Treatment of natural waters with gas bubbled immobilized Chlorella vulgaris algal cultures and investigation of its usability as a food ingredients in fish production plants

Nowadays, it is becoming common to remove nitrogen and phosphorus-rich nutrients in water and wastewater through biological treatment using algae cultures instead of traditional treatment methods. In this study, the natural water source of the Porsuk River, which is rich in pollution load in Eskişehir province of Turkey, was purified with gas bubble immobilized Chlorella vulgaris algae culture. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal studies were carried out from the water mass by taking into account parameter values such as different pH values, different illumination durations, and different air flow rates. As a result of the thesis study, the optimum parameters for nitrate (NO3-) removal in approximately the 45th hour were provided under the conditions of illumination time of 12/12, pH 8.5 and air flow rate of 0.5 L/min, and a removal efficiency of 78.30% was achieved. The optimum parameters for phosphate (PO4-3) removal were provided under the conditions of exposure time of 12:12, pH of 7 and air flow rate of 0.3 L/min. and 99.54% removal efficiency was achieved at the 45th hour. Thanks to this study, it was concluded that natural waters can be purified with gas bubble immobilized Chlorella vulgaris algae mass and the algal biomass obtained after purification can be used as an alternative raw material in the fish production facility.