Screening of microalgae for treating Garcinia cambogia wash water with potential lipid production

Abstract

The microalgae-based water treatment is gaining importance in recent years as it serves multiple purposes of which includes water treatment and biofuel production. Garcinia cambogia, a Malabar tamarind is a tropical fruit and the active ingredient hydroxycitric acid is popularly used as a weight-loss supplement. After extraction of the hydroxycitric acid, the wash water of G. cambogia is considered as an effluent. The potential microalgal species that can grow and treat G. cambogia wash water were isolated and identified as Dicloster acuatus BVR1 and Kalenjenia gelanitosa BVR2. Both the microalgal species adapted to G. cambogia wash water and entered exponential phase after sixth day with maximum specific growth rate of 0.310 day⁻¹ for D. acuatus and 0.296 day⁻¹ for K. gelanitosa during tenth day. The biomass productivity of D. acuatus was 0.03 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹ which is 58% higher than K. gelanitosa with 0.019 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹. The microalgal strains besides water treatment were subsequently subjected for lipid extraction and lipid productivity determination. The lipid productivity of D. acuatus was 2.68 mg L⁻¹ day⁻¹ which is lesser compared to 3.38 mg L⁻¹ day⁻¹ for K. gelatinosa. Both the microalgal isolates were promising for G. cambogia wash water treatment and lipid production. Hence, an environment friendly approach of water treatment with simultaneous lipid production for biofuel conversion is conducted.