Phytoremediation Processes for the Removal of Heavy Metals

The development of human activities, whether domestic or industrial, depends on a water source. After multiple uses, water quality deteriorates, resulting in the production of wastewater. The growth in the number of nutrients in wastewater and their adverse effects on the environment have sparked interest in developing more efficient and profitable approaches to wastewater treatment as solutions to conventional methods. Microalgae are a group of microorganisms that can colonize almost any ecosystem on Earth. Most of these microorganisms are autotrophic, transforming light and nutrients into biomass through photosynthesis. The most widely-used method Phytoremediation of wastewater using micro-algae offers great benefits in terms of nutrient removal efficiency and low cost. In micro-algal-based bio-remediation, microalgae bind carbon dioxide and generate oxygen through the process of photosynthesis, thereby increasing the biological oxygen demand of the polluted water. The aim of the current review is to examine the impact of microalgae on the treatment of heavy metals in wastewater and to see how effective this new strategy is in improving biological remediation so that it can adapt to changing environmental conditions.