Screening of Different Cyanobacteria Strains with Dual Potential in Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Production and Domestic Wastewater Nutrient Recovery
摘要
Cyanobacteria represent a promising biological resource for sustainable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, particularly when integrated with wastewater nutrient recovery. In this study, thirteen cyanobacterial strains were evaluated for their growth and PHB accumulation in synthetic medium, with and without sodium acetate, and in real domestic wastewater. Supplementation with sodium acetate significantly enhanced biomass and PHB productivity, although the magnitude of improvement varied among strains. The highest PHB productivities were achieved by Hapalosiphon welwitschii CSW1 (6.3 ± 0.2 mg L⁻1 d⁻1), Mastigocladus sp. QL3-01 (4.6 ± 0.2 mg L⁻1 d⁻1), Nostoc piscinale NH3 (5.8 ± 0.6 mg L⁻1 d⁻1), and Spirulina maxima TH (4.0 ± 0.4 mg L⁻1 d⁻1). When cultivated in domestic wastewater, only minor reductions in PHB contents were observed, with Spirulina platensis BT, S. platensis ART, and S. maxima TH maintaining high adaptability and PHB productivities ranging from 1.9 ± 0.1 to 2.4 ± 0.2 mg L⁻1 d⁻1. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed intracellular PHB granules consistent with the morphology of extracted PHB samples. Furthermore, energy-dispersive X-ray and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the characteristic elemental composition and functional groups of PHB. These results highlight the strain-specific nature of PHB biosynthesis in cyanobacteria and underscore the need for further optimization of cultivation conditions to enhance biomass growth and PHB yield in large-scale, wastewater-based production systems.
Graphical Abstract