Microalgae: Cultivation techniques and wastewater phycoremediation

Abstract

Generation of liquid and gaseous effluents is associated with almost all anthropogenic activities. The discharge of these effluents into the environment without treatment has reduced the availability and quality of natural resources, representing a serious threat to the balance of different ecosystems and human health. Universal access to water and global warming are topics of intense concern and are listed as priorities in the vast majority of global scientific, social and political guidelines. Conventional techniques to treat liquid and gaseous effluents pose economic and/or environmental limitations that prevent their use in certain applications. The technique of phycoremediation, which uses microalgae, macroalgae, and cyanobacteria for the removal or biotransformation of pollutants, is an emerging technology that has been highlighted due to its economic viability and environmental sustainability. This literature review discusses different techniques of microalgae cultivation and their use in the phycoremediation of contaminants in wastewater.

Keywords:

• Biomass
• bioremediation
• microalgae
• gaseous effluents
• wastewater

Funding

We would like to thank Capes (Programa Nacional de Pós-Doutorado/1266911 and Programa de Suporte à Pós-Graduação de Instituições de Ensino Particulares/PROSUP), FAP-UNISC, CNPq (306178/2012-5) and Fapergs (DOCFIX Fapergs/Capes nº09/2012).