wcroc utilizing dairy wastewater for sustainable ... · protein animal feed defatted algal biomass...
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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
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)
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
Carbon Cycle, Earth’s Climate, and Rapid Climate Change
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
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.
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.
Origin of Crude Oil
• Cyanobacteria• Chlorophytes• Diatoms
Ancient Swamps = Modern Petroleum
Origin of Coal
• Moss/Peat• Higher order Plants
• 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
• 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.
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
• 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)
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
Algae Research – Isolation & Characterization
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%)
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
Nutrient Capture Conversion and Recycle
Nitrogen - fixing cyanobacterial strains as
organic fertilizers
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
Nitrogen fixation in heterocysts
Nutrient Capture Conversion and Recycle
Control 35-0-0 Hoagland’s Strain 16
Yellowstone var. Wheat
Strain 16Control
Suneson var. Camelina
7 weeks growth
Control Hoaglands Strain B1611
Control Hoaglands Strain B1611
Algal biofuels – Production concepts
• Photos taken from a general internet search
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
Experiment # 2. Soil + Algae +
Wheat
Bag reactors for
algal growth
Soil inoculation
and seedingHarvestingIncubation in
growth chamber
No algae Algae
No algae Algae
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
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.
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
Got Algae?