Yichen Liao - Biotechnology PhD Defense

The Biotechnology PhD candidate, Yichen Liao will present his doctoral research:
Fundamental studies of microalgal biofilm formation and microalgal-bacterial membrane photobioreactors

Microalgae has garnered substantial interest in the realms of wastewater treatment and biofuel production due to its impressive nutrient absorption capabilities and the abundant lipid content found within its biomass. However, the use of microalgae does come with certain drawbacks, including extra costs and energy consumption due to its diluted concentration. To enhance the harvesting of microalgal biomass, immobilized cultivations such as biofilm cultivation and microalgal-bacterial co-system are suggested to overcome these disadvantages. Additionally, the incorporation of membrane technology into microalgal cultivation holds the potential to further elevate biomass harvesting efficiency and improve the quality of the effluent. To fully harness the potential of those new reactors in industrialization, a comprehensive knowledge of microalgal biofilm formation is required. For this perspective, we processed fundamental research to elucidate the microalgal biofilm formation mechanism on multiple hydrophobic membrane materials through laboratory experiments (bioreactor cultivation) and the rapid detective method (QCM-D). Models to predict microorganisms in membrane photobioreactors were also developed. The results obtained in this work fill up the fundamental knowledge of microalgal biofilm mechanisms, offer more insights into the potential effects on microalgal biofilm performance, and contribute to the knowledge of the optimization of membrane bioreactor operation during laboratory or industrial cases.

December 1, 2023
9:00 am
CB 4058 and zoom

Committee Members: Drs. Pedram Fatehi and Baoqiang Liao (co-supervisors), Dr. Leila Pakzad, Dr. Ehsan Behzadfar and Dr. Christopher Lan (external)

Everyone is welcome

Contact Brenda Magajna at phd.ses@lakeheadu.ca for more information.