Biodiesel Production from Stress Induced Microalgae Isolated from Different Sources of Water

Abstract

This study involves the isolation of high lipid producing microalgae from wastewater, newlineoptimization of lipid production, transesterification of lipid to biodiesel coupling it with newlinewastewater remediation. Thirteen isolates were obtained from different sources of wastewater newlinein India out of which Pleurastrum insigne was selected for further studies based on its total newlinelipid content which was found to be significantly higher than other isolates. newlineThe total lipid content was further optimized (single factor) by growing P. newlineinsigne in Fogg s medium with varying pH and nutrient concentrations after which the three newlinefactors which induced high lipid accumulation were chosen for further studies. The interaction newlineof these factors (positive or negative) was studied using response surface methodology newlinepredicting the combination of the factors and their specific concentration which would result newlinein increased lipid content. The fatty acids accumulated were analysed using GCMS. They were newlinefurther transesterified to biodiesel and further characterized to meet international standards. newlineIn the second part of the study, P. insigne was grown in municipal, agricultural, and newlinetannery industry effluents to test the possibility of coupling wastewater treatment with biodiesel newlineproduction. It was observed that biological oxygen demand along with the content of newlinephosphorus and nitrogen significantly reduced along with microalgal growth. The organic newlineconcentration of some wastewaters supported the growth of P. insigne. The fatty acids newlineproduced when analysed showed that they were desirable for biodiesel production. The fatty newlineacid profile predicted the characteristics of biodiesel which conformed to the international newlinestandards. newline newlineBiodiesel Production from Stress Induced Microalgae Isolated from Different Sources of Water newlineThis work represents a successful case of optimizing lipid production in microalgae, newlinewhich could be transesterified into quality biodiesel along with the possibility of coupling newlinewastewater treatment eventually resulting in reduced cost of production and increased newlinesustainability. newline