Pollution prevention and waste phycoremediation by algal-based wastewater treatment technologies: The applications of high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs) and algal turf scrubber (ATS)

Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment: A Review on Eco-Toxicology and the Remediation Potential of Algae

“…Microalgae, as unicellular organisms, can grow much faster than macroalgae and are able to live under extreme environmental conditions, such as high salinity, nutrient stress and extreme temperatures. They are also relatively resistant to the presence of various pollutants (i.e., heavy metals, organic compounds or pharmaceuticals) [170,171]. Moreover, most microalgae can grow autotrophically, heterotrophically and mixotrophically [126].…”

“…According to. [171,324], a biotechnological approach can bring great benefits to the improvement of the efficiency of phycoremediation. Genetic engineering tools such as mutation breeding, hybridization, gene editing and domestication can significantly improve the process of phycoremediation.…”

“…Genetically modified algae, equipped with new or increased capacities for degrading various compounds, will have an important future in this field, since such microorganisms will be able to effectively remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater; this has already been reported for the heavy-metal-binding transgenic alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [325]. Databases are available in which the sequenced genomes of some microalgae have been presented [171,326], and this is a promising tool and perspective for creating algae varieties that perform better with the biosorption or biotransformation of pharmaceuticals. An interesting system for removing pharmaceutical impurities may be an algae consortium used with other microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi [327].…”

A Review on the Reliability and the Readiness Level of Microalgae-Based Nutrient Recovery Technologies for Secondary Treated Effluent in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

“…optimal flow velocity of 0.3 m s −1 ) throughout the system and is additionally assisted by the natural wind masses above the water surface (Figure 3) [44]. Microalgal cells are freely floating into the wastewater medium through the shallow ponds (0.15-0.50 m) [39,45,46]. These systems generally use natural solar illumination as a light source.…”

“…ATSs (Figure 6) are usually open systems (canals) with 0.10 to 0.20 m of depth, resembling the open pond suspended growth reactors, but with a thin polymer matrix on the bottom [39]. These systems have a simplified operation but require extremely large amounts of area due to their reduced depth [46]. Flat-panel biofilm reactors are enclosed in single or twin-layer systems that have improved control and better utilization of the light but require all the additional installations for an enclosed reactor design, making their operation much more complicated [58].…”