The application of microalgae in removing organic micropollutants in wastewater

Abstract

Micropollutants have become a serious environmental problem with several negative outcomes for human health and ecosystems. Many efforts have been made to remove micropollutants using a variety of physical, chemical and biological methods. By far, the most attention has been paid to microalgae-based technologies for wastewater treatment in order to obtain high-quality effluents, recover algal biomass for fertilizers, protein-rich feed, biofuel, and put them to other practical use. This paper reviews the potential of microalgae-based systems for the removal of organic micropollutants from open ponds to closed photobioreactors coupled by suspended microalgal cells, immobilized cells, or microalgae-microbial consortia. The inhibition of micropollutants on microalgae growth as well as micropollutant removal mechanisms performed by microalgae-based systems are also discussed. Other treatment methods for the removal of micropollutants are analyzed to show the advantages and limitations of microalgae-based treatment strategies, from which some possible combined systems can be suggested. Finally, some recommendations for future studies on this topic are proposed.

Keywords:

• Microalgae
• micropollutants
• photobioreactor

Acknowledgements

This research was a part of the project titled “Development of a water treatment system to remove harmful substances of ecological disturbances emitted from quarantine stations screening up imported fishery products.”

Additional information

Funding

The article is funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea.