Remediation of Heavy Metals in Polluted Water by Immobilized Algae: Current Applications and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The progression of urban industrialization releases large quantities of heavy metals into water, resulting in the severe heavy metal contamination of the aquatic environment. Traditional methods for removing heavy metals from wastewater generally have varying removal efficiencies, whereas algae adsorption technology is a cost-effective and sustainable bioremediation technique. A green technology that immobilizes algae through a carrier to improve biosorbent’s stability and adsorption performance is immobilization technology. The purpose of this review is to study the optimization strategy of the immobilization of algae for the bioremediation of heavy metals and to comprehensively analyze immobilized algae technology in terms of sustainability. The analysis of the mechanism of heavy metal removal by immobilized algae and the parameters affecting the efficiency of the biosorbent, as well as the approach based on life cycle assessment and economic analysis, allowed the identification of the optimization of the adsorption performance of immobilized algae. This provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of algal bioremediation.

Insights into pH dynamics, dissolved oxygen variability, and ion removal efficiency in floating treatment wetland

“…Also, Ca ions in the polluted water may bind to the surfaces of Cladophora sp. cells through passive adsorption processes or precipitate on the surface of algae cells due to changes in water chemistry or biological processes within the algae (Chen et al, 2023). In contrast to Ca, Cladophora sp.…”

Metal biosorption onto non-living algae: a critical review on metal recovery from wastewater

“…60,61 Despite the dual role of algae in metal preconcentration and water decontamination, most literature is focused on the use of algae for environmental decontamination. 45,86,177 This is problematic from a metal recovery perspective since these studies tend to focus on simplistic scenarios involving low-concentration single metallic solutions and often overlook the potential of metal-laden algae. 46,47 These studies do not represent the higher metal concentration and the diversity of ions dissolved in wastewater.…”

Role of Nanocellulose in Light Harvesting and Artificial Photosynthesis

“…The thin layers may allow for more uniform light distribution and higher cell densities, which restricts cell division and growth while increasing the photosynthetic conversion. While the immobilized algae can be used for various applications such as wastewater treatment [265], or environmental cleaning [266], however, the combination into photosynthetic cell factories has rarely been described.…”