Review of Challenges for Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment: Strain Selection, Wastewater Characteristics, Abiotic, and Biotic Factors

Rani, Swati; Gunjyal, Neelam; Ojha, Chandra Shekhar Prasad; Singh, Rajendra Prasad

doi:10.1061/(asce)hz.2153-5515.0000578

Cited by 45 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 105 publications

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“…Algal-bacterial consortia have been exploited for disinfection and the removal of nutrients, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals from wastewater (Table 6). Multiple studies have demonstrated that more efficient and advanced nutrient and contaminant removal from wastewater is achieved through a combination of algal and bacterial systems, rather than through using single algal or bacterial systems (Table 6) [248,294]. A/A: analgesics and antipyretics; BOD: biochemical oxygen demand; TP: total phosphorus; TN: total nitrogen; DOC: dissolved organic carbon; COD: chemical oxygen demands.…”

Section: Algal-bacterial Consortiumsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Hejna

Kapuścińska

Aksmann

2022

IJERPH

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The pollution of the aquatic environment has become a worldwide problem. The widespread use of pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals through anthropogenic activities has increased the emission of such contaminants into wastewater. Pharmaceuticals constitute a significant class of aquatic contaminants and can seriously threaten the health of non-target organisms. No strict legal regulations on the consumption and release of pharmaceuticals into water bodies have been implemented on a global scale. Different conventional wastewater treatments are not well-designed to remove emerging contaminants from wastewater with high efficiency. Therefore, particular attention has been paid to the phycoremediation technique, which seems to be a promising choice as a low-cost and environment-friendly wastewater treatment. This technique uses macro- or micro-algae for the removal or biotransformation of pollutants and is constantly being developed to cope with the issue of wastewater contamination. The aims of this review are: (i) to examine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in water, and their toxicity on non-target organisms and to describe the inefficient conventional wastewater treatments; (ii) present cost-efficient algal-based techniques of contamination removal; (iii) to characterize types of algae cultivation systems; and (iv) to describe the challenges and advantages of phycoremediation.

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Section: Algal-bacterial Consortiumsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Hejna

Kapuścińska

Aksmann

2022

IJERPH

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“…Despite the major developments and huge progress, there is still no unified optimal algal strain/consortia for wastewater treatment, and novel strains are constantly tested for their efficiency [5,25]. Even though there are no specific criteria for algae selection for N and P removal in WWTPs, the basic considerations include: (1) non-toxic culture or consortia, (2) rapid adaptation to the wastewater medium, (3) intensive growth of the culture in water, and (4) storage of high value substances in the cells [5,8,[25][26][27].…”

Section: Global Achievements 21 Algal Culturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Valchev

Ribarova

2022

Processes

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Algae-based wastewater treatment technologies are promising green technologies with huge economical potential and environmental co-benefits. However, despite the immense research, work, and achievement, no publications were found wherein these technologies have been successfully applied in an operational environment for nitrogen and phosphorus removal of secondary treated effluent in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Based on a literature review and targeted comprehensive analysis, the paper seeks to identify the main reasons for this. The reliability (considering inlet wastewater quality variations, operating conditions and process control, algae harvesting method, and produced biomass) as well as the technology readiness level for five types of reactors are discussed. The review shows that the reactors with a higher level of control over the technological parameters are more reliable but algal post-treatment harvesting and additional costs are barriers for their deployment. The least reliable systems continue to be attractive for research due to the non-complex operation and relieved expenditure costs. The rotating biofilm systems are currently undertaking serious development due to their promising features. Among the remaining research gaps and challenges for all the reactor types are the identification of the optimal algal strains, establishment of technological parameters, overcoming seasonal variations in the effluent’s quality, and biomass harvesting.

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“…With high potential as feedstock biofactories, recent research has focused on the use of microalgal biomass as carbon source for PHA production because of the high carbohydrate yield and the lack of lignin which facilitates low-cost retrieval of fermentable sugars ( Ghosh et al, 2019 ). Microalgae encompass a wide range of unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms and are ubiquitously found in all aquatic environments including freshwater and saltwater bodies with adapted tolerance to a wide range of abiotic and biotic stress ( Rani et al, 2021 ). In terms of metabolism, microalgae are not only photoautotrophic but can adapt to heterotrophy or even mixotrophy depending on the environment ( Mitra et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microalgal Biomass as Feedstock for Bacterial Production of PHA: Advances and Future Prospects

Tan

Nadir

Sudesh

2022

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

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The search for biodegradable plastics has become the focus in combating the global plastic pollution crisis. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are renewable substitutes to petroleum-based plastics with the ability to completely mineralize in soil, compost, and marine environments. The preferred choice of PHA synthesis is from bacteria or archaea. However, microbial production of PHAs faces a major drawback due to high production costs attributed to the high price of organic substrates as compared to synthetic plastics. As such, microalgal biomass presents a low-cost solution as feedstock for PHA synthesis. Photoautotrophic microalgae are ubiquitous in our ecosystem and thrive from utilizing easily accessible light, carbon dioxide and inorganic nutrients. Biomass production from microalgae offers advantages that include high yields, effective carbon dioxide capture, efficient treatment of effluents and the usage of infertile land. Nevertheless, the success of large-scale PHA synthesis using microalgal biomass faces constraints that encompass the entire flow of the microalgal biomass production, i.e., from molecular aspects of the microalgae to cultivation conditions to harvesting and drying microalgal biomass along with the conversion of the biomass into PHA. This review discusses approaches such as optimization of growth conditions, improvement of the microalgal biomass manufacturing technologies as well as the genetic engineering of both microalgae and PHA-producing bacteria with the purpose of refining PHA production from microalgal biomass.

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Review of Challenges for Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment: Strain Selection, Wastewater Characteristics, Abiotic, and Biotic Factors

Cited by 45 publications

References 105 publications

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

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

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

Microalgal Biomass as Feedstock for Bacterial Production of PHA: Advances and Future Prospects

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