Integrating bioremediation of textile wastewater with biodiesel production using microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris)

Tahir Fazal; Muhammad Saif Ur Rehman; Fahed Javed; Mueed Akhtar; Azeem Mushtaq; Ainy Hafeez; Aamir Alaud Din; Javed Iqbal; Naim Rashid; Fahad Rehman

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130758

Integrating bioremediation of textile wastewater with biodiesel production using microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris)

Chemosphere. 2021 Oct:281:130758. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130758. Epub 2021 May 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Biorefinery Engineering and Microfluidics (BEAM) Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 54000, Pakistan; Department of Chemical Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
² Department of Chemical Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan.
³ Biorefinery Engineering and Microfluidics (BEAM) Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 54000, Pakistan.
⁴ Biorefinery Engineering and Microfluidics (BEAM) Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 54000, Pakistan; Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation', Doha, Qatar.
⁵ Biorefinery Engineering and Microfluidics (BEAM) Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 54000, Pakistan. Electronic address: frehman@cuilahore.edu.pk.

PMID: 34000658
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130758

Abstract

Microalgae-led wastewater treatment is a promising biorefinery approach to promote environmental and economical sustainability. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) was employed for the bioremediation of textile wastewater (TWW) and biodiesel production. C. vulgaris is cultivated in undiluted and diluted TWW (50%). Cultivation in freshwater containing BG11 medium was set as a control. Results show the highest growth (1.62 ± 0.12 OD₆₈₀) in diluted TWW followed by BG11 medium (1.56 ± 0.15 OD₆₈₀) and undiluted TWW (0.89 ± 0.11 OD₆₈₀). The highest methylene blue decolorization of 99.7% was observed in diluted TWW as compared to 98.5% in undiluted TWW. Morever, COD removal efficiency was also higher (99.7 ± 4.2%) in diluted TWW than BG11 medium (94.4 ± 3.5%) and undiluted TWW (76.3 ± 2.8%). For all treatment, more than 80% nitrogen and phosphorous removal were achieved. Otther than this, fatty acids methyl ester (FAME) yield in diluted TWW was higher (11.07 mg g^-1) than the undiluted TWW (9.12 mg L^-1). Major FAME were palmitic acid (C16:0) and linolenoic acid (C18:3) which are suitable for biodiesel production. All these results suggest that C. vulgaris can be cultivated in both diluted and undiluted TWW for biodiesel production. However, cultivation in undiluted TWW is more favorable as it displaces the need for freshwater addition in the growth medium.

Keywords: Biodiesel; Bioremediation; Chlorella vulgaris; Methylene blue; Microalgae; Textile wastewater.

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Biofuels
Biomass
Chlorella vulgaris*
Microalgae*
Textiles
Wastewater

Substances

Biofuels
Waste Water