Polar cyanobacteria versus green algae for tertiary waste-water treatment in cool climates

Forty-nine strains of filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Arctic, subarctic and Antarctic environments were screened for their potential use in outdoor waste-water treatment systems designed for cold north-temperate climates. The most promising isolate (strain E18, Phormidium sp. from a high Arctic lake) grew well at low temperatures and formed aggregates (flocs) that could be readily harvested by sedimentation. We evaluated the growth and nutrient uptake abilities of E18 relative to a community of green algae (a Chlorococcalean assemblage, denoted Vc) sampled from a tertiary treatment system in Valcartier, Canada. E18 had superior growth rates below 15 degrees C (mu = 0.20 d(-1) at 10 degrees C under continuous irradiance of 225 mu mol photon m(-2) s(-1)) and higher phosphate uptake rates below 10 degrees C (k = 0.050 d(-1) at 5 OC) relative to Ve (mu=0.087 d(-1) at 10 degrees C and k=0.020 d(-1) at 5 degrees C, respectively). The green algal assemblage generally performed better than E18 at high temperatures (at 25 degrees C, mu=0.39 d(-1) and k=0.34 d(-1) for Vc; mu=0.28 d(-1) and k=0.33 d(-1) for E18). However, E18 removed nitrate more efficiently than Vc at most temperatures including 25 degrees C. Polar cyanobacteria such as strain E18 are appropriate species for waste-water treatment in cold climates during spring and autumn. Under warmer summer conditions, fast-growing green algae such as the Vc assemblage are likely to colonize and dominate, but warm-water Phormidium isolates could be used at that time.