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Harvesting microalgae by CTAB-aided foam flotation increases lipid recovery and improves fatty acid methyl ester characteristics

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Thea Ekins-Coward, Dr Jonathan LeeORCiD, Dr Gary Caldwell

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Foam flotation is an effective and energy efficient method of harvesting microalgae. This study has investigated the influence of growth phase and lipid content on harvesting efficiency. The highest biomass concentration factors were gained during active culture growth. Surprisingly, the quantities of lipid recovered from microalgae harvested by foam flotation aided by cetly trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), were significantly higher than from cells harvested by centrifugation. Further, cells harvested by foam flotation exhibited a lipid profile more suited to biodiesel conversion containing increased levels of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. The enhanced lipid recovery was partially explained by the interaction of the cells with the surfactant, CTAB, which adsorbed onto the algae and was carried over into the total lipid extraction process. However, further evidence also suggested that CTAB promoted in situ cell lysis by solubilising the phospholipid bilayer, thus increasing the amount of extractable lipid. This work demonstrates substantial added value of foam flotation as a microalgae harvesting method beyond energy efficient biomass recovery.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Coward T, Lee JGM, Caldwell GS

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Biomass and Bioenergy

Year: 2014

Volume: 67

Pages: 354-362

Print publication date: 01/08/2014

Online publication date: 14/06/2014

Acceptance date: 24/05/2014

Date deposited: 23/07/2014

ISSN (print): 0961-9534

ISSN (electronic): 1873-2909

Publisher: Pergamon

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.05.019

DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.05.019


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
EP/P502624/1Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

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