The Use of Wastewater for Algal Growth

To date, the field of microalgae has been slowly evolving and expanding to accommodate various industries from food and feed to biofuel production coupled with wastewater treatment which subsequently allowed greater access of water for daily usage. This technology is gradually proving its value, despite its limited use in the market. With the depletion of freshwater resources, conventional treatment methods are being replaced by microalgae-mediated wastewater treatment. This method not only has a lower environmental footprint and produces less chemical waste, but also captures nutrients more efficiently than conventional methods which would be subsequently consumed for the development of microalgal biomass. Several factors that influence the recovery of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen that are crucial for algal growth are discussed accordingly in this chapter, including wastewater characteristics, turbidity, concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen as well a chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand. Additionally, currently available microalgae-based wastewater technologies are introduced along with the respective advantages and disadvantages. Sustainability prospect of microalgae-based wastewater technologies is also examined. Lastly, this chapter also includes the potential challenges that hinder the development and commercialization of microalgae-based wastewater technologies and provides adequate future recommendations for resolving the current concerns.