ALGAE FOR NUTRIENTS REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER: THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT FOR ENHANCED ALGAL GROWTH
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Date
2024-10-10
Authors
Alhamaydeh, Ahlam
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Publisher
An-Najah National University
Abstract
Treating municipal wastewater using algae to remove nutrients is considered one of the most successful, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive natural methods, as algae grow naturally in wastewater if the appropriate conditions are available for its growth, such as nutrients, temperature, duration, and intensity of exposure to light, as well as the presence of bacteria that form a symbiotic relationship with algae to help it grow. This research studied the effect of artificial light on the growth of algae and its activity in removing nutrients from municipal wastewater. Three beakers of municipal wastewater in which the algae grew, with a volume of 5 liters as a pilot scale of patch reactors, were used and placed in the same conditions which were Temperatures and mixing for 15 days, with varying durations of exposure to artificial light. In the first sample, the algae was exposed to light 24 hours a day and was called the light sample. The second beaker was exposed to light for 19 hours, the fifth was exposed to natural daylight and was called half light sample, and the third sample remained in the day and night cycle, where it was called the natural sample. After 15 days of comparing the three samples, although the results were close in the two light and half-light samples, the algae in the light sample were the most efficient in removing nutrients from wastewater, as their efficiency in removing COD was 95% and phosphorus was 96%. 99.8% ammonium, TSS concentration 737.4 mg/L, and chlorophyll A pigment concentration of 129.4 μg/L. In the half-light sample, the effectiveness of algae in removing COD was 93%, phosphorus was 94%, ammonium was 99.8%, TSS concentration was 237.4 mg/L, and chlorophyll A concentration was 57.2 μg/L. Finally, in the natural sample, the efficiency in removing COD was 93%, phosphorus was 6%, ammonium was 56%, TSS concentration was 174 mg/L, and chlorophyll A concentration was 8 μg/L. These results show the effectiveness of algae as a natural method for removing nutrients from wastewater and the positive effect of light on improving algae growth and its efficiency in the treatment process.