Effect of cresols treatment by microalgae on the cells’ composition

Microalgae is considered the most promising source of oils for biodiesel production. Beside microalgae contain proteins and pigments, which have large applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Combining the cultivation of microalgae for the production of these compounds with wastewater treatment renders the overall process very attractive and economically feasible. However, the selection of the most suitable application to be coupled with the wastewater treatment depends on the composition of the harvested microalgae. In the present work, the effectiveness of Chlorella sp. for the degradation of p-cresol have been evaluated at a concentration ranging from 35 to 330 mg/L. The effect of initial concentration on the contaminants removal, biomass productivity and the chemical composition of microalgae has been determined. Results shows that, Chlorella sp. can degrade p-cresol at concentration up to 330 mg/L, and use it for biomass growth. Biochemical assay showed an improvement in the lipid productivity at higher concentrations, combined with the reduction in the protein content. The highest pigment composition was obtained at the optimum biomass growth, at 150 mg/L. These results give deep understanding of the factors that must be considered when integrating wastewater treatment with using the harvested biomass in other applications.