Phycoremediation of Tannery Wastewater Using Microalgae Scenedesmus Species

• Published in: International journal of phytoremediation Vol. 17; no. 10; pp. 907 - 916
• Main Authors: Ajayan, Kayil Veedu, Selvaraju, Muthusamy, Unnikannan, Pachikaran, Sruthi, Palliyath
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 03.10.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Algae; Biodegradation, Environmental; biofuels; Biofuels - analysis; Biomass; biomass production; Bioremediation; biosorbents; culture media; energy-dispersive X-ray analysis; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Fourier transforms; FT-IR; fuel production; habitats; heavy metals; India; Industrial Waste - analysis; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; microalgae; Microalgae - metabolism; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; nitrates; Nonnative species; nutrients; phycoremediation; phytoremediation; pollution load; Scenedesmus; Scenedesmus - metabolism; SEM-EDS analysis; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Surface layer; Tanneries; tannery; Tanning; Texture; toxic substances; Waste water; Waste Water - analysis; wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water treatment; India; SEM-EDS analysis; FT-IR; Scenedesmus; tannery; phycoremediation
• ISSN: 1549-7879; 1522-6514; 1549-7879
• DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2014.989313

A number of microalgae species are efficient in removing toxicants from wastewater. Many of these potential species are a promising, eco-friendly, and sustainable option for tertiary wastewater treatment with a possible advantage of improving the economics of microalgae cultivation for biofuel production. The present study deals with the phycoremediation of tannery wastewater (TWW) using Scenedesmus sp. isolated from a local habitat. The test species was grown in TWW under laboratory conditions and harvested on the 12th day. The results revealed that the algal biomass during the growth period not only reduced the pollution load of heavy metals (Cr-81.2–96%, Cu-73.2–98%, Pb-75–98% and Zn-65–98%) but also the nutrients (NO ₃ >44.3% and PO ₄ >95%). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrums of Scenedesmus sp. biomass revealed the involvement of hydroxyl amino, carboxylic and carbonyl groups. The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopic analysis (EDS) revealed the surface texture, morphology and element distribution of the biosorbent. Furthermore, the wastewater generated during wet-blue tanning process can support dense population of Scenedesmus sp., making it a potential growth medium for biomass production of the test alga for phycoremediation of toxicants in tannery wastewaters.