Author: Solene Pauline Francoise Jahan
Jahan, Solene Pauline Francoise, 2024 Towards a better understanding of kinetic interactions between microalgae and bacteria - From lab to large-scale high-rate algal pond, Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering
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High rate algal ponds (HRAP) are low-energy consuming wastewater treatment systems where microalgae provide the oxygen to bacteria for aerobic degradation of organic matter. This thesis propose an integrative approach involving different study systems to investigate interactions within the microalgae-bacteria consortium in high rate algal ponds. The assumption that organic carbon is consumed solely by bacteria in HRAP has been discussed in the literature, raising the hypothesis that heterotrophic growth of microalgae could be relevant and potentially impacting the interactions with bacteria. Considering the complexity of trophic interactions inside the microalgae-bacteria consortium, a study in laboratory photobioreactor in controlled conditions using acetate as the organic carbon source and coupled to a modeling approach was conducted. These tools turned out to be oversimplified, however this work revealed that interactions between microalgae and bacteria in high-rate algal ponds would be more complex than a simple synergy relying on O2 and CO2 exchanges. Besides, microalgae played a major role not only in trophic interactions with bacteria but also in disinfection mechanisms through Reactive Oxygen Species production.
Keywords: high rate algal pond, photobioreactor, carbon, oxygen, mixotrophy
Subject: Biological Sciences thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2024
School: College of Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Professor Howard Fallowfield