Boron bio-mining by high boron-tolerant native microalgae in Turkey and boron toxicity in the aquatic environment

Boron (B) is one of the most important trace elements. Turkey has the largest B reserves in the world with 3 billion tons of B. Therefore, the toxicity of B is more important in Turkey. In this study, effective B removal was provided by different types of microalgae and then B recovery in culture media by bio-mining was detected. The water of Lake Mogan in Gölbaşı/Ankara/Turkey was used as the microalgae culture medium as a cost-reducing factor. The effects of light, temperature, NaNO3 and K2HPO4 stresses on B removal were determined. The highest B removal was 17.19% at 25 μmol/m2s light intensity and 25 °C for Phormidium animale in Lake Mogan culture medium. Boron removal of Scenedesmus sp. was 36.42% at 25 μmol/m2s light intensity, at 25 °C, at 1.5 g/L NaNO3 and 40 mg/L K2HPO4 concentrations in BG11 medium on the 15th day. The chl (a + b) concentration of Scenedesmus sp. was 1.63 μg/mL at 75 μmol/m2s light intensity and the chl (a) concentration of P. animale was 2.01 μg/mL at 25 μmol/m2s light intensity. Considering all parameters, Scenedesmus sp. and P. animale are recommended as effective biomaterials for the B removal process. HIGHLIGHTS Scenedesmus sp. and P. animale are recommended as effective biomaterials for B removal process.; The roles of light, temperature, NaNO3 and K2HPO4 stresses on microalgae growth were determined.; The water of Lake Mogan in Gölbaşı/Ankara/Turkey was used as the microalgae culture media.; Effective B removal with nine microalgae isolated from Turkey.; The recovery of B with bio-mining by microalgae.

Effects of hydrodynamic cavitation-assisted NaoOH pretreatment on biofuel production from cyanobacteria: promising approach

Eukaryotic microalgae and prokaryotic cyanobacteria can grow in various water and wastewater types, and both can grow biomass by taking nutrients and converting atmospheric CO2 into useful products. Biofuels obtained by processing this landless grown biomass are defined as “third-generation biofuels”. In this study, the effects of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC)-assisted NaOH pretreatment on methane production from cyanobacteria were investigated. Cyanobacterial biomass was isolated from thermal springs located in the southwest of Turkey (Denizli-Turkey) and identified as Desertifilum tharense. Desertifilum tharense biomass was grown on a laboratory scale, and along with its compositional characteristics, culture-specific parameters were determined. HC-assisted NaOH pretreatment was applied to evaluate optimum process conditions for enhancing methane production from D. tharense. In the experimental design, process parameters of cavitation number (Cv: 0.3-0.7), NaOH concentration (0–4%), solid content (1.5%), reaction time (4h), and reaction temperature (30°C) were combined to reveal the parameter-specific impact of HC pretreatment. The effect of the HC-assisted NaOH pretreatment was further investigated with molecular-bond and surface structure characterization. Along with the energy equivalent of obtained biofuel, energy requirements for cultivation, harvesting, pretreatment, and anaerobic digestion (AD) were calculated to determine the process’s overall energy efficiency. Kinetic parameters of raw and pretreated D. tharense were determined by first-order, cone, modified Gompertz, and reaction curve models. The results revealed that by the application of pretreatment, a 2-35.3% soluble COD increase was achieved, whereas methane production was increased from 241.5 to 290.6 mLCH4 gVS−1. Application of HC with a low Cv of 0.3 boosted methane production up to 20.3% compared to the raw D. tharense

Effects of Zn and ZnO nanoparticles on artemia salina and daphnia magna Organisms: toxicity, accumulation and elimination

In the study, Zn in the size of 40–60 nm and 80–100 nm and ZnO in the size of 10–30 nm were applied to A. salina and D. magna individuals in 7 groups with 3 repetitions. Measurements were made at 24th, 48th and 72nd hours and elimination values were examined at +24 h. LC50 values of NPs were determined and chemical analysis (metal accumulation and elimination), ion quantities which were given to the environment and the survival rates of organisms were determined after the exposure. According to the results of phase contrast microscopy, it was found that both experimental organisms absorbed the NPs in the medium level. In the toxicity results of D. magna, it can be said that Zn NP (40–60 nm) has a highly toxic effect only at 50 ppm concentration for 48 h and lethal dose can be accepted as of 5 ppm at the end of 72 h. In A. salina individuals, it is clearly seen that there is an increase in mortality in organisms parallel to the dose increase. Although all NPs were applied to organisms in low doses corresponding to environmental values, it was observed that toxic effect was in parallel with the increase in time. It is clearly known that there is the inverse proportion between the size of NPs and the toxic effect. The smaller the size of NPs is, the higher the toxic effect becomes When the results of Zn accumulation and elimination of A. salina and D. magna individuals exposed to the Zn and ZnO NPs were examined; it was found that accumulation and elimination occurred in parallel with the increase in concentration at each application hour and elimination. Intensive and possible misuse of nanoscale materials is one of the biggest threats to the environment and all living things worldwide

Assessment of oxidative stress on artemia salina and daphnia magna after exposure to Zn and ZnO nanoparticles

In this study, the effect of zinc nanoparticles (Zn NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Artemia salina and Daphnia magna, the primary consumer organisms were investigated. In this sense, investigation of trophic transfer and ecological sustainability potentials among living things, such as fish and crustaceans that are at the top of the food chain were also aimed. Zn NPs in the size of 40-60 nm and 80-100 nm and ZnO NPs (10-30 nm) were administered to A. salina and D. manga (respectively in total 105000 and 14000 individuals) in seven groups (Control, 0.2, 1, 5, 10, 25 ve 50 ppm) with three repetitions for a period of 72 h. Intensive and possible misuse of nanoscale materials is one of the biggest threats to the environment and all living things worldwide. Therefore, the control mechanisms for the use of NPs need to be established