Table 4.3
Phycoremediation: pharmaceuticals
Microalgae
Wastewater
Pharmaceuticals
Removal
mechanism
Efficiency
removal
(%)
References
Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlorella
vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus
Synthetic (Mann and Myers
medium)
Paracetamol, salicylic acid, and
diclofenac
Biodegradation
82.5
Santos et al.
(2017)
Chlamydomonas mexicana,
Scenedesmus obliquus
Synthetic (Bold’s basal
medium)
Carbamazepine
Biodegradation,
adsorption, and
bioaccumulation
27
Xiong et al.
(2016)
Consortium
Wastewater treatment
plants
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen,
ketoprofen, naproxen, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and triclosan
Biodegradation,
adsorption, and
bioaccumulation
66
Matamoros
et al. (2015)
Chlorella sorokiniana
Synthetic (M-8a medium
and urea-based synthetic
urine)
Diclofenac, ibuprofen, paracetamol,
metoprolol, carbamazepine and trimethoprim, estrone, 17β-estradiol,
and ethinylestradiol
Biodegradation,
photolysis,
biosorption
65
Wilt et al.
(2016)
Anabaena cylindrical Chlorococcus
Spirulina platensis, Chlorella
Scenedesmus quadricauda
Anaebena
var.
Synthetic (simulate the
characteristics of effluent
from anaerobic pond)
17α-ethinylestradiol, estrone, and
17β-estradiol
Adsorption
biodegradation
87.5
Shi et al.
(2010)
4 Phycoremediation: A Sustainable Biorefinery Approach
111