Integrated Dairy Plant Effluent Treatment and Production of Biomass and Lipids using Micro Algae - "Chlorella vulgaris"

Algal biomass is a potentially inexpensive source of energy which has high lipid content. As India is the Asia's largest milk producing country (104.8 million tons in the year 2008), the milk production terminates with an effluent production of 5.24% of the total milk produced i.e., 20 million tons of dairy waste is produced. This effluent can be broken down in many ways, but a more economical way is broken down by the growth of the algal species Chlorella vulgaris which results in the tremendous reduction in various toxic salts concentration and other complex chemicals. As the dairy effluent is hostile to the natural environment, the algae is used not only to break down the toxic substances but also to produce Biomass, which is produced at a rate of 17 g/l, which contains a lipid content of 30% (from 1: 1 ratio of effluent and water). Also the treated effluent has low chemical oxygen demand [COD], hence this can be used for irrigation of farms mainly those which are heavily fed with chemical fertilizers. The biosynthesis of organics salts, alkanoates [PHAs] and other phenolic compounds, involves algal species the process is secured by using i) large inoculums ii) tolerant strain (pure strain or GM, if available). This research work uses the pure strain of Chlorella vulgaris which involves the treatment of effluent with three different dilutions and analyzing them.