Utilization of wastewater for microalgal cultivation
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10479969-B2
Publication Date
2019-11-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
Bioreactors and methods for cultivating microalgae under heterotrophic growth conditions using fruit wastewater as a carbon source are provided herein. The heterotrophic growth conditions include low irradiance of light sufficient to initiate light-activated metabolism, but not photosynthesis. The methods provide a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution for converting wastewater from dried fruit and wine industries into products like biofuels.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to cultivating a microalgae capable of heterotrophic growth by incubating the microalgae under a heterotrophic growth condition that comprises a media comprising a fruit wastewater, and by providing a light signal to initiate a light-activated metabolism. The light has a wavelength between 360 and 700 nm and an intensity less than 0.8 bcmol photons/m2s, and the light-activated metabolism includes a life cycle, a circadian rhythm, cell division, a biosynthetic pathway, or a transport system.
The heterotrophic growth condition further comprises applying the irradiation of the light in a cyclic pattern of light and dark at a ratio between 6 hours (light):18 hours (dark) or 23 hours (light):1 hours (dark). The microalgae is described as a Botryococcus sudeticus (UTEX 2629) strain or a Neochloris oleabundans (UTEX 1185) strain. The disclosed approach emphasizes cultivation using fruit-industry wastewaters, including dried fruit wastewater and winery wastewater.
After cultivating the microalgae under the stated heterotrophic growth condition, the resulting biological material can be produced in categories including polysaccharides, lipids, or hydrocarbons. Processed materials can be produced as biodiesel, renewable diesel, or jet fuel, and can also be described for categories including cosmetic, pharmaceutical agent, and surfactant.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims directed to a method and a culture for cultivating a heterotrophically growing microalga. Across these independent claims, the main inventive features are fruit wastewater as a growth media, light having a specified wavelength and intensity to initiate a light-activated metabolism, specified biological functions within that metabolism, defined microalgae strains, and cyclic light/dark ratios.
Fruit wastewater heterotrophic cultivation with light-initiated metabolism
A method for cultivating a microalgae capable of heterotrophic growth by incubating the microalgae under a heterotrophic growth condition sufficient to allow growth, wherein the heterotrophic growth condition comprises a media comprising a fruit wastewater and light having a wavelength between 360 and 700 nm required to initiate the light-activated metabolism and an intensity less than 0.8 bcmol photons/m2s.
Light-activated metabolism includes specified life-cycle functions
The light-activated metabolism includes a life cycle, a circadian rhythm, cell division, a biosynthetic pathway, or a transport system.
Specific microalgae strains under low-intensity cyclic irradiation
The microalgae is a Botryococcus sudeticus (UTEX 2629) strain or a Neochloris oleabundans (UTEX 1185) strain, and the irradiation of the light is applied in a cyclic pattern of light and dark at a ratio between 6 hours (light):18 hours (dark) or 23 hours (light):1 hours (dark).
Culture containing fruit wastewater with light-initiated heterotrophic growth
A culture for cultivating a microalgae capable of heterotrophic growth, wherein the culture comprises the microalgae placed under a heterotrophic growth condition sufficient to allow growth, wherein the heterotrophic growth condition comprises a media comprising a fruit wastewater, and wherein the heterotrophic growth condition further comprises light having a wavelength between 360 and 700 nm required to initiate a light-activated metabolism and an intensity less than 0.8 bcmol photons/m2s.
Light-activated metabolism includes specified life-cycle functions in culture
The light-activated metabolism includes a life cycle, a circadian rhythm, cell division, a biosynthetic pathway, or a transport system.
Specific microalgae strains with cyclic light/dark ratios in culture
The microalgae is a Botryococcus sudeticus (UTEX 2629) strain or a Neochloris oleabundans (UTEX 1185) strain, and the irradiation of the light is applied in a cyclic pattern of light and dark at a ratio between 6 hours (light):18 hours (dark) or 23 hours (light):1 hours (dark).
Overall, the independent claims cover cultivation of heterotrophically growing microalgae using fruit wastewater media, initiating a light-activated metabolism using light between 360 and 700 nm with intensity less than 0.8 bcmol photons/m2s, requiring that the light-activated metabolism includes life-cycle, circadian, cell-division, biosynthetic, or transport functions, and applying the light in cyclic light/dark ratios, with the microalgae limited to Botryococcus sudeticus (UTEX 2629) and Neochloris oleabundans (UTEX 1185) strains.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?