Wastewater treatment by using microalgae: Insights into fate, transport, and associated challenges

The remediation of wastewater with microalgae is a new topic that concentrates on devising a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial method. Multiple microalgae and bacterial consortiums have recently been evaluated to determine if they can purify effluent from various sources. Critical to a system's efficacy is its ability to remove nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and heavy metals such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu). This study compared traditional wastewater treatment systems to microalgae-based systems for treating different types of wastewater. The research investigates the potential for microalgae to cleanse wastewater. The research also evaluates wastewater parameters, methods, and scientific techniques for extracting nutrients and heavy metals from polluted water. According to the literature, Microalgae can remove between 98.7% and 100% of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and heavy metals from various effluents. The paper concludes by discussing the difficulties of using microalgae to remediate wastewater. The elimination of nutrients from the effluent is influenced by biomass production, osmotic capacity, temperature, pH, and O2 concentration. Therefore, a “pilot” study is recommended to investigate contaminants. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd