THE USE OF AGRO-INDUSTRIAL

WASTE FOR THE CULTIVATION

OF MICROALGAE:
CONTAMINATION RISKS AND
BIOMASS SECURITY PROBLEMS
Dayra Mosquera
Valentina Valencia
Ariana Cardona
Isabella Piedrahita
 IMPORTANT CONCEPT

WaW= Microalgae cultivation

using agro-industrial waste
and sewage
 INTRODUCTION
More than 15% of people today do not have
sufficient access to a protein and energy
balance in their diets, with micronutrient
malnutrition.
 The decrease in irrigation water,
together with the increase in global
temperature, destabilize cultivation
systems and pose a threat to the
security of food and feed.
 Microalgae (including cyanobacteria)
and aquatic plants such as duckweed
are a very promising renewable source
of nutrients that could be used as a raw
material for the production of a wide
range of products.
 Aquatic organisms, such as microalgae
(Chlorella, Arthrospira (Spirulina), and
Duckweed (Lemna spp.)

They are a potential source for the

production of biomass rich in proteins and
fatty acids, pigments, and vitamins.
Microalgae cultivation
using
agro-industrial waste
and wastewater
(WAW) is of
particular interest in
the context of a
circular economy.
 PROBLEMATIC
Agro-industrial residues are rich in nutrients and
have been widely considered as a potential source
of nutrients for the cultivation of microalgae.

However, they commonly contain several

dangerous pollutants, which could potentially
stain the biomass produced.
In this article, an overview of the most
important contaminants is given:
1.Heavy metals
2.Pathogens
3.Xenobiotics
 Microalgae and duckweed are vital
to highly integrate nutrient recovery
from wastewater with highly
versatile production
 Due to the great heterogeneity in the
physicochemical characteristics of agro-industrial
waste, the article focuses only on the rich flows of
agro-industrial nutrient waste:
-The manures
-Livestock wastewater
These have been suggested as a promising source
of nutrients for microalgae and duckweed
cultivation
 METHODOLOGY
A comprehensive study of hazardous
pollutants that can stain biomass was
conducted.
 1. HEAVY METALS
Are a group of chemical elements that have a
high density.
They are generally toxic to humans
 HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN
AGROINDUSTRIAL WASTE AND SEWAGE

Zn
Cu
As
 Microalgae and duckweed have
frequently been considered as means for
the removal of heavy metals from
aqueous solutions due to their relatively
high Sorptive capacities.
HEAVY METAL REMOVAL DURING PRETREATMENT AND POTENTIAL BIOMASS
CONTAMINATION

Several methods can be used for the

removal of Heavy Metals:
Chemical precipitation
Ion exchange
Adsorption
Filtration and coagulation
CHEMICAL PRECIPITATION ION EXCHANGE

ADSORPTION FILTRATION
2. PATHOGENS
Pathogens is a broad term that
encompasses all
microorganisms that can cause
disease. This includes:
Bacteria
Mushrooms
Virus
Prions
 Many pathogens are Zoonotic,
meaning they can cause infections in
Animals and Humans, and can
survive in various environmental
conditions.
PATHOGEN CONTENT IN AGRO-INDUSTRIAL
WASTE AND WASTEWATER
BACTERIA VIRUS

PARASITES MUSHROOMS
 ELIMINATION OF PATHOGENS
DURING PRETREATMENT
There are several Environmental Factors
that inhibit pathogen survival:
-pH
-Temperature
-Humidity
-Osmotic force
-Ultraviolet light
 There are three main categories of
treatment methods:

1.PHYSICAL METHOD Pasteurization, UV irradiation

and filtration.

2.CHEMICAL METHODS Alkaline treatment,

chlorination, ozonation, and advanced oxidation
processes.

3.BIOLOGICAL METHODS Anaerobic digestion

 3. XENOBIOTICS
STEROID HORMONES:

Testosterone Progesterone

ANTIBIOTICS:

MYCOTOXINS AND DIOXINS:

ELIMINATION OF XENOBIOTICS
DURING PRETREATMENT

Adsorption.
Advanced oxidation chemical
processes.
 RESULTS
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of
the United Nations has established a series of
standards and recommendations to deal with the
presence of contaminants:
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
 Most countries establish standards for
agro-industrial waste and wastewater
management, in order to guarantee an
adequate level of Safety and Protection
of public health.
 Some WaW cannot be applied to crops
intended for Human Consumption, as
they are Highly Dangerous, for example:
Hospital Waste, they are not allowed to
be used for agriculture
 Although there is a growing interest in
using agro-industrial WaW for
Biotechnology applications, such as the
cultivation of Microalgae or Duckweed,
there are unknown regulations or
standards that recognize the risk of
contamination from the use of WaW.
 CONCLUSIONS
1. The risk of contamination
with Heavy Metals could
be low.
2. The risk of Pathogen
contamination could be
mainly low, but variable.
 3. The risk of Hormone
contamination is variable,
but estimated as low to
moderate.
 4. The potential risk of
Antibiotic contamination is
low to moderate.
5. Finally, it is concluded that it is very
important to do a Pre-treatment of
WaW, in order to inhibit the uptake of
contaminants by Microalgae and
Duckweed, thus mitigating Biomass
Contamination.
THANKS FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION