Microalgae valorization in bioremediation and obtaining biomass/by-products – Research – development in biotechnology, CAEN 7211, Research – development in other natural sciences and engineering CAEN 7219
Summary:
The ICB Cluj offer focuses on identifying and concluding collaboration partnerships with economic agents for the treatment of wastewater (affected by nitrification, heavy metals, etc.), obtaining algal biomass as a biofertilizer, source of secondary compounds with agro-food value, testing the biocide effect, identifying phytoplankton contaminants.
Objectives pursued:
✓ Developing and implementing collaboration strategies with various economic agents
(contractual/partnership/research and development project)
✓ Providing active biological resources for exploitation
✓ Access to the research infrastructure within ICB Cluj
✓ Technical and scientific assistance for large-scale microalgae cultivation
Offer description
INCDSB, the branch of the Institute of Biological Research Cluj-Napoca, has experience in isolating and cultivating microorganisms such as microalgae and cyanobacteria (e.g., Chlorella, Spirulina, Scenedesmus, Botryococcus, etc.) on various media (wastewater, enriched water, water with high heavy metal content, etc.); determining growth parameters (division rate, doubling time, dry matter); spectrophotometric determination of pigments (chlorophylls, carotenoids) in various growth stages; testing various compounds on model organisms (e.g. Selenastrum, diatoms) to establish the biocidal effect on phytoplankton; ecotoxicity tests; morphological and molecular identification of phytoplankton contaminants; morphology studies (images, measurements) on microalgae and cyanobacteria. Following the cultivation experiments, experimental configurations can be obtained that can be expanded to a large scale to obtain high quantities of biomass; data on the biocidal activity of some by-products; identification of phytoplankton contaminants; morphological characterization of microorganisms.
Innovative aspects of the offer
The use of renewable energy sources (biomass) in bioremediation and mitigation of the greenhouse effect by capturing carbon as algal biomass and secondary compounds, which through processing can fall into the category of agri-food, pharmaceutical, etc. by-products.
Advantages of the offer
We provide economic agents with:
– Access to the research infrastructure within the research organization for the purpose of carrying out analyses, testing, experiments, etc.
necessary for the development of new products/technologies/methods.
– Scientific advice (partnership, service contract)
to resolve impediments for economic agents.