(131e) Potential of Microalgae Based Wastewater Treatment Process and Its Implications

Potential of microalgae based
wastewater treatment process and its implications

Muhammad Ilyas*

*Center for Environment and Water Research Institute, King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Microalgae based wastewater
treatment coupled with CO₂ fixation is considered to be the future
solution of wastewater treatment due to advantages of CO₂ fixation,
biofuel production and environmental sustainability. The wastewater produced
from different sources i.e. industrial, municipal, dairy and agricultural
wastewater is rich in nutrients necessary for microalgae growth. Flue gas may
act as large sources of CO₂ and sunshine a natural source of light
for microalgae photosynthesis. The effectiveness of wastewater treatment
depends upon on the uptake of different nutrients from wastewater by microalgae
cells through phototrophic mechanism utilizing inorganic CO₂ sources
and heterotrophic mechanism involving utilization of organic carbon present in
wastewater. This method presents economical solution by saving fresh water and
nutrients supply cost necessary for microalgae growth in biofuel production
process. In this research detail mechanism of microalgae based wastewater
treatment, working of photobioreactors for microalgae cells growth and factors
affecting the performance and effectiveness of wastewater treatment are
discussed.

Keywords:    wastewater treatment, microalgae, CO₂
fixation