Evaluation of self-purifying power of cyanobacteria Pseudanabaena galeata: case of dairy factory effluents

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the treatment of wastewater from dairy plants using the self-purifying power of filamentous cyanobacterium Pseudanabaena galeata. The performance and the reliability of using cyanobacteria as wastewater treatment technique were also assessed based on total bacterial flora, total nitrogen (NK), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC). The results obtained show promising treatment of wastewater if 25% and 50% dilutions were applied. Thus, respectively, for 25 and 50% dilutions, the reduction of the total bacterial flora was 67 and 45%, NK removal was close to 92 and 77%, the COD decreased by 77% and 65%, and the TOC decreased by 78 and 77%. The final concentration of cyanobacteria biomass increased from 15.72 to 585 mg/l and 475 mg/l, respectively, for 25 and 50% dilutions. These results suggest that cyanobacteria (Pseudanabaena galeata) may play an effective role in the biological treatment of wastewater.

Keywords

• Treatment
• Pseudanabaena galeata
• Self-purifying
• Wastewater
• Diary factory