| Title |
Earthenware-based biofilter configuration for Spirulina cultivation on nutrients recycled from food-industry waste streams: A preliminary study |
| ID_Doc |
6592 |
| Authors |
Girotto, F; Schievano, A; Idà, A; Clerici, GR; Sala, G; Goglio, A; Kurpan, D; Bombelli, P; Toschi, I; Bocchi, S; Piazza, L |
| Title |
Earthenware-based biofilter configuration for Spirulina cultivation on nutrients recycled from food-industry waste streams: A preliminary study |
| Year |
2022 |
| Published |
|
| Abstract |
This study integrates an earthenware-based biofilter into photobioreactors (PBR), to allow Spirulina growth on organic nutrient sources. The earthenware acted as permeable membrane, enabling the bio-oxidation of soluble organics and the diffusion of mineralised ions to the photobioreactor. When fed with lactic acid fermentation effluents (organic loading rates of 11.1 mg-COD L-PBR1 d-1 and 1.7 mg-Total-N L-PBR1 d-1), Spirulina growth rate (19.4 mgdry mass L-1 d-1) was up to the mark with respect to a control with Zarrouk medium. However, the protein content was of 34% w/wDM (as compared to 57% in the control), likely due to insufficient mineral-N supply under the tested system-configuration. The dissolved photosynthetic oxygen established a redox potential gradient (300-400 mV) across the membrane, acting as an electron sink towards consistent COD removal rates (9.0 +/- 0.7 mg-COD L-1 d-1). Configurations with higher biofilter/photobioreactor volume ratios should be tested, to improve nitrogen supply rates. |
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