Progress on microalgae cultivation in wastewater for bioremediation and circular bioeconomy.

Environ Res

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Department of Sustainable Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, 602105, India; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China. Electronic address:

Published: February 2023

AI Article Synopsis

  • Water usage is increasing due to its limited availability, prompting industries to focus on recycling water for production.
  • Microalgae have emerged as a key element in the circular bioeconomy because of their rapid growth, nutrient consumption, and potential for bioremediation, which supports water reuse and biomass production.
  • This review addresses the challenges of cultivating microalgae in wastewater, highlighting their potential to tackle emerging pollutants and contribute to environmental sustainability through innovative green solutions.

Article Abstract

Water usage increased alongside its competitiveness due to its finite amount. Yet, many industries still rely on this finite resource thus recalling the need to recirculate their water for production. Circular bioeconomy is presently the new approach emphasizing on the 'end-of-life' concept with reusing, recycling, and recovering materials. Microalgae are the ideal source contributing to circular bioeconomy as it exhibits fast growth and adaptability supported by biological rigidity which in turn consumes nutrients, making it an ideal and capable bioremediating agent, therefore allowing water re-use as well as its biomass potential in biorefineries. Nevertheless, there are challenges that still need to be addressed with consideration of recent advances in cultivating microalgae in wastewater. This review aimed to investigate the potential of microalgae biomass cultivated in wastewater. More importantly, how it'll play a role in the circular bioeconomy. This includes an in-depth look at the production of goods coming from wastes tattered by emerging pollutants. These emerging pollutants include microplastics, antibiotics, ever-increasingly sewage water, and heavy metals which have not been comprehensively compared and explored. Therefore, this review is aiming to bring new insights to researchers and industrial stakeholders with interest in green alternatives to eventually contribute towards environmental sustainability.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114948DOI Listing

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