Dairy Wastewater Remediation Using Algal Biofilm
Class
Article
Graduation Year
2017
College
College of Engineering
Department
Biological Engineering Department
Faculty Mentor
Ron Sims
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Biofilm-based microalgal growth was determined as functions of organic chemical loading and water temperature utilizing dairy wastewater from a full-scale dairy farm. The dairy industry is a significant source of wastewater worldwide that could provide an inexpensive and nutrient rich feedstock for the cultivation of algae biomass for use in downstream processing of animal feed and aquaculture applications.
Algal biomass was cultivated using a Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactor (RABR) system. The RABR is a biofilm-based technology that has been designed and used to remediate municipal wastewater, and was applied to treat dairy wastewater, through nutrient uptake, and simultaneously provide biomass for the production of renewable bioproducts.
Algal biomass in the RABR system was grown at temperatures ranging from 7-27 °C, and organic carbon concentrations ranging from 300-1200 mg/L of Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Aerial algal biofilm growth rates at 7°C and 27°C temperatures were shown to be 4.55±0.17g/m2-day and 7.57±1.12 g/m2-day ash free dry weight (AFDW), respectively. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) calculations indicated that both the temperature of the wastewater and the level of organic carbon contributed significantly to the rate of biomass growth in the system. However, ANOVA results indicated that the interaction of temperature and organic carbon content was not significant related to the biofilm-based growth rate.
Location
Room 208
Start Date
4-13-2017 10:30 AM
End Date
4-13-2017 11:45 AM
Dairy Wastewater Remediation Using Algal Biofilm
Room 208
Biofilm-based microalgal growth was determined as functions of organic chemical loading and water temperature utilizing dairy wastewater from a full-scale dairy farm. The dairy industry is a significant source of wastewater worldwide that could provide an inexpensive and nutrient rich feedstock for the cultivation of algae biomass for use in downstream processing of animal feed and aquaculture applications.
Algal biomass was cultivated using a Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactor (RABR) system. The RABR is a biofilm-based technology that has been designed and used to remediate municipal wastewater, and was applied to treat dairy wastewater, through nutrient uptake, and simultaneously provide biomass for the production of renewable bioproducts.
Algal biomass in the RABR system was grown at temperatures ranging from 7-27 °C, and organic carbon concentrations ranging from 300-1200 mg/L of Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Aerial algal biofilm growth rates at 7°C and 27°C temperatures were shown to be 4.55±0.17g/m2-day and 7.57±1.12 g/m2-day ash free dry weight (AFDW), respectively. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) calculations indicated that both the temperature of the wastewater and the level of organic carbon contributed significantly to the rate of biomass growth in the system. However, ANOVA results indicated that the interaction of temperature and organic carbon content was not significant related to the biofilm-based growth rate.