Synergistic biorefinery of Scenedesmus obliquus and Ulva lactuca in poultry manure towards sustainable bioproduct generation.

Exploiting solar energy for growing algal biomass in waters enriched with farm manures is a holistic method of waste management. The proposed cultivation strategy termed SAR'CENA ('Synergistic Algal Refinery for Circular Economy using Nutrient Analogues), involves integrated cultivation of microalga, Scenedesmus obliquus and marine macroalga, Ulva lactuca in litter to harness biorefinery products. From various litters tested, poultry litter manure (PLM) was most amenable for growth. The microalga yielded 410 ± 6.2 g·DW· m· d of biomass with total nitrogen (TN) concentration of 70 mg·L in the media, while the macroalgae yielded 334 ± 9.9 g DW m d of biomass with TN concentration of 17.5 mg·L. The nutrient uptake efficiency was observed to be >60% with uncompromised biomass composition. Thus, SAR'CENA is projected as an ideal farming solution incorporating efficient waste management and feedstock generation thereby establishing a circular economy towards clean energy.