Dr V Sivasubramanian visited Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia, to conduct a week long Algal technology programme during March 2012. This programme included conference on phycoremediation, workshop on algal isolation and cultivation and visits to industries in Colombia. Uni Norte, CORE BIOTECH and Phycospectrum join together to implement phycoremediation technology to treat industrial effluents and wastewater in Latin America. This programme was organized by the Biotechnology Research Group and the Group Rational Use of Energy and Environment Preservation, UREMA of Uni Norte An MOU has been signed between CORE BIOTECH and PERC for implementation of algal technology in Latin America. PHYCORE is a JV between these two institutes. . . Click here to view news video
PHYCORE : Algae Power: A joint technology implementation programme between CORE BIOTECH, Colombia and Phycospectrum has been initiated with the successful installation of a 20 KL integrated tanks system (Pilot demonstration plant) at Pacific Rubiales oil drilling site near Bogota to treat petrochemical wastewater by employing micro algae. Based on the success of the pilot plant, scaled up plant is being designed for installation which will handle 300,000 barrels of petrochemical effluent every da
PHYCORE's Project on treatment of slaughter house effluent, ColombiaPHYCORE has started a pilot plant installation to clean waste water from Camaquey slaughter house, Barranquilla, Colombia using its improved micro algal technology. Scaled up plant would be handling 850m3 every day.
With technical support from PERC, Chennai, ALGIRAN, an Iranean algal biotech company has established a pilot demonstration facility at Chabahar Freezone, Iran.. MORE
Micro algae are considered as favourite organisms for biofuels due to their higher photosynthetic efficiency and productivity than higher plants. Algal production still seems to be very expensive due to higher capex and opex costs. Integrating algal production systems with waste water treatment can reduce dependence on valuable freshwater and expensive nutrients. PERC, India has been involved in installing micro algae based effluent treatment systems in India and has a collection of robust algal species isolated from industrial effluent treatment sites. Interaction between symbiotic bacteria and micro algae plays a significant role in remediation and algal biomass production. Presence of bacterial population also would help in harvesting micro algae due to bioflocculating potentials. In depth study of this micro algal – bacterial interaction would help us understand the system better. This knowledge may help us in improving algal productivity and oil content and reducing cost of production considerably. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK has the expertise and latest techniques to investigate this interaction and PERC and BDU, India have the expertise in handling micro algal – bacterial systems in pilot scale and beyond.The present collaboration will benefit both the countries in gaining more knowledge on this very crucial aspect of bacterial and micro algal symbiotic association.
The research team includes Dr. N. Thajuddin and Dr G. Muralitharan of Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli - 620 024, India, Dr. V. Sivasubramanian, Director-Tech, Phycospectrum Environmental Research Centre (PERC), Anna Nagar, Chennai - 600 040.India and Dr. Carole Llewellyn, Dr Daniel White and Dr Karen Tait of Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom.
Dr. Carole Llewellyn and Dr Daniel White of PML, UK visiting PERC lab on 26th November 2013
Dr Carole Llewellyn from the Swansea University College of Science recently hosted a visit by two experts from India to see the Swansea University’s CSAR aquaculture and microalgal facilities and to meet Welsh Water and Tata Steel Industry. The visitors Professor, N Thajudden, a microbiologist and expert in cyanobacteria from Bharathidasan, Thiruchirappali and Dr V Sivasubramanian, Director of Phycospectrum Environment Research Centre (PERC), an international company based in Chennai, met Carole and Dr Alla Silkina from the College of Science to discuss future projects under the jointly funded UK-BBSRC and India-DBT programme. MORE ON THIS STORY
Dr V. Sivasubramanian, Director of Phycospectrum Environmental Research Centre (PERC), hold a SASNET lecture at Lund University on Monday 23 May 2016, 13.15–14.00. The seminar, organized in collaboration with Division of Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, Department of of Technology and Society, at Lund University, is entitled ”Microalgal Biotechnology and Phycoremediation technology research in India”. Venue: Seminarierummet, Miljö- och energisystem, V-huset second floor, entrance G2, John Ericssons väg 1, Lund. MORE ON THIS STORY
Dr V Sivasubramanian was invited to deliver a talk on algal technology research in PERC and discuss about collaborative research programme with Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland during May 2016. Dr Jukka Rintala, Professor and Head Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering discussed with Dr V Sivasubramanian about collaborative programmes.
Dr V Sivasubramanian, Director - Tech, PERC, was invited to participate in Mini-SYMPOSIUM and TWINNING WORKSHOP- Developments in Sustainable Biomass Valorisation,EU-India R&D collaboration on Biomass and Biowaste held at Untrecht, The Netherlands during October 2013 under SAHYOG programme.
Participants at Mini Symposium and workshop at Utrecht, The Netherlands. Dr V Sivasubramanian, PERC, at Panel Discussion of SAHYOG programme
PERC has successfully installed a pilot plant at BRINTONS CARPETS, PUNE, to manage R/O reject as a better alternative to Multiple Evaporator system.
Project Outcome :
Fabrication and demonstration of a Photobioreactor (PBR) of 20 litre capacity integrated with Pulse Magnetic Field (PMF) pulse generator on lab scale for the production of algal biomass with better growth rates and yield.
Significant achievements summarizing technology development and commercialization - Integration, optimization and standardization of PMF technology with 10 lit.capacity Photobioreactor and upscaled to 20 lit. capacity on laboratory scale to improve both productivity and biofuel efficiency in micro algae. The present technology was demonstrated with two micro algae viz. Chlorella vulgaris (micro green algae) and Chroococcus turgidus (micro blue green algae) exposed to various combinations of PMF (HZ and mG) in a 20 L PBR.
The PMF technology concept was proved with encouraging results on laboratory scale i.e exposure to PMF for 4 to 6 hrs per day improved growth and oil production ( improved FAME %) with an added advantage of enhanced prodution of omega 3 fatty acids.
These observations are very significant because a stress which enhances oil production will normally reduce biomass production ; but PMF stress enhanced production of both biomass and oil content in micro algae
PERC has demonstrated algae technology to mitigate flue gas by employing its micro algae consortium. PERC's robust micro algal consortium is known for its efficacy in sequestering CO2/flue gas. The objectives of selection of micro algae, growing in a pilot plant at Hazira using scrubbed water have been achieved. The algal consortium employed in this study grew very well as evident from the OD observations and dry weight measurements. When an optimized use of fertilizer mix as recommended by PERC was employed there was an improved growth (Fig 6) accompanied by better pH control (Fig 7). On an average dry weight of 0.5 g/L/day was achieved which is very significant in terms of productivity, as productivity is a measure of carbon fixation (for 1 g dry weight of algal biomass 1.86 grams of CO2 is fixed). The CO2 fixation potential of raceway pond is approximately 1 gram/L/day. more
PERC's unique nutrient formula makes the process of algal cultivation in waste water or clean water an economically viable process. PHYCO MIX and PHYCO FORT are two products formulated by PERC with improved productivity and easy application. PERC in collaboration with Algae Biotech India PVT LTD optimized PBR integrating PMF (Patented technology of PERC targeting enhancement of valuable bio-products in algae) has developed capability to successfully instal Photobioreactors to cultivate selected high yeilding micro algae producing beta carotene, omega 3 and other phyconutrients.
