Biogas upgrading by Scenedesmus grown in diluted digestate

Abstract: The aim of the work was to examine microalgae growth and nutrient elimination in various diluted digestates in the first trial, then to study CO2 removal from a simulated biogas mixture by the same strain in the second trial. Scenedesmus SCCP K-1826 was cultivated in the digestate from Sundet biogas plant diluted 10, 20 and 30 times. The cultures were open-air with occasional CO2 injections to control pH. On day 15, the best growth was obtained in the 10 times diluted sample. COD, TN and TP removal efficiencies were similar in each bottle as the strain didn’t perform better in any specific dilution. The control proved that additional mechanisms other than photosynthesis contributed to digestate cleaning. Using the 10 times diluted sludge, Scenedesmus was grown in sealed flasks filled with simulated biogas (35.3 % CO2 + 32.3 % CH4 + 32.3 % N2). More algal biomass was produced in this batch culture. Nutrient removal efficiencies were close to the ones reached in the open-air flasks. After 10 days, 96 % of carbon dioxide was reduced. Methane content was depleted as well, possibly due to undesirable methane oxidizing bacteria which infiltrated the medium.