Microalgae-driven swine wastewater biotreatment: Nutrient recovery, key microbial community and current challenges

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Wastewater Treatment

Background:

• Microalgae offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution for swine wastewater treatment.
• Current research primarily targets remediation and biomass, with limited understanding of microbial roles and removal mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review pollutant and pathogenic bacteria removal mechanisms in microalgae-driven swine wastewater treatment.
• To summarize bacterial and microalgal community dynamics during this process.
• To identify factors influencing microalgal growth and challenges in current systems.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on microalgae-based swine wastewater treatment.
• Analysis of studies detailing microbial community composition (bacteria and microalgae).
• Synthesis of data on removal mechanisms, influencing parameters, and operational challenges.

Main Results:

• Key bacterial genera (e.g., Blastomonas, Flavobacterium) show high relative abundance.
• Microalgal communities remain relatively stable during treatment.
• Factors like wastewater characteristics and cultivation conditions impact microalgal growth.

Conclusions:

• Integrating microbial ecology into treatment system design is crucial for efficiency.
• Further research is needed to optimize microalgae-based swine wastewater treatment processes.
• This review highlights the need for a holistic approach combining biological and engineering aspects.