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Robert D. Gardner – Assistant Professor of Renewable Energy
& Sustainability
Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering and
West Central Research and Outreach Center
University of Minnesota
WCROC – Utilizing Dairy Wastewater for
Sustainable Production of Energy, Feed,
and Food
Midwest Farm Energy Conference
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Introduction• Childhood near Jackson Hole WY
• BS Biochemical Engineering (2006) – Utah State University
• Research Scientist – ATK Launch Systems, UT
• MS Biochemical Engineering (2008) – Utah State University
• PhD Chemical Engineering (2012) – Montana State University– Part of the Center for Biofilm Engineering
– IGERT Fellow – Geobiological Systems
– US/EC Course in Environmental Biotechnology – Fellow
• Assistant Professor in BBE at UMN (August 2014)
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1. Bilgen S, Kaygusuz K, Sari A. 2004. Renewable Energy for a Clean
and Sustainable Future. Energy Sources 26(12):1119-1129.
waterencyclopedia.com
Global Petroleum-Based Fuels and Feed-Stocks
• Global energy:• 40% electrical energy• 60% petroleum-based fuel
• Historically supplies of petroleum have been balanced with demand.• Anticipated decline between 2020 – 2040 according to the World Resources Institute.• As of 10 years ago:1
• 8 countries contain over 80% of global crude oil reserves.• 6 countries contain 70% of global natural gas reserves.• 8 countries contain almost 90% of global coal reserves.
Motivation Beginning in ~2005
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Carbon Cycle, Earth’s Climate, and Rapid Climate Change
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Agriculture: Environmental challenge
2016 Global Agricultural Productivity Report® (GAP
Report®).
Kawalekar, 2013. Journal of Bio Innovation, 2:73-78. 9
Water pollution and eutrophication of
watersheds
Greenhouse gases
Soil degradation
Chemical fertilizers + highly productive systems:
Bhardwaj et al., 2014. Microbial cell factories 13(1):.66.
http://sciencebitz.com/?page_id=597
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What are algae?
Heterogeneous group of
photosynthetic organisms.
Tomaselli, 2004. The Microalgal Cell. In: Handbook of Microalgal Culture: Biotechnology and Applied Phycology. Blackwell
Science Ltd..
Barsanti, and Gualtieri, 2006. Algae: Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. USA.
http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/the-light-and-dark-reactions-in-the-14705803
Different from plants.
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And microalgae?
0.2-2.0 μm in diameter.
Freshwater and marine
ecosystems.
Nearly all terrestrial and sub-
aerial surfaces, including ALL
TYPES of SOIL.
MICROMACRO
Mata et al., 2010. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 14 (1): 217-232.
Tomaselli, 2004. The Microalgal Cell. In : Handbook of Microalgal Culture: Biotechnology and Applied Phycology. Blackwell
Science Ltd.
ALGAE
In applied phycology:
Eukaryotic. Ex: Green algae
Prokaryotic. Ex: Cyanobacteria
Pyropia spp.
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Origin of Crude Oil
• Cyanobacteria• Chlorophytes• Diatoms
Ancient Swamps = Modern Petroleum
Origin of Coal
• Moss/Peat• Higher order Plants
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• Image from Schenk, P., et al. 2008. BioEnergy Research, 1(1), 20-43.
• Phototrophic microorganisms are biocatalysts that convert renewable
sunlight into biofuels, chemical substrates, and biomass
• Species and strain dependent characteristics
Photosynthesis for Biofuels, Specialty Chemicals, and Biomass
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• Functionality of 9DA as an equivalent petrochemical building block – wide range of markets
and applications:
• 9-Decenoic acid (9DA) is easily produced from C18:1 (z-9) fatty acids which are highly
accumulated in algal biomass.
Algal Lipid Petrochemical Equivalency
Burns NA. 2010. Biomass-The Next Revolution in
Surfactants. Inform 21(12):727.
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Value-Added Products (besides fuel) from MicroalgalBiomass
Metabolite Description Algal Compound
Lipids/Oleochemicals
Esters, dimer acids, quats, ingredients in many
formulationsFatty acid (including 9DA)
Amines Fatty nitriles
Fatty alkanolamides Fatty acid methyl esters
Fatty alcohol sulfates & ethoxysufates Fatty alcohols
Alkyd resins & emulsifiers Glycerol
Pigments
Astaxanthin, β-Carotene, Lutein Carotenoids
Phycobiliproteins (fluorescent applications,
colorants, and therapeutic uses)
Phycocyanobilin (blue),
phycoerythrobilin (red),
phycourobilin (yellow), &
phycobiliviolin (purple)
Protein Animal feed Defatted algal biomass
CarbohydratesEmulsion stabilization, bioflocculants, &
thickening agentsPolysaccharides
Polyhdroxyalkanoate BioplasticPolyhydroxyalkanoate &
Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate
Vitamins Vitamins for food or health sector Vitamin E & C
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• This world map shows Earth’s distribution of photosynthesis On land, this is evident via
terrestrial plants, and in oceanic zones, via phytoplankton. (credit: modification of work
by SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and ORBIMAGE)
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Alkaline Thermal Sites
Heart Lake
Creek
Acidic Thermal Site
Bioprospecting From Unique Environments
Organisms isolated from extreme environments like
Yellowstone National Park have naturally evolved to
have unique metabolism
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Algae Research – Isolation & Characterization
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WCROC Existing Dairy
• WCROC Dairy milks about 250 cows twice/day
– Typical of a medium sized Minnesota dairy farm
– Average 8500 lbs/day milk (990 gal/day)
• 5500 lbs/day conventional (65%)
• 3000 lbs/day organic (35%)
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How to include microalgae as part of the solution?
BIOFERTILIZER: C and N inputs from air Recycled N and P
Agricultural runoff -High N and P
Water effluent -High N and P
Sunlight + Air (CO2, N2)
Algae cultivation:Nutrient capture, conversion and recycle
Treated waterAnimal feed
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Nutrient Capture Conversion and Recycle
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Nitrogen - fixing cyanobacterial strains as
organic fertilizers
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Microalgae in Agriculture: Cyanobacteria and N2
Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) fixation
Heterocyst
Prasanna et al., 2015. Ecological Engineering, 84, pp.532–541.
Prasanna et al., 2015. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 1(1):998507.
Hashem, 2001. Aust. J. Plant Physiol, 28:881–888
Prasanna et al., 2012. In: Microorganisms in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology. Springer, pp. 173–
175.
30-50% 50% 50%
Replacement of chemical fertilizer
by cyanobacteria or cyanobacterial-based biofilms
50%
4
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Nitrogen fixation in heterocysts
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Nutrient Capture Conversion and Recycle
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Control 35-0-0 Hoagland’s Strain 16
Yellowstone var. Wheat
Strain 16Control
Suneson var. Camelina
7 weeks growth
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Control Hoaglands Strain B1611
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Control Hoaglands Strain B1611
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Algal biofuels – Production concepts
• Photos taken from a general internet search
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Experiment # 1. Soil + Algae
Effects on soil aggregate stability, microbial biomass and physicochemical
properties.
SOIL
ALGAE
+
Hamerly soil Air-dryingSieving
Algae cultivationHarvesting
Fresh biomass
Pots: 2.5 kg of soil +
algae at 70 lb N/acre
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Experiment # 2. Soil + Algae +
Wheat
Bag reactors for
algal growth
Soil inoculation
and seedingHarvestingIncubation in
growth chamber
No algae Algae
No algae Algae
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Wheat plants are likely using the nitrate from the algae.
01020304050607080
Noalgae,
noplants
Noalgae,
noplants
Noalgae,plants
Algae,no
plants
Algae+
plants
Noalgae,
noplants
Noalgae,plants
Algae,no
plants
Algae+
plants
Nitra
te (p
pm
)
Nitrate in the top layer of soil
4th week 6th weekInitial
Experiment # 2. Soil + Algae +
Wheat
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Experiment # 3. Soil + Algae + Simulated rainEffect on soil erosion by runoff and N/P content in leaching and runoff water
Events 2-4: Potential for erosion
control.
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U of MN BBE Dept. & WCROC– Lee Johnston & Shri Ramaswamy
– WCROC Renewable Energy Group
– Adriana Alvarez De La Hoz
– John Haseman
– Curt Reese
Collaborators
• USDA-ARS (soils research lab)
• University of Minnesota Morris
• Montana State University
Funding
• UMN
• Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
• US DoE/DoD
Acknowledgements
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Got Algae?