Use of Algae and Biosorbents for the treatment of waste water

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Use of Algae and Biosorbents for the treatment of waste water

I am building a prototype model to explain the use of algae and biosorbents in waste water treatment process. 

I am especially interested in using algae in urban waste water treatment systems.

Would you please share your experience and thoughts about this application and technology? 
Please share photos and technical details of sites -  like types of algae that were used, costs, treatment ponds specifications etc.
I would greatly appreciate your help.

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8 Answers

  2. Hi Rakshit

    Using algae to treat sewage is the best solution. 

    We have a process to grow Diatom Algae in sewage and in sewage polluted lakes.

    100 kgs of Diatoms would consume about 8 kgs of N and 1 kgs of P and also consume 170 kgs of CO2 to produce about 120 kgs of Oxygen.

    Thus the nutrients in the sewage can be used to produce all the Oxygen required to satisfy the BOD and COD.  

    A retention time of at least 7 days  is required to grow enough Diatoms to consume the nutrients, since Diatoms can only grow at a certain pace and density. 

    If retention time can be 30 days, you can even grow fish. The fish would consume the Diatoms and income from sale of fish would be more than the cost of treatment, so you can make a profit from sewage. 

    Treated sewage with Diatoms in it can be released into lakes and rivers and the fish in the natural waterbodies would consume the Diatoms. 

    If Green or Blue Green algae is used, you have to harvest the algae, this is expensive. That is why we are promoting Diatoms, since harvesting is not necessary and thus the process becomes economical.

    In nature Diatoms dominate lakes and oceans, they account for about 40 to 50% of all primary production in water.   

     

    1 Comment

  3. Dear Rakshit P.

    Interesting discussion,

    The blue green algae are not algae, but a form of bacteria that is an unusual green color. Also called cyanobacteria, blue green algae grow in both salt and fresh water, especially quiet lakes and ponds where they give the water a dark green color. Microalgae have demonstrated great potential as an alternative to advanced biological nutrient removal because it can reduce energy costs. The process does not require the addition of chemicals, it is simplified by not needing numerous tanks for operations and internal recycling, it can simultaneously deliver nutrient removal and reduce the CO2 footprint and it generates oxygenated treated water to the receiving bodies. Additionally microalgae sludge has ample post-application potential; it could be a source of high-value products  for use as biofuels and bioproducts. Blue green algae, including a type called spirulina, contain valuable nutrients and could also provide additional health benefits The history of the commercial use of algal cultures spans about 75 years with application to wastewater treatment and mass production of different strains such as  Chlorella  and Dunaliella . These are due to the understanding of the biologists in these nations for the biology and ecology of large-scale algal cultures, as well as in the engineering of large-scale culture systems and algal harvesting methods, all of which are important to the design and operation of high rate algal cultures to produce high-value products, such as Pharmaceuticals and genetically engineered products. Algal-based wastewater treatment systems use photosynthetic energy to drive nutrient removal, recent studies have sought to build on the early efforts to develop improved algal systems for urban wastewater treatment. The premise of this approach is that, mixed algal/bacterial systems can simultaneously reduce BOD, N, and P in urban wastewaters. The energy-rich biomass produced would then serve as feedstock for producing gaseous or liquid biofuels. This approach incorporates much of the internal energy of the wastewater into the biomass as well as solar energy captured via photosynthesis. The proposes a potentially energy-positive WWTP process specifically intended for warm-to-hot, arid regions where water is precious, such as New Mexico. Presents nutrient removal ability of an algal extremophile, Galdieria sulphuraria, with a broad genetic capacity for organic carbon utilization. The theoretical rationale of this proposal is that, the algal systems can produce nearly double the biomass per unit nutrient intake than bacterial systems and can generate nearly 20% more net energy.

    https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_the_valuable_products_making_from_marine_algae?_tpcectx=profile_answers

     

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301677991_Settling_velocity_distribution_of_microalgal_biomass_from_urban_wastewater_treatment_high_rate_algal_ponds

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301677991_Settling_velocity_distribution_of_microalgal_biomass_from_urban_wastewater_treatment_high_rate_algal_ponds?ev=prf_pub

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272239994_Capability_of_microalgae-based_wastewater_treatment_systems_to_remove_emerging_organic_contaminants_A_pilot-scale_study?ev=prf_pub

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279187829_Urban_wastewater_treatment_by_seven_species_of_microalgae_and_an_algal_bloom_Biomass_production_N_and_P_removal_kinetics_and_harvestability

    Please find attached herewith related articles from www.researchGate.net

    I am active researcher of that sites,

    with best Regards,

    Prem Baboo

     

     

    1 Comment

  4. Check out the work done by Dr Oleg Shipin and Piet Meiring, who have done extensive work in South Africa on the use of algae in the treatment of sewage by utilising it in enhancing the efficiency of oxidation ponds and associated biofilters.  They called their process the "PETRO" system. Their work was conducted primarily during the 1990's, and the process was subsequently implemented at scale, so there should be data available from these plants.

    1 Comment

    1. Thank you .Good work done by them but it is inefficient. It is a crude method. And the level of pollution has increased now wherein the algal systems have to be of maximum efficiency to cause an effect .

  5. We make a starch-based superabsorbent polymer that absorbs and holds on to 27g of water per gram of absorbent.  

    1 Comment

    1. Thank you for the post but could you elaborate on it more? I am confused. Does the polymer adsorb the contaminants? or does the polymer hold water?

  6. Hello P. Rakshit,

    Look at natural, fully functioning wetland and riparian ecosystems.  Periphyton and diatoms do much of the "cleaning" of water- including some heavy metals- by chemical and biological processes (adsorption, chelation, etc.).  

    My old company, Watershed Consulting, LLC, out of Montana, is deploying Floating Treatment Wetlands as part of waste-water treatment systems.  These islands essentially create tremendous surface area on which those beneficial organisms attach.  These manufactured wetlands can be made to different sizes to match your site and locally adapted plant species can be planted through the matrix. Different than heavily engineered approaches which require perpetual maintenance, these systems grow over time and after some time can become self-maintaining.  Scale is important.  If you want to treat large urban areas, modern wastewater treatment facilities do that.  But for smaller areas, look to wetlands-- either manufactured like FTW or enhancing natural wetlands on the landscape where algae and periphyton thrive.

    Good luck,

    Pedro Marques- Restoration Programs Manager- Big Hole Watershed Committee, Montana, USA

     

    1 Comment

    1. True. I believe in increasing the efficiency naturally by increasing the factors that effect the algal growth. Would you be interested in working together ? 

  7. It is very difficult to suggest what specie/s of algae can be used for wastewater treatment. There are over 300,000 algae species. Each wastewater treatment has specific characteristics and they have to be matched and studied with the wastewater you wish to remediate.

    We are in the process of setting up the first MAST Technology wastewater treatment facility in Lucknow, U.P. There are several wastewater treatment facilities world over that use algae to bioremediate the wastewater.

    We will be setting up several facilities. Our approach will be to use Photobioreactors instead of HRAPs, which is the convention. Our treatment will be in line with conversion of the biomass into value added products.

     

    1 Comment

    1. Great work. Photo bioreactors will increase the efficiency of algal growth and hence the removal of contaminants. You can set the conditions accordingly for the factors such as agitation, exposure time etc. I wish I could be a part of your project.

  8. Two sites that may be of interest to you, regarding this are oilgae.com, and algaeindustrymagazine.com.  Both have really good information.  Algae Industry Magazine also has vendor information.  Algae are very efficient at removing nutrients from water.  Some treatment plants also either anaerobically digest the biomass for methane production or pelletize and dry the biomass to burn for powering the plant.

     

    Good Luck!

    1 Comment