Effect of nitrogen source and nickel concentration on green microalga Botryococcus braunii growth and its remediation potential

ARECO, M. M.; PASSUCCI, V.; NOSEDA, D. G.; CURUTCHET, G.; ROJAS, L.; ROTELLA, N.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2022

0921-8971

The effects of NO3- and/or NH4+, and nickel on the growth and the photosynthesis-respiration metabolism of Botryococcus braunii are analyzed. Also, NO3-, NH4+ and Ni(II) removal capacity are described in terms of metabolic and non-metabolic processes. Results demonstrate that B. braunii can live in a pH range from 3 to 9. The total productivity (P) and the productivity of the growth phase (Pv) are higher (≈ 58 and 61 mg L-1 d-1, respectively) when the culture media contains NH4+, than when it contains NO3- (≈ 45 and 51 mg L -1 d-1, respectively). The NH4+ consumption results in a decrease of the pH of the media from 7 to 3. B. braunii reverse the acidic conditions of the medium when NO3- is metabolized (pH from 5 to 8-8.5). Ni(II) specific removal is mainly due to adsorption and increases along with pH and initial metal concentration. The Hill model best describes the adsorption experimental data. The stoichiometric correlations between H+ desorption and nickel adsorption were 1:5, 1:3 and 1:2 for pH values of 5, 6 and 7, respectively. The present work is a new contribution on the biotechnological potential of B. braunii to live and grow at different pH values and to remove NO3-, NH4+, and Ni(II) by metabolic and non-metabolic pathways.