Type of algae in recycled water matters for biofuel production

December 1, 2017 |

In North Carolina, Duke University researcher, Sarah Loftus, found that what kind of algae used the water last matters when growing algae for biofuels. She found that the type of algae previously grown in the reused water made a difference in algae cultivation. Algae secrete molecules into the water as they grow and the build-up can interfere with future algae growth in that recycled water. Loftus found that the harvesting method, temperature or other conditions didn’t matter as much as the type of algae mattered in its growth potential in the recycled water. Some algae like Desmodesmus, Tetraselmis, and Arthrospira were favorable in leaving behind harmless molecules in the water than other kinds of algae.

Category: Research

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