FURI | Fall 2024

Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrates for Algal Growth

Nitrate contamination from anthropogenic development poses a threat to both human health and the environment. This study investigates the electrochemical reduction of nitrates in complex water matrices resembling urban greywater, converting them into higher value-added nitrogen species such as ammonia. The ammonia-rich byproduct was then repurposed to grow Chlorella vulgaris, a model green alga known to enhance crop yield when used synergistically with plants in soil. Results indicated that C. vulgaris grown with 75% and 100% nitrogen as ammonia experienced ammonia toxicity, necessitating further studies to optimize conditions for algal growth in the presence of high ammonia concentrations.