Facile sand enhanced electro-flocculation for cost-efficient harvesting of Dunaliella salina. (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xiong, Qiong; Pang, Qi; Pan, Xinwei; Chika, A. Okonkwo; Wang, Liqing; Shi, Jia; Jia, Lishan; Chen, Changping; Gao, Yahui
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 187(2015)
• Page Start: 326
• Page End: 330
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Electro-flocculation -- Dunaliella Salina -- Zeta-potential; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.03.135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Availability of sand in the electrolytic process for microalgae recovery. Reuse of flocculated supernatant medium with no negative effect. Significant decrease in electric energy consumption. Abstract: Energy consumption and water resource in the cultivation and harvesting steps still need to be minimized for the popularization of the microalgae-based products. An efficient electro-flocculation method for harvesting Dunaliella Salina integrated with local sand has been successfully applied. Sand was effective for speeding up the processes of flocculation and sedimentation of algal flocs and the electrolytic hydroxides was essential to bridge the sand and small flocs into large dense flocs. The maximal recovery effective improved from 95.13% in 6 min to 98.09% in 4.5 min and the optimal electrical energy consumption decreased 51.03% compared to conventional electro-flocculation in a laboratory ambient condition. Furthermore, reusing the flocculated medium in cultivation of the D. Salina with nitrogen supplemented performed no worse than using fresh medium. This sand enhanced electro-flocculation (SEF) technology provides a great potential for saving time and energy associated with improving microalgae harvesting.