Utilization of recovered nitrogen from hydrothermal carbonization process by Arthrospira platensis

In the context of sustainable cultivation of microalgae, the present study focused on the use of nitrogen from the hot-water extracted biomass residue of Arthrospira platensis by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and the sequential cultivation of the same alga with the HTC aqueous phase (AP). Nearly 90% of the nitrogen recovered from HTC into AP was in the organic form. Under nitrogen-limited condition with HTCAP as nitrogen source the yield and content of carbohydrate were enhanced by 21% and 15% respectively compared with that under the same nitrogen level provided by NaNO3, which entitled HTCAP for the substitution of conventional nitrate. In the same way pilot-scale cultivation of A. platensis in raceway ponds outdoors demonstrated that carbohydrate content of 43.8% DW and productivity of 10.3g/m(2)/d was achieved. Notably 54% of organic nitrogen in the HTCAP could be recycled by cultivation of pre-nitrogen starved A. platensis as seeds under nitrogen limitation.