Microalgal biomass production and on-site bioremediation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide from flue gas using Chlorella sp cultures

Abstract

The growth and on-site bioremediation potential of an isolated thermal- and CO(2)-tolerant mutant strain. Chlorella sp. MTF-7, were investigated. The Chlorella sp. MTF-7 cultures were directly aerated with the flue. gas generated from coke oven of a steel plant. The biomass concentration, growth rate and lipid content of Chlorella sp. MTF-7 cultured in an outdoor 50-L photobioreactor for 6 days was 2.87 g L(-1) (with an initial culture biomass concentration of 0.75 g L(-1)), 0.52 g L(-1) d(-1) and 25.2%, respectively. By the operation with intermittent flue gas aeration in a double-set photobioreactor system, average efficiency of CO(2) removal from the flue gas could reach to 60%, and NO and SO(2) removal efficiency was maintained at approximately 70% and 50%, respectively. Our results demonstrate that flue gas from coke oven could be directly introduced into Chlorella sp. MTF-7 cultures to potentially produce algal biomass and efficiently capture CO(2), NO and SO(2) from flue gas. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.