Enhance microalgae growth and biological treatment of municipal wastewater using Fe۳O۴ nanoparticles

Water resources crisis and concerns about environmental pollution led to promote different wastewater treatment processes. Biological wastewater treatment through microalgae cultivation is one of the promising methods that perfectly remove nutrients. In this study, nanoparticle of Fe۳O۴ was used as trace element to enhance microalgae growth and biological wastewater treatment by removing nutrients (e.g. COD, nitrate (NO۳-), phosphate (PO۴-۳)) and heavy metals (HMs) (e.g., Cr and Pb) form municipal wastewater (MWW). C. sorokiniana was used as microalgae in this study. According to the results, maximum biomass concentration of ۱.۸ g/L was achieved in the presence of ۸۰ mg/L of Fe۳O۴. C. sorokiniana microalgae showed a high capacity to remove ۸۹% of Nitrate (NO۳-), ۹۵% of phosphate (PO۴-۳), ۸۱% of COD, ۸۰% of Cr and ۹۸% of Pb from real municipal wastewater.

Keywords:

Wastewater treatment , Microalgae production , Heavy metal removal , Fe۳O۴ nanoparticle