Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
05:40
Comparison of Scale in a Photosynthetic Reactor System for Algal Remediation of Wastewater
Published on: March 6, 2017
9.0K
Standard risk assessment methodology for quantifying potential risks in reusing wastewater treated by
Silvia Hernández-Cuenca1, J González-Camejo2, M Pachés1
1CALAGUA - Unitat Mixta UV-UPV, Institut Universitari d'Investigació d'Enginyeria de l'Aigua i Medi Ambient - IIAMA, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Camí de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
Bioresource Technology
|April 30, 2025
Summary
Wastewater reuse in microalgae photorefineries is feasible, but strict ammonium limits pose challenges. This study quantifies health risks, finding most acceptable, yet highlights needs for improved safety measures.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Water treatment technologies
- Public health risk assessment
Background:
- Wastewater reuse is crucial for water security.
- Microalgae-based photorefineries offer a sustainable treatment approach.
- Quantifying human health risks is essential for safe water reuse.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a methodology for quantifying human health risks associated with microalgae-treated wastewater reuse.
- To assess microbial and physico-chemical risks using established risk assessment frameworks.
- To evaluate the technical and legal feasibility of wastewater reuse in Italy.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) for microbial hazards.
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) combined with WHO guidelines for physico-chemical risks.
- Pilot-scale microalgae system data collection in Italy.
Main Results:
- Most assessed parameters met acceptable risk levels (Disability-Adjusted Life Years < 10^-6).
- Wastewater reuse demonstrated technical and legal feasibility under normal conditions.
- Strict Italian regulations on ammonium effluent concentrations complicated operations and reduced water availability.
Conclusions:
- Microalgae cultivation is a viable method for producing reclaimed water.
- Improved control systems are needed to manage risks related to pH, ammonium, and somatic coliphages.
- Further research and safety enhancements are recommended for widespread adoption of this technology.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to physical or...
01:30Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.
01:25Biofuels
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...