Phycoremediation of textile effluent-contaminated water bodies employing microalgae: nutrient sequestration and biomass production studies

Combinatorial process development for rationalized recycling of nutrients employing microalgae may provide realistic solutions to both environment management and energy generation. The present study was performed to investigate nutrient recycling potential of microalgal strains viz. Anabaena ambigua, Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus abundans in terms of biomass productivity and specific growth rate using textile wastewater as a nutrient source at different dilutions (25, 50, 75, 100%). Biomass production kinetics revealed that alga could grow even up to 100% textile wastewater. Comparative phycoremediation potential was evaluated for 25 days employing 75% textile wastewater under batch conditions. The microalgal species were observed to effectively reduce the chloride, nitrate and phosphate concentrations up to 61%, 74.43% and 70.79%, respectively. Maximum chemical oxygen demand reduction efficiency was observed employing S. abundans (< 85%). Spectral analysis revealed potentiality of applying microalgae for textile wastewater remediation and also provided insight into the possible mechanism involved. [GRAPHICS] .