Microalgae

Microalgae are a very diverse group of organisms. The predominant organic con­stituent can vary from carbohydrates to proteins or lipids. The green microalgae were predominantly tested as possible substrate for biogas production (Table 20)

Substrate

Reactor

T (°С)

HRT

(days)

OLR

(gVS/L-day)

VS red.

(%)

Conv. eff. (%)

CH4

(L/L-day)

CH4

(L/gTVS)

CH4 (%)

References

Unknown cyanobacteria (Lake

BMP assay

16-26

35

0.366

60-65

[401]

Dian)

(1L)

A. platesis

Batch (0.25 L)

38

35

0.293

61

[157]

A. maxima

Batch (0.12 L)

35

105

0.33

[158]

Arthrospira

Batch (11 L)

35

28

0.91

0.28-0.29“

0.31-0.32

[156]

A. maxima (frozen, control)

Semi-

35

20

2

26

0.38

0.19

72

[233]

A. maxima (live)

continuous

35

20

2

28.6

0.40

0.2

70

A. maxima (ultrasonic)

(1.5 L)

35

20

2

23

0.34

0.17

75

A. maxima (50°C, pHl)

35

20

2

0

0.00

0

0

A. maxima (50°C, pH3)

35

20

2

16.6

0.22

0.11

64

A. maxima (50°C)

35

20

2

28.3

0.40

0.2

70

A. maxima (50°C, pHll)

35

20

2

26.6

0.42

0.21

73

A. maxima (50°C, pH13)

35

20

2

12.9

0.18

0.09

68

A. maxima (100°C, pHl)

35

20

2

10.1

0.12

0.06

60

A. maxima (100°C, pH3)

35

20

2

20.1

0.28

0.14

67

A. maxima (100°C)

35

20

2

25.8

0.36

0.18

71

A. maxima (100°C, pHll)

35

20

2

27.8

0.44

0.22

74

A. maxima (100°C, pH13)

35

20

2

21.4

0.28

0.14

73

A. maxima (150°C. pHl)

35

20

2

4.1

0.04

0.02

53

A. maxima (150°C, pH2)

35

20

2

22.2

0.32

0.16

70

A. maxima (150°C)

35

20

2

24.2

0.36

0.18

73

A. maxima (150°C, pHll)

35

20

2

31.9

0.48

0.24

76

A. maxima (150°C. pH13)

35

20

2

8.1

0.16

0.08

68

Table 19 Characteristics of anaerobic digestion of selected cyanobacteria

36 Biogas Production from Algae and Cyanobacteria Through Anaerobic Digestion…

40

u>

Table 19 (continued)

HRT OLR

Substrate

Reactor

T (°С)

(days)

(gVS/L-

A. maxima

SCSTR

15

20

2

A. maxima

(1.5 L)

25

20

2

A. maxima

35

20

2

A. maxima

52

20

2

A. maxima

Semi-

35

20

continuous

35

20

1.95а

(1.5 L)

35

20

35

20

3.88а

90.7% A. maxima+ 9.3%

35

20

2.22а

sewage sludge

67.3% A. maxima +32.7%

35

20

2.93а

sewage sludge

50.6% А. нл7,а7нл7+49.4%

35

20

3.92а

sewage sludge

Sewage sludge (homogenized)

35

20

1.94а

90.4% A. maxima+ 9.6% peat

35

20

2.2а

extract

65% A. maxima+ 35% peat

35

20

extract

48% A. maxima + 52% peat

35

20

4.13а

extract

Peat extract

35

20

1.95а

чо

£

VS red.

(%)

Conv. eff. (%)

ch4

(L/L-day)

сн4

(L/gTVS)

сн, (%)

References

5

5.6

0.06

0.03

54.1

[160]

20

17.6

0.24

0.12

69

40.8

39.2

0.4

0.2

72

6.7

6.6

0.07

0.04

53.3

42.3

0.31a

0.31

74

[411]

26.2

0.37а

0.19

72

24.7

0.51а

0.17

69

24.2

0.62а

0.16

65

44.2

0.69а

0.31

73

38.3

0.82а

0.28

74

48.1

1.41а

0.36

76

45.8

_

0.64а

0.33

73

28.7

0.44а

0.2

71

40.3

0.84а

0.28

70

37.1

0.91а

0.22

60

38.5

0.43а

0.22

56

P. Bohutskyi and E. Bouwer

90.7% A. maxima+ 93% spent

35

20

2.2“

sulfite liquor

66.1 % A. maxima + 33.9%

35

20

3“

spent sulfite liquor

50.6% A. maxima+A9A%

35

20

4“

spent sulfite liquor Spent sulfite liquor

35

20

1.95“

A. maxima

SCSTR

55

8

2.82“

(0.2 L)

55

12

1.88“

55

16

1.41“

35

8

2.82“

35

12

1.88“

35

16

1.41“

A. maxima

SCSTR (12 L)

35

33

0.97

BMP biomethane potential; SCSTR semi-continuous stirred-tank reactor

“Estimated value from data presented in the paper

bEstimated from data given in L CH4/g COD using a COD/VS ratio of 1.5

Table 20 Characteristics of AD of green microalgae

Substrate

Reactor

T (°С)

ChloreUa sp.

BMP assay

37

ChloreUa (residues, butanol extraction)

(0.4 L)

37

Same + glycerol (4% of mass)

37

ChloreUa (residues chlorof./methanol extraction)

37

ChloreUa (residues after ACIST)

37

Same + glycerol (4% of mass)

37

C. vulgaris

Batch (5 L)

28-31

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Batch (0.25 L)

38

ChloreUa kessleri

38

D. salina

38

S. obliquus

38

Dunaliella

Batch (11 L)

35

ChloreUa + unknown specie + C. reinhardtu

Batch (0.5 L)

34

and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata at

34

low level

34

41

41

Same species, pretreated, T= 80 C

Batch (0.5 L)

41

41

Same species

Plug flow

34

Scenedesmus sp. 80% and ChloreUa sp. 20%

Semi-continuous 35

(algae from stabilization pond)

(11 L)

50

Scenedesmus sp. 80% and ChloreUa sp.

Semi-

50

20% + aluminum sulfate 90-120 mg/L

continuous

53

(algae from stabilization pond)

(11 L)

50

53

53

HRT

(days)

OLR

(gVS/L-day)

VS red.

(%)

сн4

(L/L-day)

CH4 (L/gVS)

CH4 (%)

References

38а

0.47ь

[436]

34а

0.32ь

30а

0.34ь

30а

inhib.

22а

0.26ь

22а

0.28ь

64

0.32-0.38с

68-76

[612]

35

0.387

66

[157]

35

0.218

65

35

0.323

64

35

0.178

62

28

0.91

0.4-0.41d

0.44-0.45

[156]

14

0.22

65

[237]

25

0.28

65

45

0.39

65

14

0.22

65

25

0.31

65

14

0.18

65

25

0.25

65

0.01

0.32

65

[237]

ЗО

1.44

43.1

0.23-0.27d

61d

[110]

ЗО

1.44

54

0.31d

62d

зо

1.44

0.3-0.31d

61d

зо

1.44

0.315-0.326d

22

1.44

0.303d

11

1.44

0.315d

7

1.44

0.207d

Mix of algae (major: Scenedesmus sp..

Semi-

35

10

2

0.18

0.09d

71.4d

[410]

ChloreUa sp.)

continuous

35

10

4

0.573

0.143d

69d

(4 L)

35

10

6

0.818

0.136d

68d

75% mix of algae + 25% waste paper

35

10

4

0.968

0.24d

64d

50% mix of algae+ 50% waste paper

35

10

4

1.17

0.29d

60d

25% mix of algae + 75% waste paper

35

10

4

0.317

0.085d

53d

67% mix of algae + 33% waste paper

35

10

3

0.823

0.274d

67d

40% mix of algae+ 60% waste paper

10

10

5

1.607

0.321d

60d

33% mix of algae+ 67% waste paper

35

10

6

0.856

0.142d

60d

Waste paper

35

10

4

0.452

0.324d

62d

Tertaselmis (fresh)

CSTR (2-5 L)

35

14

2

0.62d

0.31

72-74

[609]

Tertaselmis (dry)

35

14

2

0.52d

0.26

72-74

Tertasehms (dry) + NaCl 35 g/L

35

14

2

0.5d

0.25

72-74

ChloreUa sp. residues after ACIST (C/N 8.53)

CSTR (4 L)

25

15

5

0.94

0.188

64.5

[436]

30

15

5

1.135

0.227

68.3

35

15

5

1.51

0.302

67.9

40

15

5

1.54

0.308

69.2

ChloreUa sp. residues after ACIST+glycerol

CSTR (4 L)

25

15

5

0.96

0.192

62

(C/N 12.44)

30

15

5

1.04

0.208

61.7

35

15

5

1.475

0.295

65.3

40

15

5

1.325

0.265

63.1

ChloreUa sp. (75%). Scenedesmus sp. (23%)

CSTR

45

20

0.43d

71

[109]

BMP biomethane potential; CSTR continuous stirred-tank reactor

“Methane production reached asymptotic values earlier in samples with lower HRT

bEstimated from data given in L CH4/g TDS using a VS/TDS ratio of 0.9 for ChloreUa and 0.85 for residues “Estimated from data given in L CH4/g COD using a COD/VS ratio of 1.5 dEstimated from data given in the paper

because of their widespread, fast growth rate, and robustness. The BMP determined for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella kessleri, and Scenedesmus obliquus was 0.387, 0.218, and 0.178 L/gVS, respectively [157]. The amount of biogas produc­tion correlated well with the extent of algal degradation. C. reinhardtii exhibited a higher cell disintegration rate in comparison to C. kessleri and S. obliquus. Number of the Chlorella and Scenedesmus species as well as several other algae (e. g., Nannochloropsis) have resistant trilaminar membrane-like structure containing nonhydrolysable sporopollenin-like biopolymer—algaenan [161-164]. The overall cell wall structure has complex organization with three distinct layers: rigid internal microfibrillar, medial trilaminar, and external columnar (for green algae Coelastrum) [165]. The major algaenan functions are protection from parasites and desiccation [166]. Chlorella and Scenedesmus have internal rigid cell walls either glucose-mannose type or glucosamine-type [167-169]. In contrast, C. reinhardtii has a cell wall composed of proteins and glycoproteins [170-172]. Resistant cell wall retained S. obliquus cells undamaged after 6 months of digestion [157] . The average methane yield with different green microalgae from batch experiments is presented in Fig. 10 (error bars represents minimum and maximum values reported for each specie).

Optimal parameters reported in the literature for stable AD of a mixture of Chlorella and Scenedesmus were an OLR up to 4 gVS/L-day and an HRT greater than 11 days [110].

Fig. 11 Methane yield vs. OLR. (a, b) Gracilaria—diamonds, solid line; M. pyrifera (continuous stirred-tank reactor)—crosses, dash dot line; M. pyrifera (non-mixed vertical flow reactor)—boxes, long dash line; Ulva juices—triangles, dash dot dot line; Arthrospira—pluses, short dash line; Scenedesmus and Chlorella—circles, dots line. (c, d) Sargassum—boxes, solid line; Laminaria — circles, long dash line; Laminaria alginate extraction sludge—filled circles, dots line; Ulva— triangles, dash dot line; Ulva and manure— fi lled triangles, dash dot dot line; Enteromorpha intestinalis— crosses, short dash line