Abstract
Algae are without doubt the most productive photosynthetic organisms on Earth; they are highly efficient in converting CO2 and nutrients into biomass. These abilities can be exploited by culturing microalgae from wastewater and flue gases for effective wastewater reclamation. Algae are known to remove nitrogen and phosphorus as well as several organic contaminants including pharmaceuticals from wastewater. Biomass production can even be enhanced by the addition of CO2 originating from flue gases. The algal biomass can then be used as a raw material to produce bioenergy; depending on its composition, various types of biofuels such as biodiesel, biogas, bioethanol, biobutanol or biohydrogen can be obtained. However, algal biomass generated in wastewater and flue gases also contains contaminants which, if not degraded, will end up in the ashes. In this review, the current knowledge on algal biomass production in wastewater and flue gases is summarized; special focus is given to the algal capacity to remove contaminants from wastewater and flue gases, and the consequences when converting this biomass into different types of biofuels.
Highlights
World energy demand is increasing continuously due to industrialization, technology development and population growth, and is expected to reach 9.2 billion by 2050 [1]
This review will focus on our current knowledge about culturing microalgae in different types of wastewater and flue gases, the various microalgal species adapted to grow in wastewater, and it will summarize research focusing on the conversion of algal biomass
Wastewater of different origin such as municipal, industrial and agricultural, offers a great source of nutrients for algal growth. They reduce the operational cost of algal cultivation compared to expensive media containing fertilizers or nutrients at the same time as nutrients are recycled, and energy is saved during wastewater reclamation
Summary
World energy demand is increasing continuously due to industrialization, technology development and population growth, and is expected to reach 9.2 billion by 2050 [1]. The growth of second-generation biofuel crops could become unsustainable on a long-term basis when they compete with the plantation of food crops for available land [22] For both the production of first- and second-generation biofuels, large areas are needed to cultivate the crops, and they are not a viable alternative to fossil fuels, as the produced volumes cannot cover our global fuel demand [23,24]. From an ecological and economic perspective, it is interesting the possibility of culturing microalgae in wastewater, allowing the bio-treatment of sewage coupled with the production of potentially valuable biomass, and at the same time reducing GHG emissions [35]. This review will focus on our current knowledge about culturing microalgae in different types of wastewater and flue gases, the various microalgal species adapted to grow in wastewater, and it will summarize research focusing on the conversion of algal biomass
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