(302d) Benthic Polyculture Biomass from Wastewater Algal Turf Scrubbers As a Feedstock for Bioeconomy

Algal turf scrubbers (ATS) are floway systems designed to treat wastewater, via microalgal and cyanobacterial biofilm cultivation. ATS are a low cost and low energy-intensive method of removing nutrients, mainly from agricultural wastewater, utilizing algal photosynthesis. The resulting a resilient and adaptable benthic polyculture biomass can be harvested and further processed to get bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts. Carbohydrate, protein, and fatty acid contents of these polyculture biomass have been studied as well as biochemical and thermochemical processes to recover them and convert them into useful end products. A 2013 study has estimated an ethanol yield of 2.24 L.m^-2.year^-1 based on the ~24% carbohydrate content of biomass harvested from ATS floways on the Great Wicomico river, Chesapeake Bay, VA¹. This study reviews literature and our experimental data on culturing, harvesting, and processing of benthic polyculture biomass from ATS and evaluates its feasibility as a feedstock for bioeconomy.

Reference:

1. Adey, W. H.; Laughinghouse, H. D.; Miller, J. B.; Hayek, L. A. C.; Thompson, J. G.; Bertman, S.; Hampel, K.; Puvanendran, S.; Buschmann, A., Algal turf scrubber (ATS) floways on the Great Wicomico River, Chesapeake Bay: productivity, algal community structure, substrate and chemistry1. Journal of Phycology 2013, 49 (3), 489-501.