Construction of Co-culture of Microalgae with Microorganisms for Enhancing Biomass Production and Wastewater Treatment: A Review Mohamad Padri (a), Nittaya Boontian (a*), Chatlada Piasai (a), and Mohamed Sahrul Tamzil (b)
a) School of Environmental Engineering, 111, Suranaree University of Technology, Maha Witthayalai Rd, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 , Thailand
*n.boontian[at]sut.ac.th
b) Graduate School of Biotechnology, IPB University, Jl Raya Dramaga, Bogor 16680, Indonesia.
Abstract
The development of microalgae cultivation in wastewater has been explored for years. Several wastewaters and nutrient sources related to biomass generation have been combined in recent years. On the other hand, several factors seem to reduce the possibility of industrialized this concept shortly. The growth rate and harvesting cost of the algae are often pointed as the leading cause of the gap for industrialization of this concept. To counteract these problems, constructing microalgae in the form of co-culture consortia with microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeast, has been attempted to enhance biomass production under a short period of cultivation. This review highlights the strategies to combine microbial strains and microalgae for enhancing the process of biomass generation based on the comparison of the productivity of single and consortium of microalgae cultivation. Subsequently, mechanisms to enhance microalgae growth are scrutinized based on their interaction. Furthermore, critical factors regarding the construction of the consortia are discussed. Eventually, identifying gaps in this concept is displayed to describe the path of future focuses in this potential field.
