Phycoremediation of Pollutants for Ecosystem Restitution

Abstract

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, huge amount of production as well as accumulation of toxic and organic contaminants can lead to serious environmental problems. Unwanted buildup of untreated effluents and their discharge into water bodies negatively affects the stability and wholesomeness of natural aquatic ecosystems and may also become a reason for causing adversarial health effects to humans and the environment. To overcome this problem, many conventional approaches are in use, such as physical, chemical, reverse osmosis, electro-dialysis, ultrafiltration process, ion exchange, and precipitation using chemicals, but these methods have their own limitations. To overcome these limitations, researchers diverted their attention towards biological means, that is, application of bacterial, fungal genera, plants and algae to eradicate, biodegrade, or render unhazardous inorganic and organic pollutants in water bodies. The purpose of using algae in wastewater treatment is that algae uses the waste as carbon source and energy, generating oxygen, and some species also accumulate lipids in their cell wall. These lipid molecules are then removed from the algal cell and are used as biofuel. Nowadays, several algal genera play a significant function in biomonitoring and controlling the organic contaminants in aquatic environment. Since long, all over the globe, people have employed and studied in detail the role of bacteria alone or in association with plants in pollution regulation. On the other hand, the relevance and function of varied algal genera in controlling and restoration of organic and inorganic contaminated aquatic ecosystem are also in practice.