Integration of domestic wastewater and native Tetradesmus obliquus for bioremediation and production of biomass rich in protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

The large-scale deployment of microalgae-based bioprocesses is often limited by high freshwater and nutrient demands. Domestic wastewater represents a sustainable alternative, enabling simultaneous pollutant removal and biomass production. In this study, a native strain of Tetradesmus obliquus, isolated in southern Brazil, was cultivated in raw domestic wastewater (RDW) and primary-treated domestic wastewater (TDW) at three initial inoculum densities (10%, 20%, and 30% v/v) for 14 days. Tetradesmus obliquus in TDW inoculated at 10% (v/v) removed 62.46% of ammonium and 98.56% of phosphate, simultaneously exhibiting the highest specific growth rate (0.16 d⁻1) and the highest biomass productivity (42.54 mg L⁻1 d⁻1). Iron and manganese concentrations decreased significantly with a native strain in TDW, indicating effective removal of them under the evaluated conditions. RDW was associated with higher carbohydrate accumulation (32.68%) and pigment production, whereas TDW was associated with higher protein content (45.83%) and a lipid fraction with a high relative proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (72.70–78.90%), primarily represented by α-linolenic and linoleic acids. The combined assessment of wastewater condition and initial inoculum density revealed distinct effects on the cultivation system. These aspects influence the biochemical composition of biomass, initial inoculum density, nutrient removal, specific growth rate, and biomass productivity. Thus, the present study supports the potential to integrate domestic wastewater treatment with the cultivation of a native Tetradesmus obliquus strain and indicates that, under the evaluated conditions, both the wastewater treatment conditions and the initial inoculum density influenced bioremediation performance and the biochemical composition of biomass.