The Flask Studies that were carried out in the on-site field laboratory, found that the coal seam water could provide a suitable medium for Spirulina cultivation. In addition, it was found that the optimal pH for the selected strain ranged between 9 - 10.5 and that the addition of excess iron, up to 100 times the concentration found in defined growth media such as Schlösser’s, to the culture media could enhance productivity. The High Rate Algal Pond Studies (HRAP) were carried out over a period of 18 months. The studies showed that the coal seam water at the CSWBP is a valuable resource that can reduce media costs by 50% without affecting productivity. In a study encompassing 334 days it was shown that heating the culture through plate heat exchangers would result in a significant increase in productivity and a heated productivity of 19.86 g/m2/day was recorded. An unheated productivity of 14.11 g/m2/day was recorded. Therefore, it was found that it would be economically feasible to beneficiate coal seam water found at the CSWBP through the cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina). / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Coal seams are commonly associated with poor quality water that requires treatment. Water treatment can be very expensive and can severely affect the profitability of mining projects. This study investigated the potential cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina) in coal seam water to beneficiate coal seam water in order to effectively offset the water treatment cost. The study was conducted in Northern South Africa and formed part of a larger Coal Seam Water Beneficiation Project (CSWBP). The study consisted of laboratory based Flask Studies and outdoor High Rate Algal Pond Studies. The Flask Studies that were carried out in the on-site field laboratory, found that the coal seam water could provide a suitable medium for Spirulina cultivation. In addition, it was found that the optimal pH for the selected strain ranged between 9 - 10.5 and that the addition of excess iron, up to 100 times the concentration found in defined growth media such as Schlösser’s, to the culture media could enhance productivity. The High Rate Algal Pond Studies (HRAP) were carried out over a period of 18 months. The studies showed that the coal seam water at the CSWBP is a valuable resource that can reduce media costs by 50% without affecting productivity. In a study encompassing 334 days it was shown that heating the culture through plate heat exchangers would result in a significant increase in productivity and a heated productivity of 19.86 g/m2/day was recorded. An unheated productivity of 14.11 g/m2/day was recorded. Therefore, it was found that it would be economically feasible to beneficiate coal seam water found at the CSWBP through the cultivation of Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina). / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)