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Microalgae-based wastewater treatment system: current state, antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes reduction potentials

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Abstract

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment system has shown the potentials to yield organic matter, nutrients, and pathogens removal levels, which are comparable to those achieved by conventional wastewater treatment system. The system has recently gained more popularity owing to its green, clean nature as well as the ease of operation and maintenance. These positive attributes have earned the system a recognition as the potential substitute for the conventional wastewater treatment system. However, due to the existing concerns over the inability of the conventional wastewater treatment system to deal with emerging contaminants, any alternate wastewater treatment option should, among other things, show promises in this respect. This review investigates the current state of utilization of microalgae-based wastewater system in treating real wastewaters across the world. It further highlights the ability of the system to deal with resistome (antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes) as emerging contaminants. The various mechanisms potentially employed by the system in resistome removal were elaborated. At the same time, the desirable microalgal attributes relevant to the system were also highlighted. Hopefully, this synthesis will pave way for better appreciation and utilization of microalgae-based wastewater system as a sustainable system that satisfies the minimum requirements for the modern-day wastewater treatment system.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge COMSATS University Islamabad and The World Academy of Sciences for granting a joint Postgraduate PhD Fellowship to A. B. Inuwa.

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The authors did not receive any financial support from any organization for the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan

    A. B. Inuwa, A. Pervez & R. Nazir

  2. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Natural and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

    A. B. Inuwa

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  1. A. B. Inuwa
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  2. A. Pervez
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  3. R. Nazir
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All authors contributed to the study. ABI conceptualized the study, conducted literature search and wrote the draft. AP and RN reviewed the draft. All authors read and approved the final draft of the manuscript.

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Editorial responsibility: Binbin Huang.

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Inuwa, A.B., Pervez, A. & Nazir, R. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment system: current state, antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes reduction potentials. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 20, 14053–14072 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-05069-3

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