Degradation and remediation of environmental pollutants by algae

Abstract

The usage of a large number of industrial resources and the discharge of harmful pollutants have caused serious damage to the environment and ultimately affect the ecosystem and human health. Bioremediation is a green, sustainable and low-cost technology for the treatment of environmental pollutants, which includes the process of environmental remediation using plants, animals, microorganisms and so on. Among them, algae have the characteristics of rapid growth, wide distribution, strong stress resistance, large enrichment, and can convert pollutants into chemical products, so they play an important role in bioremediation. In this review, we introduce the types of pollutants existing in the environment, analyze the mechanism of algae for environmental remediation, and then describe the research progress of algae in the process of degradation and remediation of different pollutants. Finally, the shortages and limitations of bioremediation using algae are discussed, and its future development is prospected.