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Comparative Study on the Harvesting of Marine Chlorella vulgaris Microalgae from a Dilute Slurry Using Autoflocculation-Sedimentation and Electrocoagulation-Flotation Methods

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Abstract

One of the most noticeable steps in the microalgae biomass production is the harvesting of cells from a very dilute slurry culture medium, which accounts for 20–30% of the whole process operating cost. In the present study, Chlorella vulgaris microalgae of the Persian Gulf, as a type of stable colloidal particles, were initially cultivated in an f/2 culture medium. The dispersed biomass was then harvested using the methods of autoflocculation–sedimentation in the jar test setup and electrocoagulation–flotation in a laboratory-scale horizontal electrodes’ plexiglass container. In this regard, the affecting factors on their harvesting efficiency were optimized and modelled applying response surface methodology. Considering the autoflocculation–sedimentation process and design of experiments results, the maximum harvesting efficiency of 66.00% was obtained under optimum conditions of pH = 12, mixing rate of 20 rpm, and 30 min sedimentation time. In the electrocoagulation–flotation under the optimum conditions of pH = 8.00 and 4.00 v/cm, DC electric field intensity between aluminium electrodes, the harvesting efficiency of 99.55% was achieved within 6 min. However, under the same operating conditions, for the first time in this study, by replacing the aluminium electrodes with the carbon cloth covered by a thin layer of filter paper as the anode, and the stainless-steel cathode, the 98.00% flotation efficiency was attained. Compared to the aluminium electrodes, the carbon cloth/stainless-steel set exhibited the lowest pollution, due to less electrodes’ corrosion.

Graphical abstract

Article Highlights

  • Chlorella vulgaris microalgae of the Persian Gulf was initially cultivated.

  • Autoflocculation-sedimentation and ECF were used for harvesting of microalgae.

  • Affecting factors on harvesting efficiency were modelled applying RSM.

  • In autoflocculation maximum harvesting was 66.00% at pH=12, within 30 min.

  • In ECF with Al-anode maximum harvesting was 99.55% at pH=9, within 6 min.

  • In ECF with carbon cloth anode harvesting was 98% but fewer ion contamination.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge support of the Aquaculture Department of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecology Research Institute for providing the Chlorella vulgaris microalgae pre-cultures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

    Zahra Pishgar, Abdolreza Samimi & Davod Mohebbi-Kalhori

  2. Department of Chemical Technologies, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Iran

    Soheila Shokrollahzadeh

Authors
  1. Zahra Pishgar
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  2. Abdolreza Samimi
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  3. Davod Mohebbi-Kalhori
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  4. Soheila Shokrollahzadeh
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Contributions

Prof. A. Samimi, as the second author and corresponding author, was responsible for integrity of the research work as whole from inception to finished article. He designed the concept of study and supervised Ms Pishgar (first author and the postgraduate student) as her first supervisor. He prepared the logistic and administrative support for carrying out the research and obtaining of funding. Professor Samimi also revised critically the article for intelectual content and approved its final version for submission. Ms Z. Pishgar carried out the research through setting up the instruments, performing the experiments, collecting the data, and interpreting them, as well as writing the first draft of the article under supervision of her supervisors. Dr. D. Mohebbi as the third author and second supervisor of the postgraduate student (Ms Pishgar) was mostly responsible for supervising the student in analyzing and interpretation of the statistical data. The article’s draft was also reviewed by Dr. Mohebbi for presenting his comments before submission. Dr. S. Shokrollahzadeh as the forth author and the advisor of Ms Pishgar was responsible for giving scientific advice to her and supervisors and reviewing the article before submission. As a environmental reseracher she had a good contribution in this study.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdolreza Samimi.

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Pishgar, Z., Samimi, A., Mohebbi-Kalhori, D. et al. Comparative Study on the Harvesting of Marine Chlorella vulgaris Microalgae from a Dilute Slurry Using Autoflocculation-Sedimentation and Electrocoagulation-Flotation Methods. Int J Environ Res 14, 615–628 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-020-00277-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-020-00277-y

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