Chapter 10 - Microalgal biofilm and their prospective application for wastewater treatment and biofuel production

Abstract

Algae is the master organism for wastewater treatment and fulfills the fuel crisis. Due to their biofilm character, it satisfies the maintain sustainable development. Biofilm-based algal cultivation offers several benefits over traditional suspended growth methods, and it’s gaining traction as a platform for algal production, wastewater treatment, and a source of feedstock for microalgae-based biorefinery experiments. Despite the availability of a variety of cutting-edge wastewater treatment technology, finding a trustworthy, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution remains a challenge. The intrinsic ability of microbes to clean water by degrading and eliminating toxins has immense potential. Microalgal biofuel has been highlighted as one of the most important renewable energy sources for long-term sustainability, potentially replacing fossil fuels. The critical problems associated with oil crops and lignocellulose-based biofuels were not present in microalgae biofuel. However, due to low biomass concentration and expensive downstream procedures, commercial production of microalgae biodiesel is currently not practical. Microalgae biodiesel production may be made viable by building improved photobioreactors and creating low-cost biomass collection, drying, and oil extraction technology. In this connection, improved genetic engineering technologies that control environmental stress conditions and metabolic pathways for high lipid synthesis can also be used to achieve commercial output.