Harnessing Symbiotic Mixotrophic Microalgal-Bacterial Biofilms for N and P Elimination

Mahshid  Sedgh; Andrew John Fagan; Soheil  Sedghi; Frithjof Kuepper; Ricardo Amils

doi:10.3390/phycology3040031

Harnessing Symbiotic Mixotrophic Microalgal-Bacterial Biofilms for N and P Elimination

Mahshid Sedgh^* (Corresponding Author), Andrew John Fagan, Soheil Sedghi, Frithjof Kuepper^* (Corresponding Author), Ricardo Amils

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Symbiotic microalgal-bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for potato wastewater treat- 15 ment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is 16 required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study symbiotic 17 microalgal-bacterial biofilms were grown in flow cells with ammonium and phosphate, and with 18 acetate as simulated biodegradable organic pollutant. The symbiotic biofilms removed acetate with- 19 out an external oxygen or carbon dioxide supply, but ammonium and phosphate could not be com- 20 pletely removed. The biofilm was shown to have a considerable heterotrophic denitrification capac- 21 ity. The symbiotic relationship between microalgae and aerobic heterotrophs was proven by subse- 22 quently removing light and acetate. In both cases this resulted in the cessation of the symbiosis and 23 in increasing effluent concentrations of both acetate and the nutrients ammonium and phosphate

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	459-471
Number of pages	13
Journal	Phycology
Volume	4
Issue number	3
Early online date	9 Oct 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/phycology3040031
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding: This research was funded by Catalga Biotech S.L., ALGAESYS S.A. and FCK received support from the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland pooling initiative. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions.

Acknowledgments: The authors extend their gratitude to their colleagues at Catalaga Biotech for generously providing all the necessary equipment.

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request. The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=EP341188107&_cid=P12-LJ41HO-07571-1 (accessed on 28 August 2023), WIPO—Search International and National Patent Collections.

Keywords

Mixotrophy
wastewater
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
wastewater treatment

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Cite this

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title = "Harnessing Symbiotic Mixotrophic Microalgal-Bacterial Biofilms for N and P Elimination",

abstract = "Symbiotic microalgal-bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for potato wastewater treat- 15 ment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is 16 required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study symbiotic 17 microalgal-bacterial biofilms were grown in flow cells with ammonium and phosphate, and with 18 acetate as simulated biodegradable organic pollutant. The symbiotic biofilms removed acetate with- 19 out an external oxygen or carbon dioxide supply, but ammonium and phosphate could not be com- 20 pletely removed. The biofilm was shown to have a considerable heterotrophic denitrification capac- 21 ity. The symbiotic relationship between microalgae and aerobic heterotrophs was proven by subse- 22 quently removing light and acetate. In both cases this resulted in the cessation of the symbiosis and 23 in increasing effluent concentrations of both acetate and the nutrients ammonium and phosphate",

keywords = "Mixotrophy, wastewater, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, wastewater treatment",

author = "Mahshid Sedgh and Fagan, {Andrew John} and Soheil Sedghi and Frithjof Kuepper and Ricardo Amils",

note = "Funding: This research was funded by Catalga Biotech S.L., ALGAESYS S.A. and FCK received support from the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland pooling initiative. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. Acknowledgments: The authors extend their gratitude to their colleagues at Catalaga Biotech for generously providing all the necessary equipment.",

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AU - Sedghi, Soheil

AU - Kuepper, Frithjof

AU - Amils, Ricardo

N1 - Funding: This research was funded by Catalga Biotech S.L., ALGAESYS S.A. and FCK received support from the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland pooling initiative. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. Acknowledgments: The authors extend their gratitude to their colleagues at Catalaga Biotech for generously providing all the necessary equipment.

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N2 - Symbiotic microalgal-bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for potato wastewater treat- 15 ment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is 16 required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study symbiotic 17 microalgal-bacterial biofilms were grown in flow cells with ammonium and phosphate, and with 18 acetate as simulated biodegradable organic pollutant. The symbiotic biofilms removed acetate with- 19 out an external oxygen or carbon dioxide supply, but ammonium and phosphate could not be com- 20 pletely removed. The biofilm was shown to have a considerable heterotrophic denitrification capac- 21 ity. The symbiotic relationship between microalgae and aerobic heterotrophs was proven by subse- 22 quently removing light and acetate. In both cases this resulted in the cessation of the symbiosis and 23 in increasing effluent concentrations of both acetate and the nutrients ammonium and phosphate

AB - Symbiotic microalgal-bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for potato wastewater treat- 15 ment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is 16 required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study symbiotic 17 microalgal-bacterial biofilms were grown in flow cells with ammonium and phosphate, and with 18 acetate as simulated biodegradable organic pollutant. The symbiotic biofilms removed acetate with- 19 out an external oxygen or carbon dioxide supply, but ammonium and phosphate could not be com- 20 pletely removed. The biofilm was shown to have a considerable heterotrophic denitrification capac- 21 ity. The symbiotic relationship between microalgae and aerobic heterotrophs was proven by subse- 22 quently removing light and acetate. In both cases this resulted in the cessation of the symbiosis and 23 in increasing effluent concentrations of both acetate and the nutrients ammonium and phosphate

KW - Mixotrophy

KW - wastewater

KW - Nitrogen

KW - Phosphorus

KW - wastewater treatment

U2 - 10.3390/phycology3040031

DO - 10.3390/phycology3040031

M3 - Article

SN - 2673-9410

VL - 4

SP - 459

EP - 471

JO - Phycology

JF - Phycology

IS - 3

ER -

Harnessing Symbiotic Mixotrophic Microalgal-Bacterial Biofilms for N and P Elimination

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Keywords

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