Metallurgical slag used for efficient growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa to achieve CO₂ conversion to biodiesel

Abstract

Metallurgical slag such as solid waste generated in the steel industry carries environmental pollution risks, but it is rich in nutrients required by microalgae. Metallurgical slag used for carbon capture and biomass energy conversion has multiple benefits: (i) reduction and harmless treatment of metallurgical solid waste, (ii) assisting in carbon neutrality by efficient carbon fixation, and (iii) production of biodiesel from CO2. In this study, AOD, BOF, BFS, HVS, and VTS slag were applied to culture Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) with the regulation of growth, carbon fixation, and lipid synthesis. An excellent fixed amount of CO2 with 94.59 mg is obtained from C. pyrenoidosa biomass at BOF slag added (mass ratio of CO2 captured/microalgae/slag with 1.99/1.00/10.53) since high Ca/Mg mass ratio of 419 (8.38 mg/L Ca and 0.02 mg/L Mg), no Cr and low concentration of Al (0.04 mg/L) contribute to regulating antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD and POD) to resist ROS and improving PEPC activity to reduce carbon flux toward lipid to promote biomass synthesis. Both metal concentrations from Ca (5.86 mg/L), Mg (0.05 mg/L), Al (0.42 mg/L), and Cr (0.006 mg/L) and suitable pH (10.53) in AOD leaching solution at solid/liquid ratio of 0.5 g/L change carbon flow toward efficient lipid synthesis (47.07 wt%) by continuously providing raw materials and energy by regulating ACC, ME, and PEPC activities. High value‐added biodiesel with high concentrations of C16 and C18 methyl esters from lipid of C. pyrenoidosa is achieved, following other ecological and economic benefits including 197 mg CO2 captured and 2198 mg AOD applied with harmless. In this study, C. pyrenoidosa is cultured with elements from metallurgical slag solid waste, which promotes C. pyrenoidosa efficient carbon fixation to assist in carbon neutrality, and provides guidance for CO2 conversion to high‐value‐added products with low cost.