Microalgae as a solution for the recovery of nutrients from high-load sanitary wastewater

• Grant number: 18/18367-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Henrique Ribeiro da Silva
• Grantee: Gustavo Henrique Ribeiro da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Bauru
• Associated researchers: Alvaro José dos Santos Neto ; Germán Buitrón Méndez ; Heitor Cantarella ; Inês Cechin ; Katia Regina Evaristo de Jesus ; Késia Silva Lourenço ; Raul Muñoz Torre ; Rodrigo Braga Moruzzi ; Tânia Vasconcelos Fernandes

Abstract

Today's sanitation systems imply devaluation of waste, loss of nutrients, waste of water and emission of pollutant waste in the environment. It is known that the agricultural sector depends on the use of synthetic fertilizers for the global food production. However, this sector has been under great pressure due to the water crisis and the future shortage of phosphorus. In addition, the new concept of sanitation aims at the maximum recovery of energy and resources of wastewater, minimizing the use of drinking water and emissions of micropollutants. In this context, this project aims at the development and improvement of sanitary sewage treatment technologies that allow the transition to a circular economy and bring environmental, economic and social benefits. Therefore, a treatment process comprised of an anaerobic system and microalgae cultivation will be evaluated. Moreover, the final effluent quality, methane production and algal biomass will be monitored. The use of natural coagulants will be studied for the separation of the algal biomass by coagulation / flocculation. The resulting algal biomass will be evaluated for its biofertilizer quality and viability in Amaranthus cruentus cultivation. Removal of micropollutants, heavy metals and human pathogens will also be evaluated throughout the system to ensure final effluent quality and algal biomass suitable for reuse. Finally, the sustainability analysis of the process will be carried out, considering the different scenarios for algae biomass recovery. With the suggested treatment system the nutrients, energy and water cycles will be closed in a sustainable way, while we produce a valuable product of algal biomass. (AU)

Scientific publications

(12)

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

POMPEI, CAROLINE MOCO ERBA; GARCIA, THAIS GARCIA DA SILVA; BAGATINI, INESSA LACATIVA; BOLZANI, HUGO RENAN; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Impact of domestic wastewater micropollutants on microbial diversity in microalgae-based treatment systems. ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, v. 93, p. 12-pg., 2026-01-01. (22/07475-3, 18/18367-1)

JAMES, ABRAHAM O.; BANKOLE, ABAYOMI O.; POMPEI, CAROLINE M. E.; DANTAS, GUSTAVO A. S. A.; RUAS, GRAZIELE; SILVA, GUSTAVO H. R.. Exploration of Microalgae-Activated Sludge Growth Performance in Lab-Scale Photobioreactors under Outdoor Environmental Conditions for Wastewater Biotreatment. PHYCOLOGY, v. 3, n. 4, p. 19-pg., 2023-12-01. (18/18367-1, 22/07475-3)

BARREIRO, JULIANA CRISTINA; FLORENTINO, ANNA PATRICYA; FURLANI, IZADORA LIRANCO; SILVA, GUSTAVO H. R.; CASS, QUEZIA BEZERRA. An LC-MS/MS method for quantitation of methylparaben, benzophenone, and pharmaceutical compounds from domestic wastewater. FRONTIERS IN ANALYTICAL SCIENCE, v. 2, p. 10-pg., 2022-09-12. (18/18367-1)

FERREIRA, ELISA TEOFILO; BARROCHELO, SARAH CORREA; DE MELO, SARAH DE PAULA; ARAUJO, THAINA; XAVIER, AUGUSTO CESAR COELHO; CECHIN, INES; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Biofertilizers from wastewater treatment as a potential source of mineral nutrients for growth of amaranth plants. PLoS One, v. 18, n. 12, p. 24-pg., 2023-12-20. (18/18367-1, 20/06459-9, 20/10764-1)

PRADO, LARISSA DE OLIVEIRA; BOLZANI, HUGO RENAN; SOUZA, HUGO HENRIQUE DE SIMONE; RUAS, GRAZIELE; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Microalgal cultivation in open and closed systems under a tropical climate: A life cycle comparison. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, v. 422, p. 13-pg., 2023-09-06. (22/07475-3, 18/18367-1)

JAMES, ABRAHAM O.; BANKOLE, ABAYOMI O.; MORUZZI, RODRIGO; SILVA, GUSTAVO H. R.. Alkaline coagulation for separation of outdoor anaerobically cultured microalgae using natural-based coagulant. ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, v. 85, p. 10-pg., 2024-12-05. (18/18367-1, 23/08052-1, 22/07475-3)

DA SILVA, JULLIANA ALVES; BRAGA, ADRIANA F. M.; FERMOSO, FERNANDO G.; ZAIAT, MARCELO; SILVA, GUSTAVO H. R.. Evaluation of the influence of trace metals on methane production from domestic sewage, using the Plackett-Burman experimental design. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 294, SEP 15 2021. (18/00213-8, 18/18367-1)

TEIXEIRA, MARIANA SOUZA; SPERANZA, LAIS GALILEU; DA SILVA, ISABEL COSTACURTA; MORUZZI, RODRIGO BRAGA; RIBEIRO SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE. Tannin-based coagulant for harvesting microalgae cultivated in wastewater: Efficiency, floc morphology and products characterization. Science of The Total Environment, v. 807, n. 1, FEB 10 2022. (18/18367-1)

DOS SANTOS, THALITA LACERDA; BARBOSA, FELIPE TELES; FLORENTINO, ANNA PATRICYA; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Synergistic nutrient removal by native microalgae-bacteria consortium: key parameter evaluation. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS AMBIENTAIS, v. 59, p. 11-pg., 2024-01-01. (18/18367-1, 22/07475-3)

POMPEI, CAROLINE MOCO ERBA; RUAS, GRAZIELE; BOLZANI, HUGO RENAN; FERNANDES, LUIZA MARIA; SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO DA. The influence of light intensities and micropollutants on the removal of total coliforms and E. coli from wastewater in a flat-panel photobioreactor☆. Environmental Pollution, v. 349, p. 8-pg., 2024-04-12. (18/18367-1, 22/07475-3)

POMPEI, CAROLINE MOCO ERBA; RUAS, GRAZIELE; BOLZANI, HUGO RENAN; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Assessment of total coliforms and E. coli removal in algae-based pond under tropical temperature in addition of carbon dioxide (CO2) and shading. ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING, v. 196, p. 11-pg., 2023-09-28. (18/18367-1)

FERREIRA, ELISA TEOFILO; CAETANO, LUCAS EDUARDO SANTANA; CANDIDO, JULIA MESSIAS BRESSAN; CECHIN, INES; DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE RIBEIRO. Enhancing Plant Growth and Photosynthesis with Biofertilizers from Sewage Treatment. AGRONOMY-BASEL, v. 15, n. 3, p. 21-pg., 2025-02-28. (22/11514-4, 22/07475-3, 18/18367-1)