Vinasse as a sustainable medium for the production of Chlorella vulgaris UTEX 1803
This study investigates distillery wastewater, commonly known as vinasse, as a potential culture medium for the production of Chlorella vulgaris and its most relevant metabolites. The effect of vinasse concentration on the composition of the biomass (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) was evaluated in treatments performed in 6-L tubular air-lift reactors. The reactors were operated at 25 °C for 18 days, in total darkness, under a continuous flow of air. Results showed a rapid growth of microalgae in the first ten days, when an average production of 0.87 g/L was reached.