Microalgae Strain Porphyridium purpureum for Nutrient Reduction in Dairy Wastewaters

Abstract

This paper has approached the study of dairy wastewater treatment and the simultaneous biocompound production by Porphyridium purpureum under continuous light and under a day–night cycle. The main goals were to achieve a reduction in the lactose content of the cheese wastewater that was tested and, at the same time, to obtain added value from the produced compounds, so as to increase the economic value of the process. The results show that biomass production increases proportionally with the concentration of lactose for both of the illumination options. The lactose concentration in the waste stream was reduced over 90% in just 7 days. The exopolysaccharide concentration in the growth medium increased with lactose availability. For the samples that were under constant light stress, the concentration of phycobiliproteins was highest when there was small amounts of lactose in the medium. The content of pigments was higher in the case of the day–night cycle of illumination; these being affected by stress factors such as continuous light and high lactose concentration. The results that were obtained prove that dairy wastewaters that are rich in lactose can be used efficiently for the growth of Porphyridium purpureum, achieving an increase in the biomass concentration and a large reduction of the lactose from this waste stream while obtaining a microalgae biomass that is rich in valuable compounds.

Enhanced growth and metabolite production from a novel strain of Porphyridium sp

“…The concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total carotenoids were estimated through spectrophotometry following the methodology previously published by Peña-Medina et al [ 48 ] and Gălan et al [ 49 ]. In brief, 1 mL of culture was centrifuged at 8,000 × g for 10 min.…”

Porphyridium sp. Microalgae as a source of polysaccharides

“…To move to a qualitatively new level in the study of this matter, a more systematic approach is required. It is necessary to include in the analysis representatives of at least three different strains of the same taxonomic group of microalgae (the most interesting in terms of exopolysaccharide production are Porphyridium strains since it is known that they are cultivated under different conditions and synthesize different types of exopolysaccharides [20,21]), to study in detail the structure of molecules included in the extracts of exopolysaccharides of different origins. Implementing research on microalgae exopolysaccharides of various strains will not only contribute significantly to fundamental biology but will also contribute to the development of relevant branches of applied sciences [22].…”

Nannochloris sp. Microalgae Strain for Treatment of Dairy Wastewaters

“…for dairy wastewater treatment, an often-overlooked microalgae strain, despite its high lipid productivity, which could offset some of the costs [ 7 ]. Research studies that take advantage of the adaptability of microalgae towards using various carbon sources are some of the most common approaches for directing microalgae growth and changing the composition of primary metabolites [ 19 , 29 ]. This has been attributed to the different metabolic pathways that microalgae cells will undergo as a result of the diversity in nutrient availability in the growth medium [ 30 ].…”