LIPID PRODUCTION FROM MARINE MICROALGAE NANNOCHLOROPSIS SP. USING SEWAGE WASTEWATER

Abstract

The world's continuously increasing population continues to drive up global demand for fuel. The rising consumption of fossil fuels causes depletion and will bring them close to exhaustion due to their unsustainable and nonrenewable nature. As a result, biofuels are increasingly becoming a feasible alternative energy source throughout the world. Microalgae have recently attracted a lot of attention around the world because of their extensive wide applications as a renewable energy source for biofuels production because of their high lipid content, the fact that they don't require cultivable land or fresh water to grow, and their significant potential for CO2 fixation. Wastewater is a good supply of the nutrients needed for microalgae production, as they require a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. Inorganic and organic substances in wastewater are released into the environment and water bodies without being treated, causing pollution and eutrophication. thus, microalgae can also be employed as tertiary treatment of wastewater due to their capacity to digest nutrients. Despite the benefits of making biofuels from microalgae, it is still an expensive and energy intensive process since lipid extraction (including microalgae drying) is the most expensive and energy-intensive phase in the process. Organic solvent extraction is the most common technique for extracting lipids from algae, but concerns about flammability and high toxicity have prompted researchers to look for alternatives that pose a lower risk to humans and the environment. Ionic liquid is a green solvent that has emerged as the most promising lipid for microalgae lipid extraction due to its low toxicity, consistent lipid extraction rate, ease of use, and reusability.