Microalgae biofilm system as an efficient tool for wastewater remediation and potential bioresources for pharmaceutical product production: an overview

Abstract

The role of microalgae in wastewater remediation and metabolite production has been well documented, but the limitations of microalgae harvesting and low biomass production call for a more sustainable method of microalgae utilization. The current review gives an insight on how microalgae biofilms can be utilized as a more efficient system for wastewater remediation and as potential source of metabolite for pharmaceutical product production. The review affirms that the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) is the vital component of the microalgae biofilm because it influences the spatial organization of the organisms forming microalgae biofilm. The EPS is also responsible for the ease interaction between organisms forming microalgae biofilm. This review restate the crucial role play by EPS in the removal of heavy metals from water to be due to the presence of binding sites on its surface. This review also attribute the ability of microalgae biofilm to bio-transform organic pollutant to be dependent on enzymatic activities and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The review assert that during the treatment of wastewater, the wastewater pollutants induce oxidative stress on microalgae biofilms. The response of the microalgae biofilm toward counteracting the stress induced by ROS leads to production of metabolites. These metabolites are important tools that can be harness for the production of pharmaceutical products.

NOVELTY STATEMENT

Microalgae biofilm is one of the emerging bio-resources that can be used as tool for biotechnological advancement, yet limited studies are available showing how the response of microalgae biofilm during wastewater treatment lead to the production of biomass and metabolites useful to the pharmaceutical industry. The present review concisely summarizes and predicts the use of microalgae biofilm for wastewater remediation and potential resource for pharmaceutical product.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Bioresources
• metabolites
• Microalgae
• reactive oxygen species
• wastewater treatment

Authors’ contributions

Ugya, A.Y. – Methodology, data curation, formal analysis and investigation: writing—original draft preparation. Chen, H. – data curation, formal editing and review. Wang, Q. – Conceptualization, review, Supervision. All authors contributed to the improvement of the manuscript, and agreed on the revised manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported jointly by the National Key R&D Program of China [2021YFA0909600], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [32170138], the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province [212300410024], the Program for Innovative Research Team (in Science and Technology) in University of Henan Province [22IRTSTHN024], and the 111 Project [#D16014].