Production of Spirulina platensis from Growth Media Containing Anaerobically Digested Cattle Waste

Abstract

The marine microalga, Spirulina platensis, was cultured in growth media that included various concentrations of digested cattle waste effluent from a pilot anaerobic digester system. The anaerobically digested cattle waste was diluted with either a synthetic sea salt solution or a diluted oilfield brine solution and culture growth rates were monitored over time. Media treated with digested cattle waste were significantly superior for Spirulina growth rate (with yields up to 785 mg dry weight L^-1 d^-1) as compared to the control treatment replicates (with yields up to 235 mg dry weight L^-1 d^-1), which contained no cattle waste. We also demonstrated that Spirulina could be cultured in diluted oilfield brine. However, the amount of contaminant algae rose as the concentration of anaerobically digested cattle waste increased in the growth medium.