Integration of microalgae culture as a natural-based solution for wastewater treatment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Environmental Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

2 Environmental Engineering Department-Faculty of Engineering-Zagazig University-Zagazig- Egypt

3 Environmental and Land Planning Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, 20133, Italy

Abstract

The age of Anthropocene makes it imperative that we find ways to tackle pollution
and to stay within planetary boundaries limits, one of these boundaries is nutrients
availability. From a planetary boundaries point of view, the release of new reactive
nitrogen should be 25% of the current level, equal to a yearly release of about 35
million tons. Instead of discharging N- and P-rich wastewater into coastal and inland
waters, the use of the same microalgae growth for useful purposes in microalgaebased
wastewater treatment, since cultivation of algae requires the addition of
nutrients; mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In turn, a cost reduction in
nutrients removal phase in wastewater treatment stages, and water reclamation for
reuse and maintenance of ecological balance in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Therefore, this work deals with the nutrients and the eutrophication issue in a naturebased
solution and aims to investigate the ability of a green microalgae to remove
nitrogen and phosphorus from the hypereutrophic water and try to investigate the
ability of microalgae in producing biogas to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels
and greenhouse gas emissions.

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The Egyptian International Journal of Engineering Sciences and Technology
Volume 35, Issue 1
Civil and Architectural Engineering
September 2021
Pages 16-26

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