Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions
Published on: August 15, 2019
Anaerobic microbial communities can influence algal growth and nutrient removal from anaerobic digestate
Elizabeth M Bankston1, Brendan T Higgins1
1Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
Abstract:
The objective of this work was to test the impact of anaerobic digester microorganisms on algal growth, composition, and nutrient removal from digestate. Culture studies were carried out to determine the impacts of the microbial community on treatment of poultry litter anaerobic digestate by two strains of green algae: Auxenochlorella protothecoides and Chlorella sorokiniana. The results showed that the community doubled the growth of A. protothecoides but had no impact on C. sorokiniana growth. A similar result was observed for nutrient removal where the microbial community increased the capacity of A. protothecoides to remove ammonium and phosphate. The impact of the microbial community on biomass composition was minimal for both algae types.
Related Concept Videos
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Microbial Nutrition
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Amino Acid Catabolism
Oxygen Requirements and Growth Patterns
Microbial Fermentation

