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Understanding pH and Ionic Strength Effects on Aluminum Sulfate-Induced Microalgae Flocculation

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to understand the effect of pH and ionic strength of aluminum sulfate on the flocculation of microalgae. It was found that changing pH and ionic strength influenced algal flocculation by changing the zeta potential of cells, which was described by the classical theory of Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (DLVO). For both algal species of Scenedesmus dimorphus and Nannochloropsis oculata, cells with lower total DLVO interaction energy had higher flocculation efficiency, indicating that the DLVO model was qualitatively accurate in predicting the flocculation of the two algae. However, the two algae responded differently to changing pH and ionic strength. The flocculation of N. oculata increased with increasing aluminum sulfate concentration and favored either low (pH 5) or high (pH 10) pH where cells had relatively low negative surface charges. For S. dimorphus, the highest flocculation was achieved at low ionic strength (1 μM) or moderate pH (pH 7.5) where cell surface charges were fully neutralized (zero zeta potential).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Albena Ivanisevic at the Department of Material Science and Engineering at NCSU for the use of the Zetasizer and Alexander Richter at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering of NCSU for the kind help in zeta potential measurements. This research was financially supported by the US National Science Foundation (Award # CMMI-1239078) and the startup fund of North Carolina State University.

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  1. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Y. Cui, W. Yuan & J. Cheng

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  1. Y. Cui
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  2. W. Yuan
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  3. J. Cheng
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Correspondence to W. Yuan.

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Cui, Y., Yuan, W. & Cheng, J. Understanding pH and Ionic Strength Effects on Aluminum Sulfate-Induced Microalgae Flocculation. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 173, 1692–1702 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-0957-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-0957-4

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