Bathmapriya L., Jeyaraj M., Sumathi Swaminathan, Vahitha Rajamohan, Ananth Sivapunniyam and R. Udayakumar
Abstract
The present investigation centres on the utilisation of microalgae, particularly Chlorella vulgaris, for the remediation of reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) derived from water treatment facilities. The study investigates the efficacy of C. vulgaris in eliminating nutrients, heavy metals, and other substances from ROC. An analysis was conducted on the physico-chemical characteristics of the wastewater, including pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, total solids, and concentrations of heavy metals. This analysis was performed both before and after treatment with C. vulgaris. The findings demonstrated that C. vulgaris effectively eliminated substantial quantities of nutrients and heavy metals from the ROC. The study additionally performed GC-MS and FTIR tests to ascertain the composition of the ROC both prior to and during treatment. Collectively, the research showcases the capacity of microalgae to serve as a proficient and enduring remedy for wastewater treatment and the retrieval of important resources.