Water Reuse to the Rescue!

Water Reuse to the Rescue!

By Jose Chavana

 Results show microalgae concentrations and recovered water percentage with membrane microfiltration and centrifugation practices under different rotation cycles and reused water percentages. Figure taken from Carone Et al. 2024.

    Regardless of their microscopic size, microalgae are noted for their capacity to accumulate large numbers of essential organic compounds (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins), pigments, and vitamins, earning them the recognition as favorable feedstocks to food, cosmetic, and biofuel industries. Such industries consider Galdieria sulphuraria a significant microalgae species, as it can provide individuals with valuable compounds such as the phycobiliprotein C-phycocyanin. However, G. sulphuraria naturally requires cultivation with low pH conditions, like sulphuric acid, leading to the discharge of illegal exceeding amounts of acidic wastewater into freshwater surfaces. As an alternative, Carone and colleagues researched water reuse as a new cultivation medium. The results show that 25% of water reuse is easily implemented and shows effectiveness on the pilot scale, providing no changes in microalgae growth or in phycocyanin accumulation following three cultivation cycles in reused water. On the other hand, a single cultivation cycle with water reuse consisting of percentages of 71 and 98% with membrane filtration and centrifugation, respectively, was also effective. This research could be considered an advancement in environmental sustainability as it focuses on utilizing reused water for cultivating G. sulphuraria, reducing the implementation of dumping wastewater into freshwater surfaces, thus reducing harm to freshwater ecosystems while keeping industries relying on these microalgae species on a stable economy. 

Carone M, Malaguti M, Zanetti M, Tiraferri A, and Riggio VA. 2024. Towards sustainable water management for Galdieria sulphuraria cultivation. Science of the Total Environment 950: 175267-175275.