Symbiotic Co-Culture of Scenedesmus sp. and Azospirillum brasilense on N-Deficient Media with Biomass Production for Biofuels

Jose R. Contreras-Angulo, Teresa M. Mata, Sara P. Cuellar-Bermudez, Nidia S. Caetano, Rashmi Chandra, J. Saul Garcia-Perez, Koenraad Muylaert and Roberto Parra-Saldivar
Additional contact information
Jose R. Contreras-Angulo: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico
Teresa M. Mata: LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), R. Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Sara P. Cuellar-Bermudez: Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, KU Leuven Kulak, E. Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
Nidia S. Caetano: LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), R. Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Rashmi Chandra: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico
J. Saul Garcia-Perez: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico
Koenraad Muylaert: Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, KU Leuven Kulak, E. Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
Roberto Parra-Saldivar: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: The treatment of nitrogen-deficient agriculture wastewater, arising from the vegetable and fruit processing, is a significant problem that limits the efficiency of its biological treatment. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the symbiotic co-culture of Azospirillum brasilense and Scenedesmus sp., under two nitrogen levels (8.23 mg L −1 and 41.17 mg L −1 ) and mixing systems (aeration and magnetic stirring), aiming to simultaneously use the N-deficient media for their growth while producing biomass for biofuels. Microalgae growth and biomass composition, in terms of protein, carbohydrate and fatty acid contents, were evaluated at the end of the exponential growth phase (15 days after inoculation). Results show that the symbiotic co-culture of microalgae-bacteria can be effectively performed on nitrogen-deficient media and has the potential to enhance microalgae colony size and the fatty acid content of biomass for biofuels. The highest biomass concentration (103 ± 2 mg·L −1 ) was obtained under aeration, with low nitrogen concentration, in the presence of A. brasilense . In particular, aeration contributed to, on average, a higher fatty acid content (48 ± 7% dry weight (DW)) and higher colony size (164 ± 21 µm 2 ) than mechanical stirring (with 39 ± 2% DW and 134 ± 21 µm 2 , respectively) because aeration contribute to better mass transfer of gases in the culture. Also, co-culturing contributed in average, to higher colony size (155 ± 21 µm 2 ) than without A. brasilense (143 ± 21 µm 2 ). Moreover, using nitrogen deficient wastewater as the culture media can contribute to decrease nitrogen and energy inputs. Additionally, A. brasilense is approved and already extensively used in agriculture and wastewater treatment, without known environmental or health issues, simplifying the biomass processing for the desired application.

Keywords: Azospirillum brasilense; microalgae-bacteria co-culturing; mixing system; nitrogen concentration; Scenedesmus sp. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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