Growth Evaluation of Microalgae Isolated From Palm Oil Mill Effluent in Synthetic Media

Abstract

Discharging waste without removing harmful compounds can lead to serious environmental and health issues. Despite of the high content of pollutants, wastewater environment can become an ideal condition for the growth of several microorganisms. Some species of microalgae have been found living in palm oil mill effluent (POME), making it suitable to be used in biological treatment. However, the ability of microalgae to grow and its composition characteristics in synthetic media are unknown. Therefore, this study evaluated the growth characteristics and biochemical productivity of Chlorella sorokiniana UKM3, Coelastrella sp. UKM4 and Chlorella sp. UMACC324, which had been previously isolated from POME. Bold's Basal Media (BBM) was used as the medium for cultivation. The experimental works were performed in a lab-scale photobioreactor at room temperature under continuous illumination for 14 days. From this study, Coelastrella sp. UKM4 showed the highest value of growth rates (0.52±0. Keywords: microalgae, growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, lipid content Abstrak Pembuangan sisa yang tidak dirawat terlebih dahulu boleh menyebabkan isu yang serius terhadap alam sekitar dan kesihatan. Walaupun kandungan bahan pencemar adalah tinggi, air sisa boleh menjadi habitat yang ideal bagi pertumbuhan sesetengah spesis mikroorganisma. Beberapa spesies mikroalga telah dijumpai hidup dalam effluen kilang minyak sawit (POME). Ini menjadikan spesis mikroalga tersebut sesuai digunakan dalam proses rawatan sisa secara biologikal. Walau bagaimanapun, keupayaan mikroalga untuk bertumbuh dan ciri-ciri komposisinya didalam media sintetik adalah tidak diketahui. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk menilai ciri-ciri pertumbuhan dan produktiviti biokimia bagi Chlorella sorokiniana UKM3, Coelastrella sp.

Bioremediation by Chlorella vulgaris: Potentials for Treatment of Municipal, Agricultural, and Industrial Wastewater Sources

“…OD readings at 750 nm were subtracted from each of the pigment OD values before substituting them to the equations below. OD750 serve as the correction for turbidity as this wavelength is significantly beyond the range of chlorophyll contents, thus, minimizing error caused by these pigments (Badar et al, 2017).…”