Optimization of algae mixotrophic culture for nutrients recycling and biomass/lipids production in anaerobically digested waste sludge by various organic acids addition.

Anaerobically digested waste sludge contains very high concentrations of ammonium and phosphate that are difficult to be purified using traditional processes. Mixotrophic culture of microalgae is a potential way to achieve ammonium and phosphate removal, while harvesting considerable biomass for biodiesel production. In this study, four typical volatile organic acids that could be potentially produced from sludge fermentation were tested for algal mixotrophic culture in anaerobically digested waste sludge. The results showed that the addition of propionate and isovaleric acid had no significant improvement on biomass production, and even inhibited algal growth at low concentration. Fortunately, the addition of acetic and n-butyric acid (initial C/N = 10) increased biomass production by1.9–2.4 times compared to the blank culture. Higher biomass production increased ammonium and orthophosphate removal to 88.3–97.1% and 80.4–93.0%, respectively. Moreover, the optimal addition of volatile organic acids enhanced lipids production by 3.9–6.3 times, while achieving higher saturation degree in biodiesels. The results suggest that adding these optimal volatile organic acids is suitable to enhance nutrients recycling and algal biodiesel production from anaerobically digested waste sludge.