ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROALGAE FROM HIGH NITRATE LANDFILL LEACHATE

This study aims to isolate and identify microalgae capable of growing in high nitrate (N-NO 3 - ) landfill leachate. Source of isolation was collected from a landfill leachate treatment plant and identified according to morphological characteristics and analysis of partial 18S and 28S rRNA genes. The isolates, identified as Chlorella vulgaris UPSI-JRM01 and Tetradesmus obliquus UPSI-JRM02 were capable of growing at high N-NO 3 - concentration of nitrified landfill leachate, which is up to 1500 mg/L. The biomass productivities of Chlorella vulgaris and Tetradesmus obliquus were 36.28 mg/L/day and 40.49 mg/L/day, with 44% and 37% N-NO 3 - removal, respectively. The biomass of Chlorella vulgaris and Tetradesmus obliquus consisted of 17.72% and 16.32% lipid and, 21.93% and 25.43% carbohydrate, respectively. The protein contents (>50%) were higher than lipid and carbohydrate contents for both microalgal species. The newly isolated microalgae species will be useful for future applications of high NO 3 - wastewater treatment and microalgae biomass production.