Dual role of microalgae: Phycoremediation of domestic wastewater and biomass production for sustainable biofuels production

I. Rawat, R. Ranjith Kumar, T. Mutanda and F. Bux

Applied Energy, 2011, vol. 88, issue 10, 3424 pages

Abstract: Global threats of fuel shortages in the near future and climate change due to green-house gas emissions are posing serious challenges and hence and it is imperative to explore means for sustainable ways of averting the consequences. The dual application of microalgae for phycoremediation and biomass production for sustainable biofuels production is a feasible option. The use of high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) for nutrient removal has been in existence for some decades though the technology has not been fully harnessed for wastewater treatment. Therefore this paper discusses current knowledge regarding wastewater treatment using HRAPs and microalgal biomass production techniques using wastewater streams. The biomass harvesting methods and lipid extraction protocols are discussed in detail. Finally the paper discusses biodiesel production via transesterification of the lipids and other biofuels such as biomethane and bioethanol which are described using the biorefinery approach.

Keywords: Microalgae; Phycoremediation; Biomass; Biorefinery; Biofuel (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (60)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261910004885
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:88:y:2011:i:10:p:3411-3424

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2010.11.025

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().