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Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment
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Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment

A Special Issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441) belonging to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2026) | Viewed by 15696

Editors

Dr. Binghan Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China
Interests: MBR; membrane fouling; bacterial–microalgal consortium; mariculture wastewater treatment; microalgae bioenergy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mengqi Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Municipal Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
Interests: industrial wastewater treatment; algal-bacterial symbiosis system; biological denitrification; refractory organics; wastewater of low C/N ratio; nutrient recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the rapid development of emerging industries, such as new energy batteries, semiconductors and silicon chips, the volume of waste and contaminants related to the production of polymer materials, mining and mineral processing has increased. As a result, wastewater containing refractory organics and unbalanced metal ions and nutrient elements (N, P and S) has caused new environmental issues, thus challenging the conventional biological treatment process. Fortunately, algae offers hope for unconventional wastewater treatment, overcoming unbalanced nutrient conditions and enabling carbon reduction and nutrient recovery. In recent years, algae-based technology has attracted increasing attention in the field of unconventional wastewater treatment.

This Special Issue of Water offers a platform for the publication of innovative original articles and reviews regarding wastewater treatment and resource recovery based on algae and microorganisms. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, treatment techniques for refractory organics, metal ions and nutrient elements, and the recovery of valuable biomass, metals and nutrients. Offering low contamination and consumption, algae-based technology could contribute to a more efficient circular economy and a healthier water industry.

Dr. Binghan Xie
Dr. Mengqi Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • algae
  • unbalanced nutrient
  • emerging contaminants
  • refractory organics
  • metal ions
  • resource recovery

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4131 KB  
Article
Algae–Aerobic Granular Sludge (AAGS) for Wastewater Treatment: Granule Stability, Pollutant Removal Performance, and Biodiesel Potential
by Rustiana Yuliasni, Yob Ihadjadene, Khongorzul Mungunkhuyag, Juliane Steingroewer, Thomas Walther and Felix Krujatz
Water 2026, 18(12), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18121395 - 7 Jun 2026
Viewed by 951
Abstract
This study investigated the granule development and pollutant removal performance of algae–aerobic granular sludge (AAGS) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for wastewater treatment, as well as the characterization of the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition for biodiesel production. The results demonstrated that [...] Read more.
This study investigated the granule development and pollutant removal performance of algae–aerobic granular sludge (AAGS) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for wastewater treatment, as well as the characterization of the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition for biodiesel production. The results demonstrated that AAGS had overall better pollutant removal performance than AGS. The average removal of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphate (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of AAGS were 96.16 ± 6.8%, 58.22 ± 5.44%, and 79.5 ± 5.48%, respectively, while AGS removed 70.95 ± 31.63%, 29.53 ± 12.54, and 74.8 ± 12.13% of TN, TP, and COD, respectively. AAGS required less time (16 days) than AGS (44 days) to achieve complete TN removal. AAGS produced more bound EPS than AGS, which makes it more stable. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) surface images showed that AGS has dense surface morphology with mineral precipitate layers, while AAGS has a porous surface with filamentous algae intertwined. The biodiesel potential (fatty acid yield) of AAGS was 45% higher than that of AGS. The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yields obtained in AAGS and AGS were 64.4 ± 2.61 mg/g suspended solids (SSs) and 44.4 ± 0.9 mg/g SSs, respectively. AAGS has higher proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs/oleate) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs/linoleate) than AGS. Thus, AAGS generates a more prospective biodiesel potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment)
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22 pages, 1401 KB  
Article
Techno-Economic Assessment of Microalgae-Based Biofertilizer Production from Municipal Wastewater Using Scenedesmus sp.
by Alejandro Pérez Mesa, Paula Andrea Céspedes Grattz, Juan José Vidal Vargas, Luis Alberto Ríos and David Ocampo Echeverri
Water 2025, 17(20), 2941; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202941 - 12 Oct 2025
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3066
Abstract
This research determines the techno-economic feasibility of valorizing as biofertilizer the nitrogen (N) and the phosphorus (P) from a municipal wastewater effluent using the microalgae Scenedesmus sp., contributing to phosphorus recycling, resource optimization, and diminishing eutrophication by capturing 74% of N, 97% of [...] Read more.
This research determines the techno-economic feasibility of valorizing as biofertilizer the nitrogen (N) and the phosphorus (P) from a municipal wastewater effluent using the microalgae Scenedesmus sp., contributing to phosphorus recycling, resource optimization, and diminishing eutrophication by capturing 74% of N, 97% of P, and 41% of chemical oxygen demand in effluents. The inoculum was conditioned in 20 L photobioreactors by weekly harvesting and refilling at room temperature (25 °C day, 12 °C night) with a 12:12 photoperiod and 4 L/min atmospheric air bubbling. The improved operational conditions were obtained using a Box–Behnken experimental design, establishing that 70% wastewater concentration (vol./vol.), 4.5% nutrient addition, and 3 days’ harvesting time were the best conditions. The estimated biomass production was 176 tons/year, and this represents a maximum net present value of 1.5 MUSD for a 6.8 Ha plant, capturing 10% of municipal wastewater effluent, which serves 64000 inhabitants. The representative operational costs (OPEX) were 32% for utilities, 30% labor costs, and 25% for raw materials, and the required capital expenditures (CAPEX) were 11 MUSD and are related to photobioreactors (64%) and land (21%). The findings demonstrate the potential of microalgae-based systems as a feasible and profitable approach to wastewater valorization, while also highlighting the need for scale-up validation and integration with existing treatment infrastructures, where land requirements and photobioreactor installation will be relevant for financial feasibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment)
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16 pages, 3631 KB  
Article
The Impact of the Mechanism of Biocarriers on Bacterial–Microbial Symbiosis for Mariculture Wastewater Treatment: Performance and Microbial Community Evolution
by Lingjie Li, Xiankun Qu, Weijia Gong, Lin Guo, Binghan Xie, Weirun Li, Guoyu Zhang, Haili Tan, Yuhong Jia, Jiahao Liang and Mengqi Zheng
Water 2025, 17(8), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081127 - 10 Apr 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2015
Abstract
Mariculture wastewater is an intractable wastewater, owing to its high salinity inhibiting microbial metabolism. The biocarrier bacterial–microbial consortium (BBM) and bacterial–microbial consortium (BM) were developed to investigate the mechanism of pollutant degradation and microbial community evolution. The BBM exhibited excellent mariculture wastewater treatment, [...] Read more.
Mariculture wastewater is an intractable wastewater, owing to its high salinity inhibiting microbial metabolism. The biocarrier bacterial–microbial consortium (BBM) and bacterial–microbial consortium (BM) were developed to investigate the mechanism of pollutant degradation and microbial community evolution. The BBM exhibited excellent mariculture wastewater treatment, with the highest removal for TOC (91.78%), NH4+-N (79.33%) and PO43−-P (61.27%). Biocarriers accelerated anaerobic region formation, with the levels of denitrifying bacteria accumulation improving nitrogen degradation in the BBM. Moreover, the biocarrier enhanced the production of soluble microbial products (SMPs) (11.53 mg/L) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) (370.88 mg/L), which accelerated the formation of bacterial and microalgal flocs in the BBM. The fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (EEM) results demonstrated that the addition of biocarriers successfully decreased the production of aromatic-like components in anoxic and aerobic supernatants. Additionally, the biocarrier shifted the bacterial community constitutions significantly. Biocarriers provided an anoxic microenvironment, which enhanced enrichments of Rhodobacteraceae (66%) and Ruegeria (70%), with a satisfying denitrification in the BBM. This study provided a novel biocarrier addition to the BBM system for actual mariculture wastewater treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment)
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Review

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37 pages, 2656 KB  
Review
From Pollution to Resource: Algal–Bacterial Symbiotic Systems for Swine Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery—A Review
by Haorui Yang, Yuxing Xu, Tao Tang, Changqing Liu and Wei Wei
Water 2026, 18(7), 833; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18070833 - 31 Mar 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1309
Abstract
Swine wastewater is a high-strength agricultural effluent characterized by high organic loading, elevated ammonium nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and frequently low C/N ratios, which make simultaneous pollutant removal and resource recovery challenging. Conventional physicochemical, anaerobic, and aerobic treatment technologies are widely used, but [...] Read more.
Swine wastewater is a high-strength agricultural effluent characterized by high organic loading, elevated ammonium nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and frequently low C/N ratios, which make simultaneous pollutant removal and resource recovery challenging. Conventional physicochemical, anaerobic, and aerobic treatment technologies are widely used, but they are often constrained by high energy demand, ammonia inhibition, insufficient nitrogen recovery under low C/N conditions, and limited resource valorization. This review comparatively evaluates these conventional technologies alongside microalgal and algal–bacterial symbiotic (ABS) systems for swine wastewater treatment and resource recovery. Particular attention is given to algal–bacterial interactions, oxygen and carbon exchange, nitrogen and phosphorus removal pathways, reactor configurations, key operational parameters, and biomass valorization routes. The reviewed evidence shows that conventional anaerobic–aerobic systems generally achieve stable COD removal (>80%) but often provide limited nitrogen recovery, whereas microalgal systems can remove 80–90% of nitrogen and phosphorus but remain restricted by ammonia toxicity, light attenuation, and biomass harvesting costs. Under optimized conditions, ABS granular systems have achieved >90% COD removal, >80% total nitrogen removal, and 70–95% total phosphorus removal, while also improving biomass settleability and process stability. Overall, ABS systems offer a promising route to shift swine wastewater treatment from discharge-oriented pollution control toward resource-oriented management. Future research should prioritize reactor scale-up, long-term operational stability, biological monitoring, and economically viable biomass valorization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment)
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20 pages, 2894 KB  
Review
Algal–Bacterial Symbiotic Granular Sludge Technology in Wastewater Treatment: A Review on Advances and Future Prospects
by Shengnan Chen, Jiashuo Wang, Xin Feng and Fangchao Zhao
Water 2025, 17(11), 1647; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111647 - 29 May 2025
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7188
Abstract
This review systematically examines the critical mechanisms and process optimization strategies of algal–bacterial granular sludge (ABGS) technology in wastewater treatment. The key findings highlight the following: (1) enhanced pollutant removal—ABGS achieves >90% COD removal, >80% total nitrogen elimination via nitrification–denitrification coupling, and 70–95% [...] Read more.
This review systematically examines the critical mechanisms and process optimization strategies of algal–bacterial granular sludge (ABGS) technology in wastewater treatment. The key findings highlight the following: (1) enhanced pollutant removal—ABGS achieves >90% COD removal, >80% total nitrogen elimination via nitrification–denitrification coupling, and 70–95% phosphorus uptake through polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), with simultaneous adsorption of heavy metals (e.g., Cu2+, Pb2+) via EPS binding; (2) energy-saving advantages—microalgal oxygen production reduces aeration energy consumption by 30–50% compared to conventional activated sludge, while the granular stability maintains >85% biomass retention under hydraulic shocks; (3) AI-driven optimization—machine learning models enable real-time prediction of nutrient removal efficiency (±5% error) by correlating microbial composition (e.g., Nitrosomonas abundance) with operational parameters (DO: 2–4 mg/L, pH: 7.5–8.5). This review further identifies EPS-mediated microbial co-aggregation and Chlorella–Pseudomonas cross-feeding as pivotal for system resilience. These advances position ABGS as a sustainable solution for low-carbon wastewater treatment, although challenges persist in scaling photobioreactors and maintaining symbiosis under fluctuating industrial loads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algae-Based Technology for Wastewater Treatment)
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