Publications

PRODIGIO Scientific Publications about microalgae production processes

Use of airfoils for enhancement of photosynthesis rate of microalgae in raceways

Cristian Inostroza, Javier Dávila, Sergio Román, José M. Fernández‑Sevilla and F. Gabriel Acién.

Publication Repository: Journal of Applied Phycology
Publication year: 2023

Abstract

The lack of adequate vertical mixing is one of the factors limiting the productivity of open raceway microalgae reactors. The existence of large gradients of light involves the cells being mainly adapted to local irradiance instead of average irradiance, which would allow for maximizing the light utilization efficiency, thus maximizing the biomass productivity of microalgae cultures. […]

Influence of pH and dissolved oxygen control strategies on the performance of pilot-scale microalgae raceways using fertilizer or wastewater as the nutrient source

Rebecca Nordio, Emanuele Viviano, Ana Sánchez-Zurano, José González Hernández, Enrique Rodríguez-Miranda, José Luis Guzmán and Gabriel Acién.

Publication Repository: Journal of Environmental Management
Publication year: 2023

Abstract

Dissolved oxygen concentration and pH are controllable and cost-effective variables that determine the success of microalgae-related processes. The present study compares different control strategies for pH and dissolved oxygen in pilot-scale microalgae production systems. Two 80 m2 raceway reactors were used, one operated with freshwater plus fertilizer and the other with wastewater as the nutrient source. […]

Long-term assessment of the nutrient recovery capacity and biomass productivity of Scenedesmus almeriensis in raceway reactors using unprocessed urban wastewater

Rebecca Nordio, Francisco Javier Delgado, Ana Sánchez-Zurano, Jose Gonzalez Hernandez, Enrique Rodríguez-Miranda, José Luis Guzmán, Tomás Lafarga and Gabriel Acién.

Publication Repository: Science Direct
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

The present work aims to assess the treatment of unprocessed urban wastewater using the microalga Scenedesmus almeriensis. Two 12 m3 raceway reactors, one supplemented by wastewater and the second by chemical fertilizer, operating outdoors in a semi-continuous mode, were used for eight months. Results suggested that S. almeriensis can be produced in wastewater without affecting the photosynthetic apparatus reaching a productivity of 13 g·m−2·day−1 on average in both the systems. […]

The power of unicellular primary producers

Cermeño, Pedro; García-Comas, Carmen; Giner, Caterina R.;  Logares, Ramiro; Marrasé, Cèlia; Massana, Ramon; Pedrós-Alió, Carlos; Sala, M. Montserrat; Simó, Rafel; Tamames, Javier and Vallina, Sergio M..

Publication Repository: Digital CSIC
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

Marine phytoplankton, including cyanobacteria and microalgae, dominates primary production across two thirds of the earth’s surface, sustaining virtually all marine life and exerting a fundamental control over global climate through carbon sequestration into the deep ocean. These unicellular photoautotrophs are responsible for roughly 50% of global net primary production, which is equivalent to producing 50 gigatons of organic carbon (C) per year (about 140 million t per day). […]

Rheology of microalgae concentrates and its influence on the power consumption of enzymatic hydrolysis processing

Solaima Belachqer-El Attar, Ainoa Morillas-España, José Luis Casas López, María Guadalupe Pinna-Hernández and Gabriel Acién.

Publication Repository: Science Direct
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

The optimization of downstream processing is a critical step in any microalgae-related process. The microalgal biomass is separated from the initial diluted cultures to form a concentrated slurry, the properties of which greatly influence the design and performance of further processing steps, such as enzymatic hydrolysis. In this work, the rheological behaviour of two microalgal concentrates produced both in freshwater (Scenedesmus almeriensis) and seawater (Nannochloropsis gaditana) were studied. […]

Profiling microalgal cultures growing on municipal wastewater and fertilizer media in raceway photobioreactors

Elisa Clagnan, Giuliana D’Imporzano, Marta Dell’Orto, Ana Sanchez-Zurano, Francisco Gabriel Acién-Fernandez, Biancamaria Pietrangeli and Fabrizio Adani.

Publication Repository: Science Direct
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

Microalgae cultivation is proposed as an effective system for pathogens reduction and wastewater depuration, however, a full characterisation of the risks is still needed. Two raceways were inoculated with Scenedesmus, one using wastewater and the other using a fertilizer medium. Microbial community and pathogen presence were explored by next generation sequencing (NGS), commercial qPCR array and plate counts. These methods proved to be complementary for a full characterization of community structure and potential risks. […]

Respirometric assessment of bacterial kinetics in algae-bacteria and activated sludge processes

A. Sánchez-Zurano, S. Rossi, J.M. Fernández-Sevilla, G. Acién-Fernández, E. Molina-Grima and E. Ficara.

Publication Repository: Science Direct
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

Algae-bacteria (AB) consortia can be exploited for effective wastewater treatment, based on photosynthetic oxygenation to reduce energy requirements for aeration. While algal kinetics have been extensively evaluated, bacterial kinetics in AB systems are still based on parameters taken from the activated sludge models, lacking an experimental validation for AB consortia. A respirometric procedure was therefore proposed, to estimate bacterial kinetics in both activated sludge and AB, under different conditions of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and substrate availability. […]

Partners Scientific Publications

Realizing algae value chains in arid environments: an Arabian Peninsula perspective

Kira Schipper, Hareb Mohammed S.J.Al Jabri, René H. Wijffels and Maria J. Barbosa.

Publication Repository: Science Direct
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

Algae are a promising feedstock for the sustainable production of feed, fuels, and chemicals. Especially in arid regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, algae could play a significant role in enhancing food security, economic diversification, and decarbonization. Within this context, the regional potential of algae commercialization is discussed, exploring opportunities and challenges across technical, societal, and political aspects. […]

Post-extinction recovery of the Phanerozoic oceans and biodiversity hotspots

Pedro Cermeño, Carmen García-Comas, Alexandre Pohl,  Simon Williams, Michael J. Benton, Chhaya Chaudhary, Guillaume Le Gland, R. Dietmar Müller, Andy Ridgwell and Sergio M. Vallina.

Publication Repository: Nature
Publication year: 2022

Abstract

The fossil record of marine invertebrates has long fuelled the debate as to whether or not there are limits to global diversity in the sea. Ecological theory states that, as diversity grows and ecological niches are filled, the strengthening of biological interactions imposes limits on diversity. However, the extent to which biological interactions have constrained the growth of diversity over evolutionary time remains an open question. […]

Related Publications

Fluctuating interaction network and time-varying stability of a natural fish community

Masayuki Ushio, Chih-hao Hsieh, Reiji Masuda, Ethan R Deyle, Hao Ye, Chun-Wei Chang, George Sugihara and Michio Kondoh.

Publication Repository: Nature
Publication year: 2018 (Correction 2022)

Abstract

Ecological theory suggests that large-scale patterns such as community stability can be influenced by changes in interspecific interactions that arise from the behavioural and/or physiological responses of individual species varying over time. Although this theory has experimental support, evidence from natural ecosystems is lacking owing to the challenges of tracking rapid changes in interspecific interactions (known to occur on timescales much shorter than a generation time) and then identifying the effect of such changes on large-scale community dynamics. […]

Microbiome innovations for a sustainable future

Kathleen D’Hondt, Tanja Kostic, Richard McDowell, Francois Eudes, Brajesh K. Singh, Sara Sarkar, Marios Markakis, Bettina Schelkle, Emmanuelle Maguin and Angela Sessitsch.

Publication Repository: Nature
Publication year: 2021

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being integrated into bioeconomy strategies around the world, including the European Green Deal. We highlight how microbiome-based innovations can contribute to policies that interface with the SDGs and argue that international cooperation in microbiome science is crucial for success. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to improve the lives of people around the world. […]

Reconstructing large interaction networks from empirical time series data

Chun-Wei Chang, Takeshi Miki, Masayuki Ushio, Po-Ju Ke, Hsiao-Pei Lu, Fuh-Kwo Shiah and Chih-hao Hsiehi.

Publication Repository: Wiley
Publication year: 2021

Abstract

Reconstructing interactions from observational data is a critical need for investigating natural biological networks, wherein network dimensionality is usually high. However, these pose a challenge to existing methods that can quantify only small interaction networks. Here, we proposed a novel approach to reconstruct high-dimensional interaction Jacobian networks using empirical time series without specific model assumptions. […]

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