Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WWTBP-by-Microalgae (A circular economy platform for treatment of wastewater by blue green microalgae)
Période du rapport: 2022-10-01 au 2024-11-30
Did you know that producing just one glass of beer generates at least five glasses of wastewater?
This wastewater is rich in nutrients that microalgae can utilize to create valuable products, yet it is often wasted. This project presents an innovative solution to transform this nutrient-rich, brownish effluent into high-value products while simultaneously capturing and repurposing CO2.
Industrial sectors, such as breweries, generate large volumes of nutrient-rich wastewater. When inadequately treated, this wastewater can lead to environmental pollution, including uncontrolled microbial growth, or is commonly processed through aerobic digestion, which releases significant amounts of CO2. The WWTBP-by-Microalgae project was developed to address two critical global challenges: the sustainable management of industrial wastewater and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These issues demand innovative solutions that not only minimize environmental harm but also embrace circular economy principles.
The project’s primary objective is to design and implement a sustainable, integrated system leveraging blue-green microalgae (Arthrospira platensis) to treat brewery wastewater while simultaneously sequestering CO2. This dual-purpose approach enables nutrient recovery, improves effluent quality, and generates high-value bioproducts such as phycocyanin pigments—a natural blue pigment with notable antioxidant and anti-cancer properties—biochar, and biogas. Through the application of advanced bioprocesses and the optimization of cultivation conditions, the project directly supports the EU Green Deal’s goals of achieving climate neutrality, enhancing resource efficiency, and promoting sustainable industrial practices.
The project addresses critical gaps in conventional wastewater treatment and CO2 mitigation technologies:
• Wastewater Treatment: Existing systems often fail to achieve complete nutrient recovery. The integration of microalgae presents a cost-effective alternative.
• CO2 Sequestration: Traditional treatment systems are not designed to capture CO2 emissions. Microalgae, through photosynthesis, offer a natural solution to capture and utilize CO2 as a carbon source for growth.
• Circular Economy: By converting waste into valuable products such as pigments, biochar, and biogas, the project contributes to reducing resource wastage and creating economic opportunities.
The project’s integrated approach is expected to have far-reaching impacts:
1. Environmental Impact: Reducing wastewater pollutants and CO2 emissions aligns with EU environmental regulations and global climate goals.
2. Economic Impact: The production of high-value products such as phycocyanin pigments, renewable biofuels, and biochar has the potential to create new revenue streams for industries adopting this technology.
3. Scientific Advancement: By exploring optimal cultivation parameters and innovative bioprocesses, the project contributes to advancing knowledge in biotechnology, renewable energy, and sustainable wastewater treatment.
Significance of the Impact
• The project showcases a scalable model for brewery wastewater management that can be replicated in other food and beverage industries.
• By contributing to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Green Deal objectives, the project supports policy initiatives aimed at resource efficiency and climate action.
• With over 90% nutrient removal efficiency and substantial reductions in CO2 emissions, the project provides a template for sustainable industry practices.
This wastewater is rich in nutrients that microalgae can utilize to create valuable products, yet it is often wasted. This project presents an innovative solution to transform this nutrient-rich, brownish effluent into high-value products while simultaneously capturing and repurposing CO2.
Industrial sectors, such as breweries, generate large volumes of nutrient-rich wastewater. When inadequately treated, this wastewater can lead to environmental pollution, including uncontrolled microbial growth, or is commonly processed through aerobic digestion, which releases significant amounts of CO2. The WWTBP-by-Microalgae project was developed to address two critical global challenges: the sustainable management of industrial wastewater and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These issues demand innovative solutions that not only minimize environmental harm but also embrace circular economy principles.
The project’s primary objective is to design and implement a sustainable, integrated system leveraging blue-green microalgae (Arthrospira platensis) to treat brewery wastewater while simultaneously sequestering CO2. This dual-purpose approach enables nutrient recovery, improves effluent quality, and generates high-value bioproducts such as phycocyanin pigments—a natural blue pigment with notable antioxidant and anti-cancer properties—biochar, and biogas. Through the application of advanced bioprocesses and the optimization of cultivation conditions, the project directly supports the EU Green Deal’s goals of achieving climate neutrality, enhancing resource efficiency, and promoting sustainable industrial practices.
The project addresses critical gaps in conventional wastewater treatment and CO2 mitigation technologies:
• Wastewater Treatment: Existing systems often fail to achieve complete nutrient recovery. The integration of microalgae presents a cost-effective alternative.
• CO2 Sequestration: Traditional treatment systems are not designed to capture CO2 emissions. Microalgae, through photosynthesis, offer a natural solution to capture and utilize CO2 as a carbon source for growth.
• Circular Economy: By converting waste into valuable products such as pigments, biochar, and biogas, the project contributes to reducing resource wastage and creating economic opportunities.
The project’s integrated approach is expected to have far-reaching impacts:
1. Environmental Impact: Reducing wastewater pollutants and CO2 emissions aligns with EU environmental regulations and global climate goals.
2. Economic Impact: The production of high-value products such as phycocyanin pigments, renewable biofuels, and biochar has the potential to create new revenue streams for industries adopting this technology.
3. Scientific Advancement: By exploring optimal cultivation parameters and innovative bioprocesses, the project contributes to advancing knowledge in biotechnology, renewable energy, and sustainable wastewater treatment.
Significance of the Impact
• The project showcases a scalable model for brewery wastewater management that can be replicated in other food and beverage industries.
• By contributing to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Green Deal objectives, the project supports policy initiatives aimed at resource efficiency and climate action.
• With over 90% nutrient removal efficiency and substantial reductions in CO2 emissions, the project provides a template for sustainable industry practices.
The primary technical and scientific achievements include:
1. Microalgae selection:
Strain Selection: 3 strains of Arthrospira platensis were obtained and investigated in terms of growth and pigment production yield. The strain ULC 0444 was identified as the most efficient strain for biomass and pigment production.
2. Optimization of microalgal growth in effluent water
Light wavelength optimization: The impact of different LED light spectra on algal growth and phycocyanin production was evaluated, with red light proving most effective.
CO2 concentration optimization: The impact of different CO2 concentrations on algal growth and phycocyanin production was evaluated, with 3% CO2 under red light proving most effective.
3. Optimization of Microalgal Cultivation in influent water
Adjustment of wastewater composition: for the growth of Arthrospira platensis more than 13 chemicals are needed to ensure healthy growth. Considering the presence of some of these elements in the influent wastewater and method of cultivation (aeration) these chemicals were shortlisted to a minimum of five elements (NaNO3, K2SO4, Na2HPO4, FeSO4 and MgSO4).
Wastewater dilution determination: Brewery wastewater was tested as a sustainable medium, with optimal dilutions determined (25%-50%) to maximize nutrient recovery and algal growth.
4. Nutrient and Energy Recovery:
Pigment Production: Phycocyanin yields reached up to 269.2 mg/L under optimized conditions, demonstrating the potential for high-value product recovery.
Fatty acid Recovery: the fatty acid profile of cultures in different conditions showed high content of omega 3 and omega 6, indicating potential nutrinal value as feed for animals.
Biogas Recovery: Residual biomass was subjected to anaerobic digestion, achieving methane yields of 93 mL CH₄/gVS at the optimal S/I ratio of 2.
Biochar Production: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of digested biomass produced biochar with favorable thermal and elemental characteristics, suitable for soil amendment.
5. Analytical and Experimental Advancements:
Comprehensive nutrient removal efficiencies (e.g. >90% for nitrate and phosphate).
Biodiesel characterization using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiling showed a high potential for biofuel production under certain cultivation conditions.
1. Microalgae selection:
Strain Selection: 3 strains of Arthrospira platensis were obtained and investigated in terms of growth and pigment production yield. The strain ULC 0444 was identified as the most efficient strain for biomass and pigment production.
2. Optimization of microalgal growth in effluent water
Light wavelength optimization: The impact of different LED light spectra on algal growth and phycocyanin production was evaluated, with red light proving most effective.
CO2 concentration optimization: The impact of different CO2 concentrations on algal growth and phycocyanin production was evaluated, with 3% CO2 under red light proving most effective.
3. Optimization of Microalgal Cultivation in influent water
Adjustment of wastewater composition: for the growth of Arthrospira platensis more than 13 chemicals are needed to ensure healthy growth. Considering the presence of some of these elements in the influent wastewater and method of cultivation (aeration) these chemicals were shortlisted to a minimum of five elements (NaNO3, K2SO4, Na2HPO4, FeSO4 and MgSO4).
Wastewater dilution determination: Brewery wastewater was tested as a sustainable medium, with optimal dilutions determined (25%-50%) to maximize nutrient recovery and algal growth.
4. Nutrient and Energy Recovery:
Pigment Production: Phycocyanin yields reached up to 269.2 mg/L under optimized conditions, demonstrating the potential for high-value product recovery.
Fatty acid Recovery: the fatty acid profile of cultures in different conditions showed high content of omega 3 and omega 6, indicating potential nutrinal value as feed for animals.
Biogas Recovery: Residual biomass was subjected to anaerobic digestion, achieving methane yields of 93 mL CH₄/gVS at the optimal S/I ratio of 2.
Biochar Production: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of digested biomass produced biochar with favorable thermal and elemental characteristics, suitable for soil amendment.
5. Analytical and Experimental Advancements:
Comprehensive nutrient removal efficiencies (e.g. >90% for nitrate and phosphate).
Biodiesel characterization using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiling showed a high potential for biofuel production under certain cultivation conditions.
The WWTBP-by-Microalgae project reached significant advancements, including:
1. Integrated Wastewater Treatment and Bioproduct Recovery:
Demonstrated the dual capability of Arthrospira platensis to treat wastewater from breweries and generate high-value bioproducts.
Developed a novel integrated system that minimizes operational costs by eliminating drying steps and leveraging brewery effluent as a resource of nutrient and water.
2. CO2 Mitigation and Renewable Energy Production:
Showcased the feasibility of CO2 sequestration through algal cultivation, contributing to climate change mitigation strategies.
Enhanced biogas production efficiency through optimized substrate-to-inoculum ratios.
3. Innovative Bioprocesses:
Utilized LED-based light optimization to boost pigment production, a key advancement for economically viable cultivation in indoor fascilities.
Applied HTC to valorize residual biomass into biochar, providing a sustainable solution for waste management and agricultural applications.
Further development areas include scaling up cultivation systems, enhancing process automation, and exploring commercialization pathways for pigments and biochar. Regulatory support and market access for bioproducts are critical for broader uptake.
1. Integrated Wastewater Treatment and Bioproduct Recovery:
Demonstrated the dual capability of Arthrospira platensis to treat wastewater from breweries and generate high-value bioproducts.
Developed a novel integrated system that minimizes operational costs by eliminating drying steps and leveraging brewery effluent as a resource of nutrient and water.
2. CO2 Mitigation and Renewable Energy Production:
Showcased the feasibility of CO2 sequestration through algal cultivation, contributing to climate change mitigation strategies.
Enhanced biogas production efficiency through optimized substrate-to-inoculum ratios.
3. Innovative Bioprocesses:
Utilized LED-based light optimization to boost pigment production, a key advancement for economically viable cultivation in indoor fascilities.
Applied HTC to valorize residual biomass into biochar, providing a sustainable solution for waste management and agricultural applications.
Further development areas include scaling up cultivation systems, enhancing process automation, and exploring commercialization pathways for pigments and biochar. Regulatory support and market access for bioproducts are critical for broader uptake.