Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective

This study showcases an attached-biomass system based on twin-layer technology for cultivating <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> using municipal wastewater, equipped with a smart sensor system for the remote monitoring of operational parameters. From an industrial scale-up perspective, the syste...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maria Rosa di Cicco, Simona Altieri, Antonio Spagnuolo, Claudia Ciniglia, Chiara Germinario, Silvio Bove, Antonio Masiello, Carmela Vetromile, Iolanda Galante, Carmine Lubritto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5220
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849312774767771648
author Maria Rosa di Cicco
Simona Altieri
Antonio Spagnuolo
Claudia Ciniglia
Chiara Germinario
Silvio Bove
Antonio Masiello
Carmela Vetromile
Iolanda Galante
Carmine Lubritto
author_facet Maria Rosa di Cicco
Simona Altieri
Antonio Spagnuolo
Claudia Ciniglia
Chiara Germinario
Silvio Bove
Antonio Masiello
Carmela Vetromile
Iolanda Galante
Carmine Lubritto
author_sort Maria Rosa di Cicco
collection DOAJ
description This study showcases an attached-biomass system based on twin-layer technology for cultivating <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> using municipal wastewater, equipped with a smart sensor system for the remote monitoring of operational parameters. From an industrial scale-up perspective, the system offers high scalability, with low impact and operating costs. Mathematical approximation modelling identified the optimal growth conditions across five experiments. The theoretical yield was estimated to reach 1 kg<sub>DW</sub>/m<sup>2</sup> of biomass within two months. Integrated use of isotopic mass spectrometry and spectrophotometric methods allowed us to study the metabolic strategies implemented by the algal community during the best growth condition at different resolutions, showing an increase in the nitrogen concentration over time and a favourable affinity of the organism for nitrogen species that are commonly present in the urban effluent. SEM studies showed a clean algal biofilm (free of foreign organisms), which could guarantee usage in the high economic potential market of biorefineries.
format Article
id doaj-art-f3ae927dbd0c421da8e615595ac39f67
institution Kabale University
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-f3ae927dbd0c421da8e615595ac39f672025-08-20T03:52:57ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-01159522010.3390/app15095220Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic PerspectiveMaria Rosa di Cicco0Simona Altieri1Antonio Spagnuolo2Claudia Ciniglia3Chiara Germinario4Silvio Bove5Antonio Masiello6Carmela Vetromile7Iolanda Galante8Carmine Lubritto9Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyEnergreenup S.r.l., Via Acquaviva 192, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, Via Dei Mulini 59/a, 82100 Benevento, ItalyLaboratoire de Mathématiques Raphaël Salem, UMR 6085 CNRS, Université de Rouen, Avenue de l’Université, B.P. 12, Technopôle du Madrillet, 76801 Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, FranceDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyThis study showcases an attached-biomass system based on twin-layer technology for cultivating <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> using municipal wastewater, equipped with a smart sensor system for the remote monitoring of operational parameters. From an industrial scale-up perspective, the system offers high scalability, with low impact and operating costs. Mathematical approximation modelling identified the optimal growth conditions across five experiments. The theoretical yield was estimated to reach 1 kg<sub>DW</sub>/m<sup>2</sup> of biomass within two months. Integrated use of isotopic mass spectrometry and spectrophotometric methods allowed us to study the metabolic strategies implemented by the algal community during the best growth condition at different resolutions, showing an increase in the nitrogen concentration over time and a favourable affinity of the organism for nitrogen species that are commonly present in the urban effluent. SEM studies showed a clean algal biofilm (free of foreign organisms), which could guarantee usage in the high economic potential market of biorefineries.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5220attached biomass<i>Galdieria phlegrea</i>EA-IRMSSEMsmart monitoringstable isotopes
spellingShingle Maria Rosa di Cicco
Simona Altieri
Antonio Spagnuolo
Claudia Ciniglia
Chiara Germinario
Silvio Bove
Antonio Masiello
Carmela Vetromile
Iolanda Galante
Carmine Lubritto
Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
Applied Sciences
attached biomass
<i>Galdieria phlegrea</i>
EA-IRMS
SEM
smart monitoring
stable isotopes
title Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
title_full Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
title_fullStr Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
title_short Sustainable Cultivation of <i>Galdieria phlegrea</i> in an IoT-Integrated Twin-Layer Photobioreactor: System Design, Growth Dynamics, and Isotopic Perspective
title_sort sustainable cultivation of i galdieria phlegrea i in an iot integrated twin layer photobioreactor system design growth dynamics and isotopic perspective
topic attached biomass
<i>Galdieria phlegrea</i>
EA-IRMS
SEM
smart monitoring
stable isotopes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5220
work_keys_str_mv AT mariarosadicicco sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT simonaaltieri sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT antoniospagnuolo sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT claudiaciniglia sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT chiaragerminario sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT silviobove sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT antoniomasiello sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT carmelavetromile sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT iolandagalante sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective
AT carminelubritto sustainablecultivationofigaldieriaphlegreaiinaniotintegratedtwinlayerphotobioreactorsystemdesigngrowthdynamicsandisotopicperspective