Wicker, Rebecca J.Autio, HeidiDaneshvar, EhsanSarkar, BinoyBolan, NanthiKumar, VinodBhatnagar, Amit2022-09-282022-09-282022-09-12Wicker RJ, Autio H, Daneshvar E, et al., (2022) The effects of light regime on carbon cycling, nutrient removal, biomass yield, and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by a constructed photosynthetic consortium. Bioresource Technology, Volume 363, November 2022, Article number 1279120960-8524https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127912https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/18485Microalgae can add value to biological wastewater treatment processes by capturing carbon and nutrients and producing valuable biomass. Harvesting small cells from liquid media is a challenge easily addressed with biofilm cultivation. Three experimental photobioreactors were constructed from inexpensive materials (e.g. plexiglass, silicone) for hybrid liquid/biofilm cultivation of a microalgal-bacterial consortia in aquaculture effluent. Three light regimes (full-spectrum, blue-white, and red) were implemented to test light spectra as a process control. High-intensity full-spectrum light caused photoinhibition and low biomass yield, but produced the most polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) (0.14 mg g−1); a renewable bioplastic polymer. Medium-intensity blue-white light was less effective for carbon capture, but removed up to 82 % of phosphorus. Low-intensity red light was the only net carbon-negative regime, but increased phosphorus (+4.98 mg/L) in the culture medium. Light spectra and intensity have potential as easily-implemented process controls for targeted wastewater treatment, biomass production, and PHB synthesis using photosynthetic consortia.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Photosynthetic consortiaBiological wastewater treatmentNutrient removalPhotobioreactorPolyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)Article