MICROALGAE AS A PROMISING PLATFORM FOR SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/geotech2026.40.02Keywords:
microalgae, wastewater, purification, biogenic compounds, environmental safety, sustainable developmentAbstract
This article investigates the effectiveness of using microalgae in the processes of secondary wastewater treatment to remove biogenic elements. It analyses current issues in the operation of traditional wastewater treatment systems, in particular their insufficient efficiency in removing nitrogen and phosphorus compounds against a backdrop of increasing anthropogenic pressure and military operations in Ukraine. Experimental studies were conducted using the Euglena gracilis Klebs HPDP-114 strain, cultured in artificially mixed wastewater with varying concentrations of phosphates and ammonium nitrogen. High efficiency in phosphate removal (up to 94.5%) and moderate efficiency in ammonium nitrogen removal (up to 63.33%) were established over a 4-day cultivation period. The main limitations of phytoremediation technologies were identified, in particular the difficulty of separating biomass and the sensitivity of microalgae to changes in temperature conditions. At the same time, the environmental, economic and energy benefits of phytoremediation approaches have been substantiated, in particular the possibility of producing biofuels and biofertilisers, reducing energy consumption and returning biogenic elements to the natural cycle. The results of the study confirm the feasibility of using microalgae as an effective and environmentally safe tool for sustainable wastewater treatment and for reducing the negative impact on aquatic ecosystems.
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