Chapter 12
Microalgae: An Eco-friendly Tool
for the Treatment of Wastewaters
for Environmental Safety
Jae-Hoon Hwang, Anwar Sadmani, Seung-Jin Lee, Keug-Tae Kim,
and Woo Hyoung Lee
Abstract Algae-based wastewater treatment can provide renewable biomass generation for sustainable bioenergy production while treating wastewater as a growth
medium for algae cultivation. In addition, algae are excellent at sorbing and/or
degrading inorganic materials (e.g., heavy metals) and emerging contaminants
(e.g., endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)), indicating that utilizing an algaebased treatment process is one of emerging strategies for advanced wastewater
treatment as an eco-friendly way. Economic advantages and environmental safety
associated with algae-based wastewater treatment also constitute a driving force
for its utilization in biofuel feedstock generation or fertilizer production. This chapter
discusses the principles and rationale for algae-based wastewater treatment coupled
with biodegradation of wastewater and renewable energy production. Several biomass technologies for energy production are proposed, which improve the economic
feasibility of algal biofuel production. The integration of membrane bioreactors
with algae cultivation is also addressed. A new method with separated trophic
conditions, enhanced algal nitrification process (EANP), is introduced for practical
applications. It seems that pretreatment of raw wastewater and separated culture
condition is required to overcome the challenges of scale-up and enhance nitrification rates. Furthermore, synergistic coupling of the microalgae production via
advanced wastewater treatment is highlighted in the context of sustainability
benefits.
J.-H. Hwang · A. Sadmani · W. H. Lee (*)
Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Central
Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
e-mail: sadmani@ucf.edu; woohyoung.lee@ucf.edu
S.-J. Lee
Department of Computer Science, Engineering, and Physics & Department of Geography,
Planning, and Environment, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI, USA
e-mail: sjleeum@umflint.edu
K.-T. Kim
Department of Environmental & Energy Engineering, University of Suwon, Hwaseong-si,
Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea (South Korea)
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
R. N. Bharagava, G. Saxena (eds.), Bioremediation of Industrial Waste for
Environmental Safety, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3426-9_12
283
Microalgae: An Eco-friendly Tool
for the Treatment of Wastewaters
for Environmental Safety
Jae-Hoon Hwang, Anwar Sadmani, Seung-Jin Lee, Keug-Tae Kim,
and Woo Hyoung Lee
Abstract Algae-based wastewater treatment can provide renewable biomass generation for sustainable bioenergy production while treating wastewater as a growth
medium for algae cultivation. In addition, algae are excellent at sorbing and/or
degrading inorganic materials (e.g., heavy metals) and emerging contaminants
(e.g., endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)), indicating that utilizing an algaebased treatment process is one of emerging strategies for advanced wastewater
treatment as an eco-friendly way. Economic advantages and environmental safety
associated with algae-based wastewater treatment also constitute a driving force
for its utilization in biofuel feedstock generation or fertilizer production. This chapter
discusses the principles and rationale for algae-based wastewater treatment coupled
with biodegradation of wastewater and renewable energy production. Several biomass technologies for energy production are proposed, which improve the economic
feasibility of algal biofuel production. The integration of membrane bioreactors
with algae cultivation is also addressed. A new method with separated trophic
conditions, enhanced algal nitrification process (EANP), is introduced for practical
applications. It seems that pretreatment of raw wastewater and separated culture
condition is required to overcome the challenges of scale-up and enhance nitrification rates. Furthermore, synergistic coupling of the microalgae production via
advanced wastewater treatment is highlighted in the context of sustainability
benefits.
J.-H. Hwang · A. Sadmani · W. H. Lee (*)
Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Central
Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
e-mail: sadmani@ucf.edu; woohyoung.lee@ucf.edu
S.-J. Lee
Department of Computer Science, Engineering, and Physics & Department of Geography,
Planning, and Environment, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI, USA
e-mail: sjleeum@umflint.edu
K.-T. Kim
Department of Environmental & Energy Engineering, University of Suwon, Hwaseong-si,
Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea (South Korea)
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
R. N. Bharagava, G. Saxena (eds.), Bioremediation of Industrial Waste for
Environmental Safety, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3426-9_12
283