Julia M. Valigore
Ph.D. Candidate
(Civil & Natural Resources Engineering)
Degree
BS (Food, Agricultural, and Biological Eng) The Ohio State University - Columbus
Nationality : From
USA : Columbus, Ohio
Contact Details
Room: 3rd Floor Civil/Mechanical Building, Room E306
Phone: +64 3 364 2987 (internal: 7329)
Fax: +64 3 364 2758
Email:julia.valigore@pg.canterbury.ac.nz
Interests:
Rock climbing, tramping, photography, skiing, SCUBA, travelling
Supervisor(s)
Aisling O'Sullivan, Pete Gostomski (Chemical and Process Eng), Paul Broady (Biological Sciences)
Research
Microbial Biomass Grown on Municipal Wastewater for Sustainable Biofuel Production
Sustainable energy alternatives are essential when planning for the future. In light of rapidly depleting global oil reserves coupled with increasing demand from transport and industry, renewable energy sources are critical in order to sustain economic development. Although the use of land-based crops for biofuels has been highly debated for its consequential ecological (e.g., deforestation) and social impacts (e.g., food shortages), microbial (microalgal-bacterial) biomass grown on wastewater is a promising biofuel alternative that avoids these negative connotations. It recycles ‘waste’ nutrients and does not displace food crops by using land already devoted to wastewater treatment. Furthermore, microbial biomass can be highly productive, requires low energy inputs, and can be used in its entirety through 1) whole biomass conversion (e.g., thermochemical liquefaction) or 2) partial biomass conversion (e.g., lipid extraction for biodiesel) with valuable residual co-products such as fertiliser and animal feed, which greatly reduces its ecological footprint and increases its sustainability for biofuel production.
Wastewater contains an abundant supply of the nutrients required by microalgae and bacteria, and so, microbial growth and wastewater treatment occur concurrently. Microalgae assimilate inorganic nutrients and produce photosynthetic O2 which supports the growth of aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria. Bacteria, in turn, degrade complex organic compounds, facilitate nitrification and denitrification, and produce CO2 which microalgae require for photosynthesis. Microalgae and bacteria can maximise the metabolic exchange of CO2 and O2 by co-aggregating into microbial flocs, which also improves their natural settleability.
The key parameters concerning the economic production of microalgae biofuel include productivity, settleability, and composition. This research will provide a better understanding of how climate conditions, wastewater strength, and operational parameters of lab-scale bioreactors affect these criteria, and it will recommend the appropriate biomass conversion pathways.
Corporate Support
Rupert Craggs (NIWA)
David Painter (DP Consulting)
Funding Support
University of Canterbury International Doctoral Scholarship (2007-10)
New Zealand Postgraduate Study Abroad Award (2009)
Publications
Valigore, J. M., O’Sullivan, A. D., and Gostomski, P. (2009). Municipal Wastewater Selection for Microbial Biodiesel Production. 8th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, Aachen, Germany, 6 pp. (741 KB)
Turner, S. J., Biswas, K., Valigore, J. M., and O’Sullivan, A. D. (2008). Growth of Microalgal-Bacterial Biomass on Primary Treated Wastewater. New Zealand Microbiology Society Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand. (88 KB)
Valigore, J. M., Turner, S., and O’Sullivan, A. D. (2008). Microbial Biomass Grown on Primary Treated Wastewater. NZWWA’s 50th Anniversary Conference and Expo, Christchurch, New Zealand, 10 pp. (922 KB)
Valigore, J.M., A.S.C. Chen, W.E. Condit, and L. Wang. (2008). Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Coagulation/Filtration, U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Village of Pentwater, MI, Final Performance Evaluation Report. EPA/600/R-08/011.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 76 pp. (1.93 MB)
Valigore, J.M., L. Wang, and A.S.C. Chen. (2008). Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media, U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Rimrock, AZ, Final Performance Evaluation Report. EPA/600/R-08/008. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 77 pp. (2.56 MB)
Valigore, J.M., A.S.C. Chen, and W.E. Condit. (2008). Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Iron Removal, U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at City of Sandusky, MI, Final Performance Evaluation Report. EPA/600/R-08/007. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 72 pp. (2.65 MB)
Valigore, J.M., A.S.C. Chen, and L. Wang. (2007). Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media, U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Valley Vista, AZ, Final Performance Evaluation Report. EPA/600/R-07/133. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 93 pp. (3.58 MB)
Coonfare, C., A.S.C. Chen, L. Wang, and J.M. Valigore. (2005). Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media, U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Desert Sands MDWCA, NM, Six-Month Evaluation Report. EPA/600/R-05/079. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 63 pp. (5 MB)