Microalgae brewery wastewater treatment: Potentials, benefits and the challenges

Abstract

Concerns about environmental safety have led to strict regulations on the discharge of final brewery effuents into water bodies. Brewery wastewater contains huge amounts of organic compounds that can cause environmental pollution. The microalgae wastewater treatment method is an emerging environmentally friendly biotechnological process. Microalgae grow well in nutrient-rich wastewater by absorbing organic nutrients and converting them into useful biomass. The harvested biomass can be used as animal feed, as an alternative energy source for biodiesel production and as biofertilizer. This review discusses conventional and current brewery wastewater treatment methods, and the application and potential of microalgae in brewery wastewater treatment. This study also discusses the benefits as well as challenges associated with microalgae brewery and other industrial wastewater treatments.