Wastewater treatment using filamentous algae - A review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology
• Aquatic Ecology

Background:

• Algae are effective for wastewater nutrient removal and valuable biomass production.
• Filamentous algae monocultures offer advantages in harvesting and biomass quality control over microalgae and polycultures.
• Wastewater treatment using algae is a developing field with significant potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and critically analyze recent research on freshwater filamentous algae for wastewater treatment.
• To compare filamentous algae monocultures with microalgae and polyculture systems.
• To identify knowledge gaps crucial for the large-scale implementation of filamentous algae wastewater treatment.

Main Methods:

• Compilation and critical analysis of recent scientific literature.
• Focus on freshwater filamentous algae monocultures.
• Comparison with findings from microalgae and polyculture systems.

Main Results:

• Filamentous algae monocultures are an emerging area in wastewater treatment research.
• Key areas requiring further investigation include species selection, nutrient dynamics, carbon supply, and operational parameters.
• Significant potential exists for enhancing productivity and treatment efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Filamentous algae monocultures present a promising technology for sustainable wastewater treatment.
• Addressing identified research gaps is essential for successful scale-up and optimization.
• Continued research will maximize the benefits of algae-based wastewater remediation.