Different microalgae species produce varying quantity and quality of the lipids. Fatty acid methyl ester composition, which comprises both saturated and unsaturated contents, critically affects biodiesel properties. Current study compares six locally isolated microalgae strains belonging to three classes (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyceae, and Cyanophyceae) on the basis of lipid content and biodiesel properties. All the six species are grown in similar condition up to the late stationary phase, and their lipid content and fatty acid methyl ester composition are measured experimentally. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tool has ranked Calothrix species (class Cyanophyceae) on the top, owing to better cetane number, density and oxidation stability; whereas Chlorococcum species (class Chlorophyceae) is ranked second because of its higher lipid content, better cold flow property, and low viscosity. Property analysis of these two species is extended in the enlarge temperature range for five properties, vapor pressure, latent heat of vaporization, liquid density, liquid viscosity and vapor diffusivity, which are important in spray and combustion modeling. It is found through detailed property estimation that Chlorococcum sp. is a more suitable species in comparison with Calothrix sp. as it is having better properties and its lipid content is much higher than that of Calothrix sp. Although the properties of microalgae biodiesel are poorer in comparison with conventional diesel fuel, a greater number of such studies will help in understanding the requisite changes as required for microalgae biodiesel–based engine and their properties as compared with conventional diesel.

Algae biomass-fed wastewaters are a promising source of lipid and bioenergy manufacture, revealing substantial end-product investment returns. However, wastewaters would contain lytic pathogens carrying drug resistance detrimental to algae yield and environmental safety. This study was conducted to simultaneously decipher through high-throughput advanced Illumina 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, the cultivable and uncultivable bacterial community profile found in a single sample that was directly recovered from the local wastewater systems. Samples were collected from two previously documented sources including anaerobically digested (AD) municipal wastewater and swine wastewater with algae namely Chlorella spp. in addition to control samples, swine wastewater, and municipal wastewater without algae. Results indicated the presence of a significant level of Bacteria in all samples with an average of approximately 95.49% followed by Archaea 2.34%, in local wastewaters designed for algae cultivation. Taxonomic genus identification indicated the presence of Calothrix, Pseudomonas, and Clostridium as the most prevalent strains in both local municipal and swine wastewater samples containing algae with an average of 17.37, 12.19, and 7.84%, respectively. Interestingly, swine wastewater without algae displayed the lowest level of Pseudomonas strains < 0.1%. The abundance of some Pseudomonas species in wastewaters containing algae indicates potential coexistence between these strains and algae microenvironment, suggesting further investigations. This finding was particularly relevant for the earlier documented adverse effects of some nosocomial Pseudomonas strains on algae growth and their multidrug resistance potential, requiring the development of targeted bioremediation with regard to the beneficial flora.

Pesticide contamination in the rice fields has manifested into a serious global environmental concern. Application of pesticides in the rice fields has deleterious effects on non-target organisms including nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria which help to maintain the rice field fertility. In the present research endeavor, the effect of lambda cyhalothrin (5 % EC), a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, has been studied on the growth and pigments content of Calothrix sp. (GUEco 1001), an indigenous strain isolated from rice grown areas of Brahmaputra floodplain. To study the toxic effect of lambda cyhalothrin, the test organism was exposed to varying concentrations of the insecticide i.e., 20 ppm, 40 ppm, 80 ppm, and 160 ppm based upon the determination of LC₅₀ for a period of 20 days. The result obtained in the laboratory showed a progressive decrease in the growth and pigments content by the test organism with increasing concentrations of the lambda cyhalothrin against time dose-dependent manner. At high dose (160 ppm), the test organism showed significant decrease in dry weight biomass (54.5 %), chlorophyll-a (68 %), carotenoids (38 %), phycocyanin (80 %), and nitrogen contents (55 %) over the control. A little but insignificant stimulatory effect on growth and chlorophyll-a contents was recorded in 20 ppm treatment of the insecticide that, however, was reversed in case of carotenoids and phycocyanin contents.