Algae-facilitated chemical phosphorus removal during high-density Chlorella emersonii cultivation in a membrane bioreactor.

An algae-based membrane bioreactor (A-MBR) was evaluated for high-density algae cultivation and phosphorus (P) removal. The A-MBR was seeded with Chlorella emersonii and operated at a hydraulic retention time of 1day with minimal biomass wastage for about 150days. The algae concentration increased from initially 385mg/L (or 315mg biomass COD/L) to a final of 4840mg/L (or 1664mg COD/L), yielding an average solids (algae biomass+minerals) production rate of 32.5gm(-3)d(-1) or 6.2gm(-2)d(-1). The A-MBR was able to remove 66±9% of the total P from the water while the algal biomass had an average of 7.5±0.2% extracellular P and 0.4% of intracellular P. The results suggest that algae-induced phosphate precipitation by algae is key to P removal and high-density algae cultivation produces P-rich algal biomass with excellent settling properties.