MICROALGAL BIOMOLECULES: POTENTIAL OF BREWERY EFFLUENT AS A CULTIVATION MEDIUM

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  • Presentation type: Poster
  • Track: Fermentation; production and application of enzymes in food; prebiotics, probiotics, pos-biotics; microbial or enzymatic production of products of interest to food; genetically modified foods and microorganisms; biochemical changes post-harvest – (BB)
  • Keywords: Biomolecule Production; Microalgae; Waste;
  • 1 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande
  • 2 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande | (Federal University of Rio Grande)
  • 3 Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya | (Polytechnic University of Catalonia)

MICROALGAL BIOMOLECULES: POTENTIAL OF BREWERY EFFLUENT AS A CULTIVATION MEDIUM

Arthur Vieira Villa Real

Federal University of Rio Grande

Abstract

Microalgae have the ability to metabolize nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and heavy metals present in industrial effluents, making them a sustainable and economically viable alternative for biomass and biomolecule production. These microalgal biomolecules, like lipids and carbohydrates, are being studied due to their technological and industrial potential, applicable in biofuel production and animal feed. The aim of this study was to evaluate how different concentrations of brewery effluent influence biomolecule production in the microalga Chlorella fusca LEB 111. The cultivation was conducted in duplicates, in a semicontinuous mode, with harvests on the 4th day of the stationary phase and a 40% renewal rate, using Erlenmeyer-type photobioreactors with a working volume of 1.8 L at 30°C. Two effluent concentrations were tested: EA50 (50% effluent, 50% distilled water) and EA75 (75% effluent, 25% distilled water). A control experiment with BG-11 medium was performed for comparison. The final biomass was lyophilized, and proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids were quantified. Cultivation times varied from 40 to 60 days. Carbohydrate content in EA50 and EA75 experiments did not differ significantly (29.06% p.p-1 and 30.74% p.p-1, respectively), but both were higher than the control (22.09% p.p-1). In terms of lipids, EA50 (45.54% p.p-1) stood out compared to EA75 (37.22% p.p-1) and the control (27.65% p.p-1). Protein levels were higher in the control (51.94% p.p-1), suggesting a metabolic shift in the microalga, likely due to low nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the effluent. The results indicate that brewery effluent is a promising and economical option for microalgae cultivation, enhancing the production of carbohydrates and lipids, especially under the EA50 condition.

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