Comparative life cycle assessment of autotrophic cultivation of Scenedesmus dimorphus in raceway pond coupled to biodiesel and biogas production

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of indigenous freshwater microalgae, Scenedesmus dimorphus, cultivation in open raceway pond and its conversion to biodiesel and biogas were carried out. The LCA inventory inputs for the biogas scenario was entirely based on primary data obtained from algal cultivation (in pilot scale raceway pond), harvesting, and biogas production; while only the downstream processing involved in biodiesel production namely drying, reaction and purification were based on secondary data. Overall, eight scenarios were modeled for the integrated process involving: algae-based CO₂ capture and downstream processing scenarios for biodiesel and biogas along with impact assessment of nutrient addition and extent of recycling in a life cycle perspective. The LCA results indicated a huge energy deficit and net CO₂ negative in terms of CO₂ capture for both the biodiesel and biogas scenarios, majorly due to lower algal biomass productivity and higher energy requirements for culture mixing. The sensitivity analysis indicated that variability in the biomass productivity has predominant effect on the primary energy demand and global warming potential (GWP, kg CO₂ eq.) followed by specific energy consumption for mixing algal culture. Furthermore, the LCA results indicated that biogas conversion route from microalgae was more energy efficient and sustainable than the biodiesel route. The overall findings of the study suggested that microalgae-mediated CO₂ capture and conversion to biodiesel and biogas production can be energy efficient at higher biomass productivity (> 10 g m⁻² day⁻¹) and via employing energy-efficient systems for culture mixing (< 2 W m⁻³).

     

Effects of different nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron concentrations and salinity on lipid production in newly isolated strain of the tropical green microalga, Scenedesmus dimorphus KMITL

The fatty acid composition, the effect of different concentrations of nitrogen (16.5-344 mg ?L^?1), phosphorus (9–45 mg? L^?1), iron (9–45 mg? L^?1) and salinity levels (0–20 psu) on lipid production in the green microalga Scenedesmus dimorphus KMITL, a new strain isolated from a tropical country, Thailand, were studied. The alga was isolated from a freshwater fish pond, and cultured in Chlorella medium by varying one parameter at a time. The main fatty acid composition of this strain was C16–C18 (97.52 %) fatty acids. A high lipid content was observed in conditions of 16.5 mg? L^?1-N, or 22 mg ?L^?1-P, or 45 mg ?L^?1-Fe, or 5 psu salinity, which accumulated lipids to 20.3?±?0.4, 19.4?±?0.2, 24.7?±?0.5, and 14.3?±?0.2 % of algal biomass, respectively. Increasing lipid content and lipid productivity was noted when the alga was cultured under high iron concentration and high salinity, as well as under reduced phosphorus conditions, whereas nitrogen limitation only resulted in an increased lipid content.     

Temperature effects on steady-state growth,phosphorus uptake,and the chemical composition of a marine phytoplankter

The marine chrysophyteMonochrysis lutheri was grown in phosphorus-limited continuous cultures at temperatures of 15°, 18.8° and 23°C. The effect of temperature on the maximum growth rate was well-defined by the Arrhenius equation, but the Q₁₀ for this alga (1.7) was somewhat lower than has been determined previously for many other phytoplankton species (2.0–2.2). The minimum phosphorus cell quota was relatively unaffected by temperature at 18.8°C and 23°C, but doubled in magnitude at 15°C. As a result, the internal nutrient equation of Droop described the relationship between specific growth rate and phosphorus cell quota well at 18.8° and 23°C, but was less successful at 15°C. The major limitation in using the Droop equation is that the ratio between the minimum and maximum cell quotas must be known, thus necessitating the need to establish the true maximum growth rate by the cell washout technique. In addition, the phosphorus uptake rate on a cell basis at a given steady state growth rate (=specific uptake rate) increased dramatically at 15°C, whereas the turnover rate of total available phosphorus was unaffected by temperature. Both the nitrogen and carbon cell quotas were relatively unaffected by growth rate at a given temperature, but the average values increased slightly with decreasing temperature. The overall conclusion is that phytoplankton growth and limiting-nutrient uptake rates are only synchronous at or near the optimum temperature. Because these types of responses are species specific, much additional data on temperature effects will be required before the importance of including such effects in phytoplankton-nutrient models can be determined.     

Transient peaks in the delayed luminescence from Scenedesmus obtusiusculus induced by phosphorus starvation and carbon dioxide deficiency

Cells of the unicellular green alga Scenedesmus obtusiusculus (Chod.) were starved of phosphorus for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, and the decay kinetics of the delayed luminescence from the differently starved cells was monitored for several minutes. Cells starved for 24 h showed similar delayed luminescence decay kinetics and accumulated output of photons as control cells after excitation with white light. Two transient peaks (with several components) in the decay kinetics of delayed luminescence were observed after 48 h of phosphorus starvation but not after 72 or 96 h. The amplitude of the transient peaks varied depending on the length of the excitation period with white light and on the length of the dark period preceding light excitation. High CO₂ availability induced no transient peak, whereas low CO₂ availability induced a high transient peak. Transient peaks could not be induced by excitation with light of 660 or 680 nm and only a single transient peak developed using 700 nm light. The kinetics of the delayed luminescence was changed, and the accumulated output of photons was decreased when the pH of the medium was changed from 7.2 to 9.5, both in cells starved for phosphorus for 96 h and in controls. The data indicate that a complicated metabolic pattern is involved in the mechanisms giving rise to the observed transient peaks in the delayed luminescence. The main factors may be a reduction in the translocation of trioses from chloroplasts, a concomitant reduction in Calvin cycle activities and changes in the amount of ATP and reducing agents available.     

Interaction of phosphorus and molybdenum in relation to uptake and utilization of molybdenum,phosphorus, zinc,copper and manganese by rice

Summary The effect of phosphorus and molybdenum alone and combined, on the uptake and utilization of Mo, Mn, Zn, Cu and P by rice (Var. IR-579) was studied in the greenhouse at varying levels of Mo (0, 2.5 and 5.0 ppm) and (0,100 and 200 ppm). Application of P increased the dry matter yield of shoot and root. Combined application of P and Mo increased the dry matter yield of shoot. Application of Mo increased the concentration of Mo and P in shoot. Applied P caused an increase in the concentration of Mo, Zn and P in shoot. Combined application of P and Mo resulted in an increase in concentration and uptake of Mo in shoot.     

Meta-analysis of phosphorus utilization by growing pigs: effect of dietary phosphorus,calcium and exogenous phytase

Optimizing phosphorus (P) utilization in pigs requires improving our capacity to predict the amount of P absorbed and retained, with the main modulating factors taken into account, as well as precisely determining the P requirements of the animals. Given the large amount of published data on P utilization in pigs, a meta-analysis was performed to quantify the impact of the different dietary P forms, calcium (Ca) and exogenous phytases on the digestive and metabolic utilization criteria for dietary P in growing pigs. Accordingly, the amount of phytate P (PP) leading to digestible P (g/kg) was estimated to be 21%, compared with 73% for non-phytate P (NPP) from plant ingredients and 80% for NPP from mineral and animal ingredients (P < 0.001). The increase in total digestible dietary P following the addition of microbial phytase (PhytM) from Aspergillus niger (P < 0.001) was curvilinear and about two times higher than the increase following the addition of plant phytase, which leads to a linear response (P < 0.001). The response of digestible P to PhytM also depends on the amount of substrate, PP (PhytM² × PP, P < 0.001). The digestibility of dietary P decreased with dietary Ca concentration (P < 0.01) independently of phytase but increased with body weight (BW, P < 0.05). Although total digestible dietary P increased linearly with total NPP concentration (P < 0.001), retained P (g/kg), average daily gain (ADG, g/day) and average daily feed intake (ADFI, g/day) increased curvilinearly (P < 0.001). Interestingly, whereas dietary Ca negatively affected P digestibility, the effect of dietary Ca on retained P, ADG and ADFI depended on total dietary NPP (NPP × Ca, P < 0.01, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Increasing dietary Ca reduced retained P, ADG and ADFI at low NPP levels, but at higher NPP concentrations it had no effect on ADG and ADFI despite a positive effect on retained P. Although the curvilinear effect of PhytM on digestible P increased with PP (P < 0.001), this effect was lessened by total NPP for ADG and ADFI (PhytM × NPP and PhytM² × NPP, P < 0.05) and depended on both total NPP and Ca for retained P (PhytM² × NPP × Ca, P < 0.01). This meta-analysis improves our understanding of P utilization, with major modulating factors taken into account. The information generated will be useful for the development of robust models to formulate environmentally friendly diets for growing pigs.     

Phosphatases and the utilization of organic phosphorus by Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viceae

Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viceae strain TAL 1236 growing on different organic phosphorus compounds as sources of phosphate exhibited phosphatase activities. The strain was able to produce both acid and alkaline phosphatases. However, its ability to produce alkaline phosphatase was much higher. When cellular phosphate fell to 0.115% of cell protein, cellular and extracellular phosphatase activities were promoted. Mg²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ca²⁺ enhanced slightly the activity of alkaline phosphatase more than acid phosphatase. However, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ activated acid phosphatase rather than alkaline phosphatase. It may be concluded that Rh. leguminosarum plays an important role in the release of phosphorus from its organic compounds through the action of phosphatases which can be slightly activated by a range of cations.     

The supply of soluble phosphorus to the wheat plant from inorganic soil phosphorus

Summary Pots containing a slightly acid, red-brown soil were maintained at three moisture levels, in half the pots wheat was grown and in the remainder there was no plant growth. Fractionation of the soil phosphorus showed the aluminium phosphates fraction to be the main source of plant-available phosphorus, but at the same time the growth of the plants reduced the significant increase in iron phosphates which occurred during the period in the no-wheat pots. The plant roots compete with the iron phosphates for the soluble phosphate released from the aluminium phosphates fraction.     

不同水肥耦合下双季稻氮磷吸收、利用与流失差异

为优化双季稻水肥管理措施,在福建省东部双季稻区设置田间径流小区试验,研究了T₀(对照,未施肥+常规灌溉)、T₁[习惯施肥(273 kg N·hm^-2, 59 kg P·hm^-2, 112 kg K·hm^-2)+常规灌溉]、T₂[优化施肥(240 kg N·hm^-2, 52 kg P·hm^-2, 198 kg K·hm^-2)+常规灌溉]和T₃(优化施肥+节水灌溉)4种水肥耦合处理下双季稻产量、养分吸收利用及田面水氮、磷流失变化。结果表明: 与T₀相比,T₁、T₂和T₃处理早稻稻谷产量显著提高了0.7、1.0和1.1倍,晚稻稻谷产量显著提高了0.9、1.1和1.0倍;T₁、T₂和T₃处理早、晚稻植株地上部分,尤其稻谷氮、磷吸收量增加显著,早稻稻谷氮吸收量分别增加1.1、1.2和1.2倍,磷吸收量增加0.9、1.4和1.6倍,晚稻稻谷氮吸收量增加0.8、1.0和1.0倍,磷吸收量增加0.7、0.9和0.9倍。T₃比T₁处理早稻氮、磷肥农学利用率分别显著增加71.1%和69.2%,晚稻分别显著增加26.4%和25.0%,但田面水可溶性总氮流失量减少了16.0%,并以硝态氮流失为主;T₂与T₃处理早晚稻氮、磷肥农学利用率差异均不显著。本试验中的优化水肥管理措施(T₃)既能促进水稻氮、磷吸收利用,提高双季稻产量,又能降低早稻田面水氮素尤其是硝态氮的流失。本研究可为福建省东部双季稻区水肥利用管理和氮、磷面源污染防治提供理论支持。     

黄芩产量和黄芩苷含量对氮磷钾肥料的响应

通过田间试验,采用氮、磷、钾三因素二次饱和D-最优设计施肥方案,于收获期计算黄芩产量和根中黄芩苷含量,建立以氮、磷、钾施用量为自变量,黄芩产量和根中黄芩苷含量为目标函数的三元二次多项式数学模型,通过对模型进行解析、寻优获得最适施肥量.结果表明:氮、磷对黄芩产量有显著影响,在低水平施肥条件下,产量随施肥量的增加而增大,一定范围后,增效不明显;氮、磷、钾对黄芩苷含量均有显著影响,黄芩苷含量随氮、钾施用量增加呈先降低再增高的趋势,在低水平施磷条件下,黄芩苷含量随磷肥施用量增加而增加,最终趋于稳定.氮磷、氮钾、磷钾对黄芩产量和黄芩苷含量存在明显的交互作用.本试验条件下,黄芩产量超过4000 kg·hm-2、根中黄芩苷含量14％以上的施肥方案为氮(N)90.5～104.7 kg· hm-2、磷(P2O5) 163.9 ～ 199.9 kg·hm-2、钾(K2O)84.1 ～140.8 kg·hm-2,比例约为1∶1.86∶1.15.     

The fate of 15N-nitrate in a northern peatland impacted by long term experimental nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization

Information about the impact of nitrogen (N) deposition on the fate of deposited N in peatland ecosystems is lacking. Thus we investigated the fate of experimentally added ¹⁵N in long-term N-fertilized treatments in a Sphagnum-dominated ombrotrophic bog. Fertilization significantly stimulated vascular plant and suppressed Sphagnum and Polytrichum moss growth. N content in peat, mosses, and vascular plants was raised by the fertilizer addition and reached a maximum at 3.2 g m^?2 N input level with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) addition. Most of N was retained in the vegetation and upper 10 cm of the peat. When N deposition equalled 1.6 g m^?2 and less, or 3.2 g m^?2 N with P and K addition, no inorganic N leaching was observed on the plots. This result indicates that co-fertilization with P and K raised the N retention capacity and that critical N loads with respect to N saturation depend on P and K availability. Most of the deposited ¹⁵N was recovered in the bulk peat, which may be related to a rapid immobilization of inorganic N by microorganisms and mycorrhizal assimilation. Increase of N, P, and K fertilization increased the contribution of vascular plants to N retention significantly and reduced those of mosses. The increase was mainly related to enhanced productivity, vascular biomass and N content in tissues; the reduced retention by mosses resulted from both reduced moss biomass and assimilation. The study shows that the N filter function of ombrotrophic bogs will be influenced by interactions with other nutrients and shifts in plant community structure.     

The effect of organic mulches on yields and phosphorus utilization by plants in acid soils

Summary The effect of organic mulches on the yields of plants and on their utilization of applied phosphate was determined by using a variety of crops grown in a Manitoba acid soil. The plants gave larger yields and utilized a greater portion of applied phosphate when the soil was mulched than when unmulched. The increased utilization of applied phosphate by the plants grown in the mulched soils appeared to be due to two factors. First, mulching resulted in a greater concentration of roots near the soil surface, thus enabling the plants to utilize the surface-applied phosphate. Approximately 60 to 97 per cent of the effect of mulch in increasing yield and phosphate utilization could be attributed to the above factor. Secondly, mulching tended to increase the downward movement of phosphorus and decrease the amount of phosphorus fixed by the soils     

The distribution of sulphur in the muds,water and vegetation of Lake Victoria

Summary The sulphur contents of the muds, water and vegetation at the northern end of Lake Victoria have been determined. Contrary to previous assumptions it was found that the sulphur in the bottom deposits is principally in the form of organic compounds and not as sulphides. Evidence is presented which suggests that the muds are in an aerated condition. The water of the lake contains extremely small amounts of sulphur and receives a negligible quantity of this element from the rain. The soils of the islands in the lake are rocky and well-leached of sulphur except where patches of forest conserve it. Certain peculiarities were noted in the behaviour of the muds and these are to be discussed in a future paper.     

Effect of various chloride salts on the utilization of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium

Only part of the effect of dietary protein on urinary calcium excretion can be ascribed to sulfur amino acids. We hypothesized that chloride, another factor often associated with isolated proteins, and another amino acid, lysine, affect utilization of calcium. The effects of supplemental dietary chloride, inorganic or organic, on calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium utilization were studied in two rat studies. Weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed semi-purified diets that contained moderate (1.8 mg Cl/g diet) or supplemental (15.5 mg Cl/g diet) chloride as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or lysine monohydrochloride with or without calcium carbonate for 56 or 119 days. Rats fed supplemental sodium chloride or potassium chloride had higher urinary phosphorus excretion, more efficient phosphorus absorption, but unchanged tissue phosphorus levels after 7 and 16 weeks of dietary treatment as compared to rats fed moderate chloride. Rats fed supplemental sodium chloride or potassium chloride excreted more calcium in urine at 7 weeks and absorbed calcium less efficiently at 16 weeks. Tissue calcium concentrations were unaffected, but total tibia magnesium and plasma magnesium concentrations were lower in rats fed supplemental sodium chloride or potassium chloride than those fed moderate chloride. Lysine chloride with or without additional calcium elevated urinary calcium excretion even more than sodium chloride and potassium chloride ingestion. Rats fed lysine chloride with supplemental calcium had smaller apparent absorption and urinary losses of phosphorus and magnesium after 16 weeks and lower tibia and plasma magnesium concentrations than rats fed lysine chloride.     

不同施肥模式对蔬菜生长、氮肥利用及菜地氮流失的影响

在天然降雨条件下,通过一年三茬蔬菜(小白菜、空心菜和苋菜)田间试验,研究了7种不同施肥模式（不施肥、化肥基施、化肥基追肥各半、化肥和双氰胺基施、化肥和双氰胺基追肥各半、化肥和有机肥基追肥各半、有机肥基施）对蔬菜株高、单株质量、产量、氮累积量、氮肥利用率及菜地硝态氮和铵态氮随地表径流流失的影响.结果表明：与不施肥对照相比,化肥和有机肥基追肥各半、化肥和双氰胺基施2种施肥模式可改善蔬菜农艺性状,分别使蔬菜产量提高103%～219%和93%～226%、植株氮累积量增加153%～216%和231%～320%、氮肥利用率较高,与化肥基施处理相比,还可减少蔬菜种植期间菜地土壤硝态氮和铵态氮随地表径流的流失量,减少幅度分别为48.1%和46.5%,从而减少了菜地土壤造成的农业面源污染.这两种施肥模式应在今后蔬菜生产中推广应用.