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Harvesting of microalgae by bio-flocculation
Sina Salim1, Rouke Bosma, Marian H Vermuë
1Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Journal of Applied Phycology
|September 30, 2011
Summary
This study introduces bio-flocculation using microalgae to harvest valuable lipid-accumulating microalgae. This sustainable method improves biomass recovery and reduces costs for microalgal biodiesel production.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Algal Biotechnology
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Commercial microalgal biodiesel production is economically unfeasible due to high energy input for biomass harvesting.
- Current harvesting methods often rely on energy-intensive processes or chemical flocculants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel, cost-effective, and energy-efficient bio-flocculation method for microalgal biomass harvesting.
- To evaluate the use of flocculating microalgae for concentrating non-flocculating microalgae of interest.
Main Methods:
- Tested three different flocculating microalgae species for their ability to harvest microalgae from various habitats.
- Assessed improvements in sedimentation rate and biomass recovery of the target microalgae.
Main Results:
- Flocculating microalgae significantly improved the sedimentation rate and biomass recovery of co-cultured microalgae.
- The bio-flocculation method requires no chemical additives and allows for similar cultivation conditions.
Conclusions:
- Bio-flocculation offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to chemical flocculation for microalgal harvesting.
- This method reduces pre-treatment costs for both biomass oil extraction and medium reuse, enhancing economic feasibility.
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