Algae Cultivation in Wastewater for Biodiesel – A Review

Abstract

Global concern for energy security and environmental sustainability has put a great prominence towards alternative energy resources, substituting the rapidly-depleting fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have been a major contributing factor for greenhouse gas production, leading to global warming. Hence, biofuels have been greatly researched in hopes to replace fossil fuels. One remarkable biofuel producer is microalgae, due to their high biomass productions, high cellular lipid accumulation, as well as the ability to sequester carbon dioxide from waste gas and remove pollutants from wastewater. Integration of wastewater as the medium for algal cultivation offers a green and cost-effective way for sustainable biofuel production. The zero-cost palm oil mill effluent (POME) in Malaysia will be an option for microalgae cultivation due to the high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus. Microalgae are able to survive in wastewater by utilizing the nutrients for growth. This has the potential to achieve economical microalgae production for bioenergy, while promoting environmental sustainability.