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Biofuels

Biofuels

The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...

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Optimize Flue Gas Settings to Promote Microalgae Growth in Photobioreactors via Computer Simulations

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Published on: October 1, 2013

Surfactant-Mediated Microalgal Flocculation: Process Efficiency and Kinetic Modelling.

Carolina Maia^1,2, Vânia Pôjo^1,2, Tânia Tavares^1,2

¹LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)

|July 27, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) significantly improves microalgal harvesting efficiency, reducing processing time and costs. This surfactant shows promise for sustainable, large-scale microalgal production, particularly for biodiesel applications.

Keywords:

Tetraselmis sp.flocculation gravity sedimentation harvesting kinetics microalgal harvesting surfactant

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Microalgae Cultivation and Biomass Quantification in a Bench-Scale Photobioreactor with Corrosive Flue Gases

Microalgae Cultivation and Biomass Quantification in a Bench-Scale Photobioreactor with Corrosive Flue Gases

Published on: December 19, 2019

Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Chemical Engineering
Marine Biology

Background:

Microalgae offer valuable resources like lipids and proteins, but large-scale harvesting remains a significant challenge.
Current harvesting methods often lack cost-effectiveness and proven efficiency.
Flocculation presents an energy-efficient alternative, with surfactant integration potentially enhancing both harvesting and cell disruption.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy of different surfactants (CTAB, DTAB, SDS) for harvesting Tetraselmis sp. microalgae.
To assess the impact of surfactants on harvesting efficiency and sedimentation time.
To investigate the kinetics of the microalgal harvesting process using the modified Gompertz model.

Main Methods:

Investigated three surfactants: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS).
Tested surfactants on Tetraselmis sp. strains (75LG and 46NLG) to determine harvesting efficiency and optimal concentrations.
Analyzed harvesting kinetics using the modified Gompertz model to determine process rates.

Main Results:

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) demonstrated superior harvesting efficiency, achieving 88% for Tetraselmis sp. 75LG and 46NLG strains.
Optimal CTAB concentrations (1500 and 2000 mg L⁻¹) significantly reduced sedimentation time to 60 minutes.
The modified Gompertz model best described the harvesting kinetics, with CTAB yielding the largest kinetic constants.

Conclusions:

CTAB is a highly effective surfactant for enhancing microalgal harvesting efficiency and reducing operational time.
The use of CTAB shows potential for optimizing microalgal harvesting processes for cost-effective, large-scale production.
Further research incorporating CTAB could unlock the commercial viability of microalgae for applications such as biodiesel production.