Growth of Chlorella vulgaris during Active Immobilisation in Calcium Alginate

• Published in: Applied biochemistry and microbiology 2024-12, Vol.60 (6), p.1187-1195
• Main Authors: Barcellos, B. S. de C., Gutterres, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Alginic acid; Aquatic microorganisms; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Calcium; Calcium absorption; Calcium alginate; cell growth; Chlorella; Chlorella vulgaris; Chlorophyll; Emission analysis; Excitation spectra; Fluorescence; fluorescence emission spectroscopy; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Immobilization; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Microalgae; Microbiology; Microorganisms; nitrates; Nutrient removal; nutrient uptake; Nutrients; phosphates; viability; Wastewater treatment
• ISSN: 0003-6838; 1608-3024
• DOI: 10.1134/S0003683823603062

Microalgae immobilisation is an attractive alternative for wastewater treatment. These microorganisms have high nutrient absorption capability, and when immobilised, are easy to apply and collect into the treatment, although the viability of cells and effectiveness of this process under these conditions still needs to be explored. This study aims to evaluate the viability of Chlorella vulgaris cells taken at 3 initial concentrations, C1, 5.93 × 10 5 ± 8.84 × 10 4 , C2, 1.75 × 10 6 ± 5.09 × 10 5 and C3, 2.95 × 10 7 ± 9.81 × 10 5 cells/mL, immobilised in the calcium alginate beads for the nutrients removal in Jaworski’s modified medium. The cell growth of immobilised and suspended cells was analysed by cell counting and chlorophyll content by fluorescence spectroscopy in an excitation-emission matrix. The results revealed that the immobilised microalgae grew and removed nutrients regardless of initial concentration. The most concentrated immobilised C. vulgaris (C3) had the highest concentration of cells, 1.67 × 10 8 cells/mL, and removed more nutrients (100% of nitrate and 96.33% of phosphate) with chlorophyll fluorescence of C3, 22.99 RFU at the end of experiment.