Institution: | a Program of Sanitation and Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, P.O. Box 56710, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia b Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigaciones y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), P.O. Box 14-740, México City, México |
Abstract: | The ammonia and phosphorus removal efficiencies of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus dimorphus, during biotreatment of secondary effluent from an agroindustrial wastewater of a dairy industry and pig farming, were evaluated. The microalgae were isolated from a wastewater stabilization pond near Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Batch cultures were made using both species in 4-1 cylindrical glass bioreactors each containing 2l of culture. Chlorella vulgaris was also cultivated on wastewater in a triangular bioreactor. Three 216-h experimental cycles were run for each microalga and in each bioreactor. In the cylindrical bioreactor, S. dimorphus was more efficient in removing ammonia than C. vulgaris. However, the final efficiency of both microalgae at the end of each cycle was similar. Both microalgae removed phosphorus from the wastewater to the same extent in a cylindrical bioreactor. Using C. vulgaris, the triangular bioreactor was superior for removing ammonia and the cylindrical bioreactor was superior for removing phosphorus. This study shows the potential of using these microalgae to reduce the environmental pollution of heavily contaminated agroindustrial waters currently disposed of untreated into the waterways and streams of tropical Colombia. |