Technologies Based on Phototrophic Microorganisms As a Promising Way to Achieve Carbon Neutrality in Urban Agglomerations

Abstract

Today, a significant part of the world’s population lives in urban agglomerations. A high building density, a large number of vehicles, and industrial enterprises negatively affect both the air quality in the city itself and the climate in general, releasing a significant amount of carbon dioxide. In this regard, there is a need not only to revise the structure of urban developments and strategies for their greening, but also to propose new technologies that radically change the ecological situation. In this paper, solutions using phototrophic microorganisms are considered as such a technology. It is shown that photobioreactors for their cultivation can be successfully integrated into urban systems, while in addition to air purification, the problem of surface wastewater treatment for their further use can also be solved. A wide range of products obtained from the biomass of phototrophic microorganisms significantly increases the economic attractiveness of this approach. Modern technologies in the field of the Internet of Things make it possible to successfully integrate photobioreactors into the urban digital environment.