Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A
ISSN 1673-565X(Print), 1862-1775(Online), Monthly

2007   Vol. 8   No. 11   p. 1846~1852

Effects of N source and nitrification pretreatment on growth of Arthrospira platensis in human urine

FENG Dao-lun^†, WU Zu-cheng^†‡, WANG Da-hui

(Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China)
^‡ Corresponding Author
^†E-mail: fengdaolun2000@yahoo.com.cn; wuzc@zju.edu.cn
Received July 3, 2006 revision accepted Dec. 5, 2006

Abstract: Culture of Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) in human urine was investigated to get valuable biomass. NO₃-N was the proper N source, in comparison with other N source, including urea, NH₄-N and NO₂-N. As a result, aerobic nitrification of human urine was performed, with above 93.6% nitrification percentage finally achieved with total-N (TN) load of 46.52 mg/(L·d), in which Arthrospira platensis was successfully grown. The main compositions of the obtained biomass are close to those in Zarrouk medium. Thus, it is possible to culture Arthrospira platensis in nitrified human urine for food production within bioregenerative life support systems (BLSSs).

Key words: Arthrospira platensis, Human urine, N source, Nitrification, Bioregenerative life support system (BLSS)
doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.A1846             CLC number: X122; X172

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