Biology, Vol 4, No 3 (2011)

Use of urine in the nutrition of Chlorella vulgaris

Iliada V. Gribovskay, Galina S. Kalachova, Lyalya S. Tirranen, Andzhela A. Kolvakova, Yuliya I. Bayanova

Abstract


We have studied the effect of increasing concentrations of human native urine, NaCl, urea and NH4Cl on the batch culture of Chorella vulgaris. It was stated that the concentration limit for the culture growth is addition of urine (up to 50 ml/l), 30 g/l of NaCl, 800 mg/l of urea, and 20 g/l of NH4Cl to the nutrient solution. A nutrient solution for Chlorella was suggested containing the acid extract (HNO3) of urine ash (450° С) and native urine. Several ways of adding nitrogen to the experimental solution of Chlorella were considered: HNO3, urea, native urine, NH4Cl from the acid trap of urine vapors. The optimal ratios of urine ash water extract, native urine and HNO3 were determined in the suggested nutrient solution of chlorella. Comparative data were given on the biochemical value of the control and experimental biomasses of the batch and continuous culture of C. vulgaris according to the following parameters: mineral, amino acid and fatty acid content, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins and microbial biota. These parameters were also compared to the cultures of the cyanobacteria Spirullina platensis and Oscilatoria deflexa cultivated in batch mode.