Phycoremediation: A Green Technology

Water is a resource that supports life th roughout the earth. Contamination of water resulting from anthropogenic activities is a matter of concern worldwide. Conventional technologies have been used since long for the treatment of organic and inorganic contaminants present in polluted waters. Treatment using physical – chemical methods may be fast and efficient but i s costly. Moreover, they produce adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Bioremediation exploits the natural capability of living organisms to clean environ ment. It involves the use of microorganisms and other biological materials such as algae, f ungi and bacteria to detoxify or remove pollutan ts from the environment. Phycoremediation may be defined as “ the use of algae to bioremediate” water or waste waters. It is used to denote the wastewater tr eatment potential of algae. Phycoremediation has many advantages. This method can be less expensive, more efficient and ecologically sa fer than physical – chemical removal processes. The microalgae are very diverse and can grow autotrophically, mixotrophically or heterotrophically in various natural habitats. The heterotrophic algae are respon sible for decomposition and removal of the organic components in wastes, and converting them and other inorganic compounds into biomass which can be used for various purposes such as food , fodder, fertilizer and fuel. Microalgae posse ss high metal-binding capacities due to the presence of functional groups such as amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl and sulphate on the surface of their cell walls which can act as binding sites fo r metals. A wide number of microalgae have been used for the successful removal of pollutants and bioremediation of wastewater effluents .

Water is a resource that supports life th roughout the earth. Contamination of water resulting from anthropogenic activities is a matter of concern worldwide. Conventional technologies have been used since long for the treatment of organic and inorganic contaminants present in polluted waters. Treatment using physical – chemical methods may be fast and efficient but i s costly. Moreover, they produce adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Bioremediation exploits the natural capability of living organisms to clean environ ment. It involves the use of microorganisms and other biological materials such as algae, f ungi and bacteria to detoxify or remove pollutan ts from the environment. Phycoremediation may be defined as “ the use of algae to bioremediate” water or waste waters. It is used to denote the wastewater tr eatment potential of algae. Phycoremediation has many advantages. This method can be less expensive, more efficient and ecologically sa fer than physical – chemical removal processes. The microalgae are very diverse and can grow autotrophically, mixotrophically or heterotrophically in various natural habitats. The heterotrophic algae are respon sible for decomposition and removal of the organic components in wastes, and converting them and other inorganic compounds into biomass which can be used for various purposes such as food , fodder, fertilizer and fuel. Microalgae posse ss high metal-binding capacities due to the presence of functional groups such as amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl and sulphate on the surface of their cell walls which can act as binding sites fo r metals. A wide number of microalgae have been used for the successful removal of pollutants and bioremediation of wastewater effluents .