Phagotrophic Algae Oil Removal Wastewater Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating oily water and wastewater are inefficient in removing dissolved, emulsified, and free oils, especially in industrial wastewaters containing toxic chemicals like phenolic compounds, due to their insolubility and resistance to biodegradation, and often require expensive and impractical processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of phagotrophic algae, such as Ochromonas danica, to engulf and process oils and greases by metabolizing them as a carbon source, effectively degrading harmful components and producing algal products like biofuel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods (coagulation, electro-coagulation, adsorption, membrane bioreactors) are used to treat oily wastewater, then some oil removal is achieved, but the methods are expensive and impractical on large scale
Solution Approach 1:
The algae system performs self-service by using the oil in the wastewater as its own food source for growth and energy, eliminating the need for expensive external treatment processes. The algae naturally consume and degrade oil compounds through their metabolic processes, converting the pollutant into biomass and carbon dioxide without requiring external energy input or chemical additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful oil and grease in wastewater into a beneficial resource by using it as carbon source for algal growth. The oil that would otherwise be a pollutant becomes the food source that sustains the algae, transforming the harmful substance into a useful resource for both waste treatment and potential biofuel production.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional methods are used to treat industrial wastewater with high oil concentration (up to 40 g/L), then some treatment is achieved, but the methods are incapable of removing large quantities of oil efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the fundamental parameter of how oil is removed by shifting from physical/chemical processes to biological consumption. Algae metabolically consume oil compounds, transforming them from dissolved and emulsified forms into algal biomass through cellular processes, enabling efficient removal of high oil concentrations that conventional physical methods cannot handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The algae system provides multi-functionality by simultaneously performing oil removal, carbon fixation, and biomass production. The same algal culture that consumes and degrades oil compounds also produces valuable biomass that can be used for biofuel, creating a multi-purpose system that addresses both pollution control and resource generation.
3Quantity of substance
If phagotrophic algae are used to engulf and metabolize oil, then oil concentration is reduced by up to 96%, but the process requires introducing and managing algal cultures
Solution Approach 1:
The algal culture system is self-sustaining, using the oil in the wastewater as its own food source. The algae naturally regulate their own growth and oil consumption through their metabolic processes, eliminating the need for complex external control systems. The culture maintains itself by converting oil into biomass and energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The algae serve as an intermediary between the oil pollutant and the environment. They consume the oil through phagocytosis and metabolism, transforming it into harmless products (carbon dioxide, water, and biomass) while providing a biological bridge that converts the difficult-to-remove oil into manageable forms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for efficient treatment of oily wastewaters on a large scale, reducing oil concentrations by up to 96% and promoting algal growth, while producing valuable algal biomass and biofuels, offering an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention further relates to the use of phagotrophic algae to engage and process oils and greases that can be found in water and wastewater
Implementation Method 2
The present invention generally relates to treating water having oils and greases therein. The present invention further relates to the use of phagotrophic algae to engage and process oils and greases
Data Source
AI summary
A method for treating an oil-containing medium including oil or grease or both oil and grease includes the steps of combining algae with an oil-containing medium and allowing the algae to engulf or uptake at least a portion of the oil or grease in the oil-containing medium. A mixture for treating oil or grease or both oil and grease includes an oil-containing medium including oil or grease or both oil and grease and phagotrophic algae that engulf or uptake at least a portion of the oil or grease in the oil-containing medium.