Bioremediation of water containing pesticides by microalgae: Mechanisms, methods, and prospects for future research

Abstract

The application of pesticides reduces the loss of crops while simultaneously increasing crop productivity. However, the frequent use of pesticides can cause serious environmental problems due to their high accumulative and persistent nature. Recently, microalgae technology has received considerable success in the efficient treatment of pesticides pollution. In this review, the metabolic mechanisms responsible for the removal of pesticides are summarized based on previous studies. Different methods used to enhance the ability of microalgae to remove pesticides are critically evaluated. The recycling of microalgae biomass after wastewater treatment for biochar preparation and biodiesel production using the biorefinery approach is also introduced. Furthermore, we present potential future research directions to highlight the prospects of microalgae research in the removal of pesticides along with the production of value-added products.

Keywords: Biodiesel; Green remediation; Microalgae; Pesticide; Water pollution.