Valorization of Microalgae Biomass by Its Use for the Removal of Paracetamol from Contaminated Water

Microalgae are aquatic photosynthetic prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganisms which cultivation for the fixation of CO2 and the production of biofuels has received large attention. However, the sustainable development of an algal biorefinery is still a challenge. In this context, the valorization of microalgae biomass for a wastewater adsorptive treatment may be an option to explore. Recently, the presence of emerging contaminants (ECs) in natural waters and the associated risks have led to a great concern, especially in the case of pharmaceuticals. In the present work, the elimination of paracetamol from water by biosorption onto microalgae, namely Synechocystis sp., has been studied. Kinetic and equilibrium parameters have been determined and compared with those obtained when using a commercial activated carbon under the same experimental conditions. Although the adsorption kinetics are very similar onto both materials, at the equilibrium, the Langmuir maximum capacity of the activated carbon (278 mg g(-1)) is five times higher than that of Synechocystis sp. (53 mg g(-1)). In any case, it must be considered that the utilization of microalgae may be considered an environmentally friendly process with important associated savings.