I. Sirakov, K. Velichkova, G. Beev, Y. Staykov
Abstract. Advantages of using algae for wastewater treatment include: low operational cost, possibility of recycling assimilated nitrogen and phosphorus within the algae biomass as a fertilizer, accumulated biomass for biofuel. Our purpose was to study the influence of organic carbon on bioremediation process of wastewater originate from aquaculture with use of microalgae from genera Botryoccocus and Scenedesmus. Algae cultivation was initiated in a bioreactor of 500ml Erlenmeyer flask containing 250ml wastewater. The experiment was conducted in variants without any organic carbon sources and the other with organic carbon source – glucose (1,125g.l-1). Light regime was adjusted at 15:9 h light:dark cycle in an illumination incubator until the end of experiment. The temperature was kept between 25 and 27oC. The pH varied between 6.5 and 7.5 and by this reason it was not adjusted. Species grown in wastewater with added glucose showed a better cleansing effect compared with the same grown in wastewater without any carbon sources. Better growth indicators and faster absorption of wastewater compounds was observed in S. dimorphus.