Design and fabrication of cost effective equipment using biofilters … · 2017-08-01 · Design...

Project Report – VIII Semester (2016-17)

‘Design and fabrication of cost effective equipment using biofilters for the

removal of auto exhaust gas utilizing solar energy’

A Project dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of degree of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING in

Biotechnology

of

Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi

Submitted by

PAVITHRA V G 1NH13BT034

MADHU CHANDRA R 1NH13BT027

MOHANA PRIYA N 1NH13BT031

June 2016-17

Under the guidance of

Mr. Girish N Desai

Assistant Professor (2),

Department of Biotechnology

To

New Horizon College of Engineering

Department of Biotechnology

DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

CERTIFICATE

Certified that the project work entitled “Design and fabrication of cost effective equipment using biofilters

for the removal of auto exhaust gas utilizing solar energy” has been carried out by Ms. PAVITHRA V G,

Mr. MADHU CHANDRA R, Ms. MOHANA PRIYA N respectively bearing USN 1NH13BT034,

1NH13BT027, 1NH13BT031, bonafide students of New Horizon College of Engineering in partial

fulfillment for the award of BE in Biotechnology of the Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi

during the year 2016-17. It is certified that all suggestions indicated for internal assessment have been

incorporated in the report that is deposited in the departmental library. The project report has been

approved for the said degree.

Signature of the Guide Signature of the HOD Signature of the Principal

External Viva

Name of the Examiners Signature with date

1.

2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly we would like to express our sincere thanks to The Chairman Dr. Mohan Manghnani of New Horizon

College of Engineering for permitting us to carry out the project work in the college. Furthermore, we would like

to extend a special note of thanks to Dr. Manjunatha, Principal New Horizon College of Engineering, who

continuously encouraged us in our entire course of engineering.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Prathima Khandelwal, Head of the Department, Department

of Biotechnology, whose support and encouragement were truly inspiring for completing this project successfully

and efficiently.

We would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to our project guide Mr. Girish N Desai Asst. Prof II,

Department of Biotechnology, NHCE for his valuable guidance and advice. He not only inspired us to work on

this project but convinced us to push further. His motivation and persistence on perfection has made our project

what it is.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the other teaching faculty, lab instructor and lab assistant for

their assistance during the course of project work.

We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Rajeevan N, Manager of Wellinsen Nutraceuticals for providing

us spirulina which helped us to start our project.

We would like to sincerely thank Hemanth O, Nithin Sadeesh, Manoj R, Meghana A Reddy, Abhishek I P,

Chethan G N for helping us throughout the project.

Finally, an honorable mention goes to our families and friends for their understanding and supporting us for

completing the project.

(PAVITHRA V G, 1NH13BT034)

(MADHU CHANDRA R, 1NH13BT027)

(MOHANA PRIYA N, 1NH13BT031)

Design and fabrication of cost effective equipment using biofilters for the

removal of auto exhaust gas utilizing solar energy 2017

ABSTRACT

Air pollution is caused when harmful substances are introduced into the earth’s atmosphere. It may

also cause harm to other living organisms such as animals and food crops and may also damage

the natural or built environment. Human activity and natural processes can both generate air

pollution. Here a biological method is being used to remove the pollutants present in the air. Algae

such as spirulina which is capable of reducing the carbon-di-oxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NOX)

and sulfur oxide (SOX) in the polluted air and generating oxygen. The equipment comprises of the

culture tank filled with the culture fluid including algae and air supply unit. By radiating the light

throughout the equipment using sunlight during the morning and fluorescent lamps during night

in the presence of carbon-di-oxide (CO2) photosynthesis will occur, where the conversion of the

carbon di oxide occurs which results in the oxygen production. In addition to it algae utilizes

nitrogen oxide (NOX) and sulfur oxide (SOX) as nutrients during the photosynthesis. As a result

the polluted air which is passed through the equipment generates the purified air, which has high

concentration of oxygen.

KEYWORDS:

Air pollution, spirulina, photosynthesis, oxygen



TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT IV

1. INTRODUCTION 1 - 8

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 9 - 17

2.1 REVIEW TABLE 14 - 16

2.2 LACUNAE 17

2.3 OBJECTIVES 17

3. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY 18 - 24

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 25 - 37

5. CONCLUSION 38

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY 39 - 40



LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NUMBER CONTENT PAGE NUMBER

3.1

Constituents of culture

medium

18

4.1

Optical density of

NOx and SOx

27

4.2

Optical density of NOx

30

4.3

Optical density of SOx

33



LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NUMBER CONTENT PAGE NUMBER

1.1 Current status 5

1.2 Percentage of pollutants 6

3.1 Design of air pollution

reduction equipment

21

4.1 Subculturing of spirulina 25

4.2 Preliminary analysis 26

4.3 Equipment design 28

4.4 Standard curve of NOx 29

4.5 Concentration of NOx 31

4.6 Standard curve of SOx 32

4.7 Concentration of SOx 34

4.8 Spirulina growth curve 35

4.9 Growth curve 36

4.10 (a) NOx analysis 37

4.10(b) SOx analysis 37



LIST OF ABBREVIATION

CO2

Carbon di oxide

NOX

Nitrogen oxide

SOX

Sulfur oxide

CO

Carbon monoxide



Department of Biotechnology, NHCE Page 1

CHAPTER – 1

INTRODUCTION

Air pollution occurs when harmful substances are introduced into the earth’s atmosphere. It may

cause diseases, allergies or death in humans. It may also cause harm to other living organisms such

as animals and food crops and may also damage the natural or built environment. Human activity

and natural processes can both generate air pollution.

At the global level, the rapid growth in motor vehicle activity has serious energy security and

climate change implications. The transport sector already consumes nearly half of the world’s oil.

But in urban areas – both developing and developed countries, it is predominately mobile or

vehicular pollution that contributes to air quality problem.

The sources of pollutants includes emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels in motor vehicles

and for industrial processes, energy production, domestic cooking and heating, and high dust levels

due to local construction, smoking, unpaved roads, sweeping, hotels, restaurants and long-range

transport. By this the quality of air has become so poor that, Bangalore is the result of both high

emissions from the vehicles and unfavorable conditions.

(Mahadevvappa Harish 2012)

Effects of air pollution.

Health Effects:

Air pollution can harm us when it accumulates in the air in high enough concentrations. Millions

of Americans live in areas where urban smog, particle pollution, and toxic pollutants pose serious

health concerns. People exposed to high enough levels of certain air pollutants may experience:

Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat

Wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and breathing difficulties

Worsening of existing lung and heart problems, such as asthma

Increased risk of heart attack




Environmental effects:

Acid rain is precipitation containing harmful amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. These acids are

formed primarily by nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides released into the atmosphere when fossil

fuels are burned. In the environment, acid rain damages trees and causes soils and water bodies to

acidify, making the water unsuitable for some fish and other wildlife.

Eutrophication is a condition in a water body where high concentrations of nutrients (such as

nitrogen) stimulate blooms of algae, which in turn can cause fish kills and loss of plant and animal

diversity.

Haze is caused when sunlight encounters tiny pollution particles in the air. Haze obscures the

clarity, color, texture, and form of what we see. Some haze-causing pollutants (mostly fine

particles) are directly emitted to the atmosphere by sources such as power plants, industrial

facilities, trucks and automobiles, and construction activities.

Effects on wildlife. Toxic pollutants in the air, or deposited on soils or surface waters, can impact

wildlife in a number of ways. Like humans, animals can experience health problems if they are

exposed to sufficient concentrations of air toxics over time. Studies show that air toxics are

contributing to birth defects, reproductive failure, and disease in animals.

Ozone depletion. Ozone is a gas that occurs both at ground-level and in the Earth's upper

atmosphere, known as the stratosphere. At ground level, ozone is a pollutant that can harm human

health. In the stratosphere, however, ozone forms a layer that protects life on earth from the sun's

harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. But this "good" ozone is gradually being destroyed by man-made

chemicals referred to as ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons, hydro

chlorofluorocarbons, and halons.

Crop and forest damage. Air pollution can damage crops and trees in a variety of ways. Ground-

level ozone can lead to reductions in agricultural crop and commercial forest yields, reduced

growth and survivability of tree seedlings, and increased plant susceptibility to disease, pests and

other environmental stresses (such as harsh weather).

Global climate change. The Earth's atmosphere contains a delicate balance of naturally occurring

gases that trap some of the sun's heat near the Earth's surface. This "greenhouse effect" keeps the

Earth's temperature stable.

Unfortunately, evidence is mounting that humans have disturbed this natural balance by producing

large amounts of some of these greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. As a




result, the Earth's atmosphere appears to be trapping more of the sun's heat, causing the Earth's

average temperature to rise - a phenomenon known as global warming. (Department of

environmental protection)

Pollutants:

An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem.

The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin

or man-made. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are usually

produced from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples include carbon

monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust, or the sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary

pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or

interact.

Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant.

Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly and formed

from other primary pollutants.

Substances emitted into the atmosphere by human activity include:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) - Because of its role as a greenhouse gas it has been described as "the

leading pollutant" and "the worst climate pollution". Carbon dioxide is a natural component of the

atmosphere, essential for plant life and given off by the human respiratory system.

Sulfur oxides (SOx) - particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula SO2.

SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Coal and petroleum often

contain sulfur compounds, and their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further oxidation of

SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are expelled from high

temperature combustion, and are also produced during thunderstorms by electric discharge. They

can be seen as a brown haze dome above or a plume downwind of cities.

Carbon monoxide (CO) - CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic yet non-irritating gas. It is a product

of incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust is a major

source of carbon monoxide.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) - VOCs are a well-known outdoor air pollutant. They are

categorized as either methane (CH4) or non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely

efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhance global warming.

Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases because of their role in creating

ozone and prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere. This effect varies depending on local




air quality. The aromatic NMVOCs benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and

may lead to leukemia with prolonged exposure. 1, 3-butadiene is another dangerous compound

often associated with industrial use.

Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate matter,

or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast, aerosol refers

to combined particles and gas. Some particulates occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust

storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Persistent free

radicals connected to airborne fine particles are linked to cardiopulmonary disease.

Toxic metals, such as lead and mercury, especially their compounds.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - harmful to the ozone layer; emitted from products are currently

banned from use. These are gases which are released from air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosol

sprays, etc. On release into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere. Here they come in contact with

other gases and damage the ozone layer. This allows harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the earth's

surface. This can lead to skin cancer, eye disease and can even cause damage to plants.

Ammonia (NH3) - emitted from agricultural processes.

Secondary pollutants include:

Particulates created from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical

smog. Smog is a kind of air pollution

Ground level ozone (O3) formed from NOx and VOCs. Ozone (O3) is a key constituent of the

troposphere. It is also an important constituent of certain regions of the stratosphere commonly

known as the Ozone layer. Photochemical and chemical reactions involving it drive many of the

chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere by day and by night. At abnormally high

concentrations brought about by human activities (largely the combustion of fossil fuel), it is a

pollutant, and a constituent of smog.

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (C2H3NO5) - similarly formed from NOx and VOCs.




CURRENT STATUS:

Figure 1.1 – World status on air pollution

(http://www.healthdata.org/infographic/global-burden-air-pollution)

Countries like India, China, Africa, Australia, European countries, South and North America are

reported to have high rate of air pollution.

The research has stated that air pollution has caused around 5.5 million deaths around the world

where, India and China being the highest.




PERCENTAGE OF POLLUTANTS

Figure 1.2 – Percentage of pollutants

(https://in.pinterest.com/pin/433682639096402492)

The above pie chart clearly indicates the concentration of pollutants which is being released to the

environment by several source. Above graph shows that the carbon di oxide content which is being

released by fossil fuels from the automobiles is very high.




CONVENTIONAL METHODS:

A number of conventional methods are already in wide use, but many of them come with

disadvantages. Brief of major processes are given below:

Physical method

Chemical method

Biological method (Goli 2016)

Physical method:

Active carbon is a universal standard treatment. The absorbed substances will fill the porous

substances of active carbon thus removing the unwanted contaminants. (Fulazzaky 2014)

Chemical method:

Wet scrubbers are air pollution control devices that operate by transmitting polluted gas stream

into a scrubber liquid namely water. This process treats CO2 polluted air. The removal efficiency

of this method is controlled by increasing the contact duration or contact area by acquiring spray

nozzles or packed towers. High amount of wastewater, which requires secondary treatment is

produced by this technique. (Fulazzaky 2014)

Biological method:

This method basically has two types:

1. Tubular bioreactor

2. Algae reactor

In both the process microalgae is being used to convert the carbon di oxide into oxygen by

photosynthetic process by utilizing the other pollutants has nutrients for their growth. (Goli 2016)

In the current project we use microalgae specifically spirulina. Algae such as spirulina which is

capable of reducing the carbon-di-oxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NOX) and sulfur oxide (SOX) in

the polluted air and generating oxygen. The equipment comprises of the culture tank filled with

the culture fluid including algae and air supply unit.




By radiating the light throughout the equipment using sunlight and fluorescent lamps during night

in the presence of carbon-di-oxide (CO2) photosynthesis will occur, which results in the oxygen

production. In addition to it algae utilizes nitrogen oxide (NOX) and sulfur oxide (SOX) as nutrients

during the photosynthesis.




CHAPTER – 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

An overview of biological process and their potential for CO2 capture –

Photosynthesis process involves the conversion of solar energy into chemical by plants and

organisms to power their activities. Carbohydrates molecules including sugar which is being

synthesized by CO2 and water would then store this chemical energy. Microalgae and

cyanobacteria with high growth rates are identified as microorganisms with carbon fixation rates

higher than those of terrestrial plants. Around 87 percent of human produced CO2 emissions

come from the burning fossil fuels such has coal, natural gas and oil (43% of CO2 emissions

from fuel burning is related to coal while 36%produced by oil and 20% from natural gas). High

CO2 emissions has been extensively investigated and effective treatment techniques to remove

high CO2 emission into the atmosphere was considered. CO2 capture methods can be divided

into five categories namely, chemical, physical, biological, physiochemical and combinational

techniques. Wet scrubbers, active carbon adsorption, raceway ponds and photo bioreactor were

the most efficient among all methods of CO2 treatments. (Goli 2016)

CO2, NOx, SOx removal from flue gases via micro algae cultivation –

Flue gas refers to the gas emitting from the combustion processes, and it contains CO2, NOx, SOx

and other potentially hazardous compounds. Due to the increasing concerns of CO2 emissions

and environmental pollution, the cleaning process of flue gas has attracted much attention. Using

microalgae to clean up flue gas via photosynthesis is considered a promising CO2 mitigation

process for flue gas. However, the impurities in the flue gas may inhibit micro algal growth,

leading to a lower microalgae-based CO2 fixation rate. The inhibition effects of SOx that

contribute to the low pH could be alleviated by maintaining a stable pH level, while NOx can be

utilized as a nitrogen source to promote microalgae growth when it dissolves and is oxidized in

the culture medium. The yielded micro algal biomass from fixing flue gas CO2 and utilizing NOx

and SOx as nutrients would become suitable feedstock to produce biofuels and bio-based

chemicals. In addition to the removal of SOx, NOx and CO2, using microalgae to remove heavy

metals from flue gas is also quite attractive. In conclusion, the use of microalgae for

simultaneous removal of CO2, SOx and NOx from flue gas is an environmentally benign process

and represents an ideal platform for CO2 reutilization. (Hong-Wei Yen 2015)




Growth performance and biochemical analysis of the genus Spirulina under different

physical and chemical environmental factors –

Spirulina is useful to man in many aspects of life including health, food and cosmetics. Spirulina

can have high mass production by varying a set of physical and chemical parameters.

Namely pH levels, Mg2+ ion concentration, nitrogen, phosphorous and carbon sources; salinity

and different growing media. Temperature, light intensity, and light/dark cycle.

After the study on spirulina it is found that various nutrients components has various functions in

the growth of spirulina. It is found that the nitrogen effects the accumulation of the lipids in the

micro algae. Phosphate plays an important role in the metabolic process whereas magnesium

added hydrolyze the water to generate hydroxide to increase the pH levels. Carbon is the main

nutrient for spirulina. It is usually made up of 50% of carbon component. pH is one of the main

factors influencing the growth of the spirulina. CO2 in the culture is consumed by the microalgae

during photosynthesis, thereby increasing the pH of the medium. Therefore, substances like

hydrochloric acid and acetic acid have to be added to control the pH to stop it from increasing

beyond the tolerance of the microalgae. (Dorothy Kemuma Nyabuto 2015)

Evaluation of different modes of operation for the production of Spirulina sp. –

Biological processes are alternatives for combating pollution and generating new products. The

microbial metabolism degrades and removes pollutants, which generates fewer environmentally

harmful products. In this scenario, microalgae have been studied for wastewater treatment, toxic

metal bioremediation, carbon dioxide (CO2), biofixation, biofuel, biopolymer and Nano fiber

production. Various cultivation conditions have been studied to increase the micro algal biomass

productivity and reduce production costs. Semi-continuous cultivations have several advantages

compared with batch and continuous processes. Semi-continuous processes involve periodically

replacing part of the microalgae culture medium with fresh culture medium (dilution). Such

cultivation methods can be used for larger scale biomass production while maintaining a high

microorganism growth rate. The same inoculum can be used for long periods, which avoids idle

time due to harvesting the formed biomass, cleaning the photo bioreactor and initiating the

process. Another advantage of this process is control of the nutritional and kinetic parameters.

(Juliana Botelho Moreira 2015)




Environmental Regulations, Air and Water Pollution, and Infant Mortality in India-

This paper takes advantage of an extensive and growing network of environmental monitoring

stations across India. Starting in 1987, India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) began

compiling readings of NO2, SO2, and PM. The data were collected as a part of the National Air

Quality Monitoring Program, which was established by the CPCB to identify, assess, and

prioritize the pollution control needs in different areas, as well as to aid in the identification and

regulation of potential hazards and pollution sources.10 Individual State Pollution Control

Boards (SPCBs) are responsible for collecting the pollution readings and providing them to the

CPCB for checking, compilation, and analysis. The air quality data are collected from a

combination of CPCB online and print materials for the years 1987-2007. The full dataset

includes 572 air pollution monitors in 140 cities. Many of these monitors operate for just a

subset of the sample, and for most cities data is not available for all years. In the earliest year

(1987), the functioning monitors cover 20 cities, while 125 cities are monitored by 2007.

On average, there are 2.3 monitors per city, with 78 percent of cities possessing data from more

than one monitor in a given year. CPCB as a general indicator of pollution, receiving key

contributions from “fossil fuel burning, industrial processes and vehicular exhaust”. SO2

emissions, on the other hand, are predominantly a by-product of thermal power generation;

globally, 80 percent of sulfur emissions in 1990 were attributable to fossil fuel use. NO2 is

viewed by the CPCB as an indicator of vehicular pollution, though it is produced in almost all

combustion reactions. (Michael Greenstone 2013)

A study on air pollution by automobiles in Bangalore city-

This Paper has made an attempt to study on urban air pollution in Bangalore city by emission of

gases by vehicles which emit from them. The present day environment crisis demands a change

in attitude, which initiatives can be taken to rescue environment from destruction in the city of

Bangalore. But the urban areas have a big share in the present day environmental problems from

the automobiles throughout the world. At the global level, the rapid growth in motor vehicle

activity has serious energy security and climate change implications. The transport sector already

consumes nearly half of the world’s oil. But in urban areas – both developing and developed

countries, it is predominately mobile or vehicular pollution that contributes to air quality

problem. The sources of pollutants includes emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels in

motor vehicles and for industrial processes, energy production, domestic cooking and heating,

and high dust levels due to local construction, smoking, unpaved roads, sweeping, hotels,




restaurants and long-range transport. By this the quality of air has become so poor that,

Bangalore is the result of both high emissions from the vehicles and unfavorable conditions.

The rapid growth in motor vehicle activity is the challenges to overcome in urban areas in

Bangalore during the last and this decade. This has brought a serious range of socio-economic,

environmental, health, and welfare impacts on environmental degradation. The rapid growth in

motor vehicles in Bangalore is important not only because of their locally harmful air pollution

effects, but also because of their regional and global impacts.

(Mahadevappa Harish 2012)

Adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution-

Air pollution is increasingly recognized as an important and modifiable determinant of

cardiovascular disease in urban communities. Acute exposure has been linked to a range of

adverse cardiovascular events including hospital admissions with angina, myocardial infarction,

and heart failure. Long-term exposure increases an individual’s lifetime risk of death from

coronary heart disease. The main arbiter of these adverse health effects seems to be combustion-

derived nanoparticles that incorporate reactive organic and transition metal components.

Inhalation of this particulate matter leads to pulmonary inflammation with secondary systemic

effects or, after translocation from the lung into the circulation, to direct toxic cardiovascular

effects. Through the induction of cellular oxidative stress and proinflammatory pathways,

particulate matter augments the development and progression of atherosclerosis via detrimental

effects on platelets, vascular tissue, and the myocardium.

These effects seem to underpin the atherothrombotic consequences of acute and chronic

exposure to air pollution. An increased understanding of the mediators and mechanisms of these

processes is necessary if we are to develop strategies to protect individuals at risk and reduce the

effect of air pollution on cardiovascular disease. (Nicholas L Mills 2009)

System for purifying a polluted air using algae-

In recent years, air pollution caused by exhausts from thermal power plants, automobiles and on

is becoming serious in every country of the World. The exhausts usually contain poisonous gas

components to the human body, for example, sulfur dioxide (S02), nitrogen oxide (NO,) and

carbon monoxide (CO). In particular, nitrogen oxide is very poisonous to the human body, and

gives a bad influence to nasal cavity, throat, trachea, bronchiole, alveolus, and blood vessels. In

addition, it is known that nitrogen oxide gas induces a photochemical smog under a Weather

condition. Since the nitrogen oxide gas has a relatively large specific gravity, it is said that the air

pollution is more serious in the underground shopping centre or subway station. The primary

objective is to provide a system for purifying a polluted air by using algae, which is capable of




reducing carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and/or sulfur oxide (SOx) from the

polluted air and generating oxygen.

That is, this system comprises a culture tank filled with a culture fluid including the algae, an air

supply unit for forcing the polluted air into the culture fluid to dissolve carbon dioxide and

nitrogen oxide and/or sulfur oxide in the culture fluid, and a lighting unit for radiating a light to

the culture fluid. By radiating the light to the culture fluid in the presence of carbon dioxide,

photosynthesis of the algae is promoted to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. In addition, the

algae use the nitrogen oxide and/or sulfur oxide as a nutrient during the photosynthesis to

generate a purified air, which is rich in oxygen. In the present system, it is possible to

continuously perform the air purifying operation a Whole day by using the lighting unit. It is

particularly preferred to use Spirulina as the algae. It is also preferred that the system comprises

a unit for removing the algae having a predetermined size, e.g., 300 pm or more from the culture

fluid. As the algae grow in the culture fluid, a light transmittance of the culture fluid becomes

poor. As a result, the grown algae may prevent the photosynthesis of the algae. Therefore, it is

preferred to intermittently remove the grown algae from the culture fluid by the removing unit.

In case of using Spirulina as the algae, grown Spirulina harvested from the culture fluid can be

used as foods or feeds. (Kodo 2000)




2.1 REVIEW TABLE

S.I.

NO

TITLE

AUTHOR,

JOURNAL,

YEAR

HIGHLIGHTS

1

An overview of biological

processes and their potential for

CO2 capture

Amin Goli a,

Journal of Environmental

Management,

2016

Different methods of

CO2 fixation

2

CO2, NOx and SOx removal

from flue gas via microalgae

cultivation

Hong-Wei Yen,

Biotechnology Journal,

2015

Mechanism of removal

of pollutants

by microalgae

3

Growth performance and

biochemical analysis of the germs

Spirulina under different physical

and chemical environment factors

Dorothy Kemuma

Nyabuto,

African Journal of

Agricultural Research,

2015

Nutrients essential for

the growth of spirulina

4

Biofixation of carbon dioxide

from coal station flue gas using

Spirulina sp.

Jorge Alberto Viera Costa,

African Journal of

Microbiology Research,

2015

Ability of CO2 fixation

by spirulina

5

Evaluation of different modes

of the process of Spirulina sp.

Juliana Botelho Moreira,

Wiley Online Library,

2015

Growth kinetics in

different modes




S.I.

NO

TITLE

AUTHOR,

JOURNAL,

YEAR

HIGHLIGHTS

6

Utilization of biogas as carbon

dioxide provide for spirulina

platensis culture

Siswo Sumardiano,

Current Research Journal

of Biological Sciences,

2014

Growth kinetics of

spirulina

7

Growth response of Spirulina

platensis PCC9108 elevated CO2

levels and flue gas

Seyed Mahdi Hoseini,

Biological Journal of

Microorganism,

2014

Culture media and

conditions of spirulina

8

Evaluation of gas retention time

effects on the bio trickling filter

reactor performance for treating

air contaminated with

formaldehyde

Mohamad Ali Fulazzaky,

RSC Publishing,

2014

Chemical and physical

method of air pollution

reduction

9

Growth measurement technique of

microalgae

Sivakumar R,

IJCS,

2013

Gives the OD for

measuring growth rate

of spirulina

10

Environmental Regulations,

Air and Water Pollution, and

Infant Mortality in India

Michael Greenstone,

Massachusetts Institute of

Technology,

2013

Effects of air pollution

on people and infants




S.I.

NO

TITLE

AUTHOR,

JOURNAL,

YEAR

HIGHLIGHTS

11

A study of air pollution by

automobiles in Bangalore City

Mahadevappa Harish,

IISc,

2012

Air pollution statistics

of Bangalore

12

Development of a process of

efficient use of CO2 from flue

gases in the production of

photosynthetic microorgansims

C.V. Gonza’lez-Lo’pez

Wiley Online Library,

2011

Absorption of CO2 by

microalgae

13

Adverse cardiovascular effects of

air pollution

Nicholas L Mills,

Nature,

2009

Effect of air pollution

on heart

14

System for purifying polluted air

by using algae

Keiun Kodo,

2000

Gives the basic idea on

how we should proceed

15

Solubility of Hydrogen, Oxygen,

Nitrogen and Helium in Water at

elevated temperatures

H.A. Pray,

Battelle Memorial Institute

Solubility of nitrogen

in water




2.2 LACUNAE

User friendly and effective equipments are not available

Renewable energy is not screened

2.3 OBJECTIVES

To design a cost effective equipment to mitigate air pollution and reduction of pollutants from

the auto-exhaust gases




CHAPTER – 3

MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

SUB CULTURING:

The micro algae spirulina platensis was provided by the Wellisen Nutraceuticals. Cells were

cultivated in the modified culture medium with ratio 1:1. It was stored under sunlight with

complete aeration. The sub culturing was done for every 10 days. The culture medium was

maintained at a temperature of 20˚c to 40˚c. It is preferred that the pH value of the culture fluid is

10.5.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Spirulina

Conical flask

Glass wares

Auto clave

Chemicals

TABLE 3.1 – CONSTITUENTS OF CULTURE MEDIUM

Constituents Composition (g/l)

Sodium bicarbonate 8.0

Sodium chloride 5.0

Potassium sulphate 0.5

Magnesium sulphate 0.16

Sodium nitrate 2.0

Ferrous sulphate 0.001




PROCEDURE:

1 liter of distilled water was taken in a conical flask, and it was sterilized using auto clave for

about 15 minutes at 120˚c.

It was cooled until it reached room temperature.

Then the chemicals was been weighed

The chemicals was added to the sterile water, and then stirred until all the chemicals was

dissolved.

Make the nutrient media and spirulina in the ratio 1:1.

METHODOLOGY:

The primary objective of this invention is to provide a system for purifying a polluted air by using

spirulina algae, which is capable of reducing NOX, SOX, CO2 & CO from the polluted air and

generating oxygen.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Spirulina

Gas cylinder

Solar panel

Battery

Converter

Pipes and wires

LED lights




PROCEDURE:

The system consists of culture tank filled with the culture fluid including spirulina.

The polluted air is supplied to the tank using a gas cylinder, which is connected to it. .

LED lights are connected to the system to radiate light to the culture.

Power provided is obtained by solar panel installed on top of the acrylic polymer chamber.

The culture fluid in presence of CO2 & light undergoes photosynthesis to convert CO2 into O2 In

addition, the algae uses NOX & SOX as a nutrients.

As a result the system generates a purified air which is rich in O2.

Purified air comes out of the chamber, which is released to the environment.




Figure 3.1 – Design of the air pollution reduction equipment of auto exhaust gases




ANALYSIS OF NO AND SO:

NOx and SOx are the two important dangerous gases that are present in the polluted air. There are

different methods to analyze the concentration of NOx & SOx. The NOx and SOx gases which are

present in the air are consumed by the spirulina during photosynthesis as a main nutrient. The

concentration of these gases present in the polluted air is obtained by analyzing the amount of NOx

and SOx that are dissolved in the algae (spirulina).

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Chemicals

Reagents

Glass wares

Colorimeter

Cuvette

CHEMICALS REQUIRED:

Mercuric chloride

p-Rosaniline hydrochloride

Formaldehyde

Sulphamic acid

NEDA solution

Hydrogen peroxide solution

Sulphanilamide

Phosphoric acid

PREPARATION OF REAGENTS:

Preparation of P- Rosaniline HCl

Dissolve 0.2gms of the reagent in 100ml of distilled water

Filter it after 48hrs

Pipette 20ml of the solution into 100ml of volumetric flask




Add 6ml of concentrated HCL, Keep for 5 minutes

Dilute it to 100ml of distilled water

The solution should be pale yellow in color with greenish tent

Keep it in umber color bottle in refrigerator

Preparation of Sulphanilamide

Dissolve 10gms of reagent in 350ml of distilled water.

Add with mixing 25ml of conc.-phosphoric acid.

Dilute to 500ml with distilled water.

Preparation of NEDA

Dissolve 0.5gms of NEDA in 500ml of distilled water.

Keep it in refrigerator and protect from light.

Preparation of hydrogen peroxide

Dissolve 0.2ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide in 250ml of distilled water.

Keep it in refrigerator and protect from light.

Preparation of Sulphamic Acid

Dissolve 0.6gms of the reagent to 100ml with distilled water and store in a reagent bottle.

Preparation of formaldehyde

Dilute 5ml of 40% solution in 1 liter of distilled water.




ANALYSIS OF SOx:

10ml of sample has been taken

1ml of Sulphamic Acid & 2ml of Rosaniline HCl, HCHO has been added

After been made up to 25ml, it was kept for 30 minutes at RT

Absorbance has been measured at 560 nm

ANALYSIS OF NOx:

10ml of sample has been taken.

10ml of Sulphanilamide, 1ml of H2O2 & 1.4ml of NEDA has been added.

After been made up to 25ml, it was kept for 10 minutes at RT.

Absorbance has been measured at 560 nm.




CHAPTER – 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 4.1 - Sub culturing of spirulina




Figure 4.2 - Preliminary analysis

Figure 4.2 was done by collecting the polluted gas for 5 minutes from the automobile in a 2 liter

plastic container filled with 1 liter of the spirulina algae culture. This algae helps in the reduction

of the pollutants from the gases like SOx and NOx.




Number of days Sox

OD @ 560 nm

NOx

OD @ 540 nm

1st

0.31 0.04

3rd 0.52 0.07

5th 0.84 0.1

Table 4.1 – Optical density of NOx and SOx

Table 4.1 indicates the amount of reduction in SOX and NOX occurred. This preliminary

experiment was basically done to notice if there in any reduction in the pollutants and it is found

that the pollutant has been utilized by the spirulina as nutrients.




Figure 4.3 - Air pollution equipment

This is the equipment which has been designed for the reduction of pollutants in the air pollution,

where the spirulina utilizes the pollutants in the air as the nutrients required for their growth.




Figure 4.4- Standard calibration curve of NOx

This is the standard calibration curve which indicates the absorbance of the nitrogen oxide when

OD is being taken at 560nm.




Time

(in hours)

Absorbance @ 560nm

Micrograms of NO2

2 0.48 12.5

4 0.49 13

6 0.51 13.5

8 0.53 14.5

Table 4.2 - Optical density of NOx

Above table 4.2 shows that, when the absorbance is taken at 540 nm and then it is extrapolated

on the standard calibration curve the micrograms of nitrogen oxide is obtained. From the values

it is clear that there in the increase in the amount of the nitrogen oxide in the spirulina culture

where it is being utilized as the nutrients.




Figure 4.5 - Concentration of NOx

This figure 4.5 shows that there is reduction in the amount of the nitrogen oxide in the air which

is being purified in the air pollution reduction equipment. It is seen that there is reduction in

nitrogen oxide present in the purified air which has been observed every hour.




Figure 4.6- Standard calibration curve of SOx

This is the standard calibration curve which indicates the absorbance of the sulfur oxide when

OD is being taken at 560nm.




Time

(in hours)

Absorbance

@ 560nm

Microlitres of SO2

2 0.28 72.054

4 0.31 72.97

6 0.32 74.28

8 0.34 74.90

Table 4.3 - Optical density of SOx

Above table shows that when the absorbance is taken at 560 nm, it is then extrapolated on the

standard calibration curve which gives the micro liters of sulfur oxide. From the values which

has been found it shows that there in the increase in the amount of the sulfur oxide in the

spirulina culture where it is being utilized has the nutrients.




Figure 4.7- Concentration of SOx

This figure 4.7 shows that there is reduction in the amount of the sulfur oxide in the air which is

being purified in the air pollution reduction equipment. It is seen that there is reduction in sulfur

oxide present in the purified air which has been observed every hour




Figure 4.8- Spirulina growth curve during the reduction of pollutants

The growth of the spirulina which is being observed during the reduction of the pollutants from

the auto exhaust gas is shown here. By taking up the pollutants as the nutrients spirulina has

shown incredible growth when it is compared to the normal growth of the spirulina algae.




Figure 4.9- Spirulina growth curve

Above figure 4.9 indicates the growth of the spirulina after it is been sub cultured. The growth of

the spirulina is observed every alternative day and we have seen that initially the growth is in lag

phase and then there is a linear growth of the culture.




\

Figure 4.10 (a)

Figure 4.10 (b)

Above figure 4.10 (a) indicate the change in the color due to the presence of the NOX in the

spirulina which is being absorbed has nutrient.

Above figure 4.10 (b) indicate the change in the color due to the presence of the SOX in the

spirulina which is being absorbed has nutrient.




CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

This report mainly focuses on the reduction of pollutants in auto exhaust air. Here it is done by

passing the auto exhaust air to the equipment containing spirulina. This algae utilizes the

carbon di oxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide as the nutrients for its growth.

The results has shown that by the process of photosynthesis where carbon di oxide is converted to

oxygen utilizing nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide as nutrients spirulina has reduced the pollutants.

Through series of test it is found that the amount of nitrogen oxide, carbon di oxide and sulfur

oxide has been reduced.




CHAPTER 6

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