Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from produced water using the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in mixotrophic and heterotrophic conditions.

Chlorella vulgaris was cultivated for 15 days in 10 different treatments under mixotrophic and heterotrophic conditions, using wastewater from oil and poultry industries as the culture medium. The blends were made with produced water (PW), sterilized produced water (PW), sterilized poultry wastewater (PoW), sterilized seawater (SW), and the addition of sodium nitrate to evaluate cell growth in treatments and the removal of PAHs. The heterotrophic condition showed more effective removal, having an initial concentration of 3.