Screening microalgae native to Quebec for wastewater treatment and biodiesel production

• A novel microalgal screening method using 12 well microplates was used.
• 100 strains from local (Quebec) freshwater lakes and rivers were characterized.
• A number that showed good growth at 10 °C or high (20–45%) lipid content.
• Some showed a high capacity for nutrient removal.

Biodiesel production from microalgae lipids is being considered as a potential source of renewable energy. However, practical production processes will probably require the use of local strains adapted to prevailing climatic conditions. This report describes the isolation of 100 microalgal strains from freshwater lakes and rivers located in the vicinity of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Strains were identified and surveyed for their growth on secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (La Prairie, QC, Canada) using a simple and high throughput microalgal screening method employing 12 well plates. The biomass and lipid productivity of these strains on wastewater were compared to a synthetic medium under different temperatures (10 ± 2 °C and 22 ± 2 °C) and a number identified that showed good growth at 10 °C, gave a high lipid content (ranging from 20% to 45% of dry weight) or a high capacity for nutrient removal.