Model based analysis of carbon fluxes within microalgae-bacteria flocs using respirometric-titrimetric data

With the emerging need of nutrient recycling in resource recovery facilities, the use of microalgae-bacteria flocs has received considerable attention in the past few years. However, although the main biological processes are already known, the complex interactions occurring between algae and bacteria are not fully understood. In this work, a combined respirometric-titrimetric unit was used to assess the microorganisms' kinetics within microalgae-bacteria flocs under different growth regimes (i.e. photoautotrophic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic) and different ratios of inorganic (IC) to organic carbon (OC) (IC:OC-ratios). Using this respirometric-titrimetric data, a new model was developed, calibrated and successfully validated. The model takes into account the heterotrophic growth of bacteria, the photoautotrophic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic growth of algae and the production and consumption of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by both bacteria and algae. As such, the model can be used for detailed analysis of the carbon fluxes within microalgae-bacteria flocs in an efficient way. Model analysis revealed the high importance of the EPS regulatory mechanism. Firstly, under heterotrophic growth conditions, OC-uptake occurred during the first 10-15 min. This was linked with internal OC storage (49% of added OC) and EPS production (40%), as such providing carbon reserves which can be consumed during famine conditions. Moreover, the algae were able to compete with bacteria for OC. Secondly, under photoautotrophic conditions, algae used the added IC to grow (57% of added IC) and to produce EPS (29%), which consecutively stimulated heterotrophic bacteria growth (20%). Finally, under mixotrophic conditions, low IC:OC-ratios resulted in an extensive OC-storage and EPS production (50% of added C) and an enhanced microalgal CO₂ reuse, resulting in an increased algal growth of up to 29%.