NUTRIENT RECOVERY AND POLLUTANT REMOVAL FROM PIGGERY WASTEWATER BY SPIRULINA CULTIVATION

Abstract

Spirulina is noticed for great applications on food supplements, animal feeds, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, biofuel, fertilizer, etc. Spirulina cultures in wastewaters could enhance the feasibility of commodities due to its ability to reduce the cost of biomass production and remove pollutants in wastewaters. This study investigates the effects of wastewater pretreatment using various aeration periods (i.e. from 3 to 7 days), the supplement of bicarbonate and N:P ratios on the growth of Spirulina sp. HH to produce protein-rich biomass. The work showed that Spirulina sp. had the ability to effectively remove ammonium, with the highest efficiencies up to 99.9 %. However, the high concentration of ammonium in wastewater, from 125 mg N/L upward, caused a decline in the growth rate of Spirulina. The growth and remediation potential of Spirulina sp. were in the best condition with the N:P ratio of the medium in the range of 19:1-22:1. This study suggested a procedure to cultivate Spirulina sp. in piggery wastewater and remove pollutants efficiently.