Phycoremediation in Wastewater Treatment

The simplest definition of phycoremediation is the use of algae to treat wastewater. Water as a commodity is very scarce and follows a downward trend with every passing day. The Middle East and North Africa region accommodates almost 5% of the world’s population but contain less than 1% of the world’s annual renewable freshwater. The cities are growing at a rate of 4% every year, so this is only going to worsen the demand and supply of water. Hence the use of algae (microalgae and marine macroalgae, commonly known as seaweeds) particularly microalgae can help treat the water efficiently and cater to the demand of the growing population. The omnipotent stature of algae and their adaptation to multifarious habitats makes them tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions, including nutrient levels. The algae can work as a carbon-reducing system that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis, due to its handling of adverse conditions we can use microalgae for bioremediation of wastewater and the biomass produced during the process can serve as food, fertilizers, and late, biofuels.