Opportunities for phycoremediation approach in tannery effluent: A treatment perspective

Abstract

Consumer demand for the leather products intensifies every year, especially in the fashion sector. With increasing pressure regarding chemicals, water usage, and landfill issues, the leather industries require ongoing research at production as well as effluent treatment level to ensure the stability of the industry. Industrialization made the outbreak of economic growth and energy demand with least consideration of environmental issues, especially in developing countries. Currently, microalgae have shown a significant promise in industrial effluent treatment. Further, the microalgal lipid accumulation potential has a substantial share in meeting the energy demand as renewable energy resource (e.g., Biofuel). Hence, microalgae assimilation of atmospheric CO2 and pollutants from the aqueous environment has overwhelming interest among researchers for combined treatment of industrial effluents and greenhouse gas mitigation from industrial emissions. This review focuses on identifying the potentials of integrating CO2 sequestration in tannery effluent treatment by microalgae. In addition, it summarizes the ability of microalgae for nutrient removal under flue gas environment and fuel production potential under stress condition. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38:e13078, 2019