Cultivation of hydrocarbon-tolerant microalgae in flowback wastewaters produced during hydrofracking of impermeable rocks

Huge amounts of Wastewaters (WWs) are produced yearly by the hydrofracking impermeable rock formations for extraction oil or natural gas. Flowback (FWs) characterized high contents inorganic contaminants and hydrocarbons thus representing a relevant threat environment. In this work three hydrocarbon-tolerant microalgae have been cultivated in flowback water generated during hydraulic fracturing to investigate their growth kinetics. All strains could grow FWs irrespective presence hydrocarbons. Biomass productivity varied significantly among strains. Ochromonas danica achieved specific rate equal 0.386 day-1 exponential phase maximum biomass 39 mg L-1 after 11 days batch cultivation. Scenedesmus dimorphus was capable achieving concentration 0.5 g about 25 On contrary, Prototheca zopfii strongly affected FWs. Ultimately, study demonstrated that thrive represent suitable candidates future research activity aimed verify possibility bio-remediate these harmful WWs.