Application of algae in the wastewather treatment of pulmp- and paper industries

In the frame of the CORNET, ALBAQUA international research project the paper industrial effluents have been treated with algae-breed by as from branches of Chlorella vulgaris Hamburgenesis as well as those of Chlorella vulgaris Tihany. For the mentioned research project several photo-bioreactors have been constructed and used. The mentioned reactors have been as follows: – stirred tank photo-bioreactor (externally illuminated fermentation vessel, significant attenuation of light across diameter of bioreactor vessel), – perfusion airlift photo-bioreactor (airlift operation uniformly suspends micro-plantlets and improves exposure to light, continuous addition of nutrients medium), – and tubular recycle photo-bioreactor (CO2 mass transfer occurs only in aeration tank, tube diameter has short light path to reduce light attenuation through culture suspension). The following ecological factors have been determined: light intensity, proportion of dark and light periods, temperature, concentration of CO2 and flow-rate. The ability of the algae for decreasing of the organic compound content of the system has also been determined. Preliminary experiments have been started for combined applications of algae with bacteria in the wastewater purifying technology. In this set of expe-riments Chlorella green algae have been combined with cyanobacteria. Latter ones have generally been produced in the wastewater.

Kulcsszavak: alga, Chlorella vulgaris, szennyvíztisztítás, cellulóz- és papíripar