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Preferential technological and life cycle environmental performance of chitosan flocculation for harvesting of the green algae Neochloris oleoabundans

Julie Zimmerman and 4 other contributors

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    Publication Date
    OCT
    Journal
    BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
    Location
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.06.012
    Citation
    Beach, E. ., Eckelman, M. ., Cui, Z. ., Brentner, L. ., & Zimmerman, J. . (2012). Preferential technological and life cycle environmental performance of chitosan flocculation for harvesting of the green algae Neochloris oleoabundans. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY, 121, 445-449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.06.012 (Original work published 2024)

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    Faculty
    Julie Zimmerman

    Julie Zimmerman Vice Provost for Planetary Solutions, Professor of Green Engineering, Deputy Director for Research at Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering

    Abstract

    Dewatering of the green algae Neochloris oleoabundans by flocculation was investigated for chitosan biopolymer, ferric sulfate, and alum. Chitosan was found to be most effective flocculant, with an optimum dose of 100 mg/L algae broth. Zeta potential measurements suggest the mechanism involves both adsorption and charge neutralization processes. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare the chitosan method to other flocculation methods as well as centrifugation and filtration/chamber press processes. LCA showed that among these techniques, flocculation by chitosan is the least energy intensive and had the lowest impacts across all other categories of environmental impacts. The results are discussed in the overall context of biofuel production from algal biomass. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.