Our world today relies almost completely on fossil fuels, a resource which is depleting in supply, and negatively affecting our environment. For these reasons, a renewable, environmentally friendly fuel source must be found. Algae as gained a significant amount of interest for its ability to create an abundance of oil on a short time frame allowing for multiple harvest a year when compared to other renewable biological feedstocks. Another significant feature of this alternative fuel source is that algae can also grow in areas where agriculture cannot as to not directly compete with food supplies. Multiple countries are facing problems with the formation coastal dead zone brought upon by uncontrollable algal blooms that are overtaking natural habitats in these regions. This is a result of nutrient rich water from wastewater treatment plants being pumped into the surrounding oceans. Coupling algal farms with wastewater treatment plants can grow algae in a controllable environment. Doing so can utilize these nutrients before they are pumped out into the ocean, this will provide an attempt to regrow coastal shoreline by preventing aggressive algal blooms. In these studies, the algal system, Nannochloris eucaryotum will be explore for its potential to grow under wastewater nutrients. Specifically, the major nitrogen sources in wastewater, urea and ammonia, will be explored. A suite of analytical techniques including: fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) will be used to qualitatively and quantitatively explore the extent of these effects on the lipid storage mechanism inside these cells. A direct correlation between the instrumental techniques revealed that this algal system can grow under these nitrogen sources. In addition, an increase in the production of lipids was also observed when these nutrients begin to become depleted. Time dependent GC/MS studies revealed that this increase in lipid production is a result of intercellular majority comprise of triolean along with other contributions from tristearin, tripalmitin, and trilinolean. Understanding the fundamental chemistry behind increasing lipid storage in these algal systems will aid in the utilization of this renewable resource for future biofuel generation and their ability to integrated into wastewater treatment plants.

Potential for Nannochloris eucaryotum to create oil from wastewater-based nutrients

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.