Microalgae are able to convert nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from wastewater into biomass and
bio-products,
thus improving the sustainability of wastewater treatment. In High Rate Algal Ponds
(HRAP),
biomass productivity and water treatment efficiency are highly dependent on environmental
parameters
such as temperature, light intensity and photoperiod. The influence of temperature and
photoperiod
on biomass productivity and the removal of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus from
municipal
wastewater by a native microalgae-bacteria consortium was assessed in batch cultures in view
of
the development of an HRAP at a larger scale. Temperature affected the growth rate and microalgae
biomass
production as well as ammonium and phosphate removal rates. At the temperatures 15 and
25
C, the average total nitrogen and phosphorus removal extents ranged from 72 to 83% and 100%
respectively.
Additionally 33.0 0.1% of the total nitrogen was eliminated by stripping at 25
C, and
50
2% was assimilated by the microorganisms under all conditions tested.