Melih Onay

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Computational & Experimental Biochemistry Lab., Department of Environmental Engineering, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
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Abstract: Many strains of microalgae can grow in wastewaters through their ability to utilize inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater. The content of municipal wastewater changes from a location to others. Biofuel production from municipal wastewater has gained huge importance due to progresses in cultivation of microalgae in wastewaters. Biobutanol is produced by the acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation. In this study, we examined the biobutanol production efficiency of Chlorella sp. DEE006 which is cultivated in the municipal wastewater in flat-photobioreactor. Growth of microalgae was monitored at 680 nm using spectrophotometer and the biomass was also pre-treated with acidic hydrolysis (1 M H₂SO₄). Total carbohydrate and protein contents were measured. Fermented microalgae samples were taken for calculation of biobutanol concentration. We obtained both high biobutanol content (6.23 ± 0.19 g·L^−1) and high bioethanol yield 0.16 ± 0.005 g (g sugar)^−1. 50% wastewater had the highest biomass concentration (1930 ± 11 mg/L) among the wastewaters with five various concentrations. It had the highest biomass productivity with 0.28 ± 0.001 g L^−1d^−1. Also, it obtained the highest carbohydrate and protein concentration with 0.80 ± 0.02 gL^−1 and 0.95 ± 0.01 gL^−1, respectively. According to our results, Chlorella sp. DEE006 can be used for large scale biobutanol production in the future.

Keywords: Microalgae, Chlorella, Biobutanol, Biofuel, Municipal Wastewater

Cite this paper: Onay, M. (2018) Investigation of Biobutanol Efficiency of Chlorella sp. Cultivated in Municipal Wastewater. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6, 40-50. doi: 10.4236/gep.2018.610003.

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