Application of marine microalgae in biodesalination and CO2 biofixation: A review
Amin Esmaeili, Hanie Azimian Moghadam, Abooali Golzary
Abstract
Desalination methods have become more critical due to the worsening water scarcity problem. Reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), electrodialysis (ED), ion exchange (IX), membrane distillation (MD), multiple effect distillation (MED), and vapor compression distillation (VCD) are those standard desalination processes that are expensive and impose various environmental impacts. Using biological systems based on living microorganisms for seawater desalination is free of any environmental damage, and biodesalination processes using microalgae for producing portable water have recently become the cost-competitive option according to the progression of technology. Compared to other living organisms, microalgae offer unique advantages such as higher photosynthetic capability, shorter growth cycles, higher flexibility, and the ability to grow in seawater and wastewater. They can also absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis during their growth, making them appropriate candidates for more eco-friendly water desalination. Light intensity, temperature, pH, saline water nutrients, and the selected microalgae species are different operating parameters affecting desalination efficiency. This review paper thoroughly investigates biodesalination methods using various microalgae species in various conditions, and additional suggestions for future studies and process optimization are recommended.