Eco-Friendly Approach for Treating Dairy Effluent and Lipid Estimation Using Microalgae

Aim: In this study, an attempt has been made to examine the utility of these species in treating dairy wastewater. Bioreactor was studied using immobilized Chlorella vulgaris and Anabaena ambigua to treat dairy effluent.

Study Design: The entire study including the treatment and filtration was conducted in Centre for biotechnology, Institute of Science and Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, between November 2014 to February 2015.

Methodology: The treatment of dairy effluent consists of two stages; the first stage includes dairy effluent treatment using immobilised Chlorella vulgaris and Anabeana ambigua, while the second stage involves sand bed and coal bed filtration.

Results: Chlorella vulgaris reported a high lipid content of 12% when compared with Anabaena ambigua 5% after the cultivation period. Whereas the protein content of Anabaena ambigua (40%) was higher than Chlorella vulgaris (28%) when compared with after harvesting. Whilst ammonium nitrate was completely removed by bead treatment it was 96% reduction when treated with Chlorella vulgaris. A 98% removal of phosphates was achieved on an average after algal bead treatment for both species in both modes of operation. Moreover, a significant decrease in BOD and COD was achieved by this method.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that, the cultivation of algae in dairy effluent results the combined advantages of treating the dairy effluent and also producing algal biomass, which can further use of food additives for aquatic culture, animal and human feed, energies such as biogas and fuels and bio-fertiliser.