PHYTOREMEDIATION OF AQUACULTURE WASTEWATER: A REVIEW OF MICROALGAE BIOREMEDIATION

Abstract

Current aquaculture practices have a detrimental impact on the environment, in particular due to the release of high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus that can induce eutrophication. To avoid these harmful impacts, phytoremediation could be employed. The phytoremediation of aquaculture wastewater with microalgae has great potential due to its high nutrient removal efficiency and low cost. In microalgae-based bioremediation, algae fix carbon dioxide and release oxygen by photosynthesis and increase biological oxygen demand in contaminated water. It is the use of microalgae to remove pollutants from the environment or to convert them into harmless form. Furthermore, aquatic animals require protein in large quantity, in which microalgae are excellent requirement to solve this need. They are required for larval nutrition either for direct consumption as used for mollusks and shrimp or indirect consumption as in case of live prey fed to small fish larvae. The aim of this review is to converse the role of microalgae in aquaculture and bioremediation of aquaculture wastewater.