Factors impacting the effectiveness of biological pretreatment for the alleviation of algal growth inhibition on anaerobic digestate

Algal growth is often inhibited in full-strength anaerobic digestate. The objective of this study was to investigate conditions under which digestate pretreatment using bacteria effective promoting algal growth, nutrient removal, and favorable changes biomass composition. Batch culture experiments were carried out low- high-strength municipal sludge digestate, two algae strains varying sensitivity inhibitors, short long periods, axenic vs. non-axenic cultures. Pretreatment increased up 40%, N assimilation (up 29%), P removal (340%) by Chlorella sorokiniana (resilient algae) when grown on did not increase or combined with low-strength more sensitive strain, Auxenochlorella protothecoides, benefitted from both even preventing complete cell death the latter. starch content but lipid algae.