Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment is an alternative to physico-chemical and bacteria-based technologies. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment showed enormous potential, not only exhibiting excellent pollutant removal efficiencies but also unlimited opportunities for resource recovery. Despite i...

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Main Authors: Setyo Budi Kurniawan, Mária Čížková, Azmi Ahmad, Yudha Gusti Wibowo, Nor Sakinah Mohd Said, Hajjar Hartini Wan Jusoh, Azimah Ismail, Muhammad Fauzul Imron
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001754
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author Setyo Budi Kurniawan
Mária Čížková
Azmi Ahmad
Yudha Gusti Wibowo
Nor Sakinah Mohd Said
Hajjar Hartini Wan Jusoh
Azimah Ismail
Muhammad Fauzul Imron
author_facet Setyo Budi Kurniawan
Mária Čížková
Azmi Ahmad
Yudha Gusti Wibowo
Nor Sakinah Mohd Said
Hajjar Hartini Wan Jusoh
Azimah Ismail
Muhammad Fauzul Imron
author_sort Setyo Budi Kurniawan
collection DOAJ
description Microalgae-based wastewater treatment is an alternative to physico-chemical and bacteria-based technologies. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment showed enormous potential, not only exhibiting excellent pollutant removal efficiencies but also unlimited opportunities for resource recovery. Despite its promising future, the question of selecting autotrophy or heterotrophy regimes for optimal organic pollutant removal remains. This current work juxtaposes the performance of autotrophic and heterotrophic cultures in treating organic-rich wastewater to shed light on the unsolved puzzle. This review paper details the autotrophy and heterotrophy growth regimes for microalgae, as well as highlights the source of organic-rich wastewater and its characteristics. A clear comparison between both regimes was then discussed with recent references. Heterotrophic cultures showed better parameter removal performances, especially carbon-related and N-related compounds, while the removal of P-related compounds is considerably similar. Heterotrophic regimes also resulted in higher biomass yield with higher P content as compared to autotrophy. Despite their superiority, heterotrophic regimes continuously require additional carbon sources, posing a cost-related limitation. In contrast, autotrophic culture has an added value of carbon sequestration, making it beneficial for climate mitigation and lowering operational costs. Future research should concentrate on techno-economic and cost-benefit analyses to further refine the currently discussed topic.
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spelling doaj-art-b2f1687d564e4fb6a745a6ee6ecc86072025-08-20T03:07:50ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862025-04-0132210115910.1016/j.dwt.2025.101159Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluentSetyo Budi Kurniawan0Mária Čížková1Azmi Ahmad2Yudha Gusti Wibowo3Nor Sakinah Mohd Said4Hajjar Hartini Wan Jusoh5Azimah Ismail6Muhammad Fauzul Imron7Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia; East Coast Environmental Research Institute, Gong Badak Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu 21300, Malaysia; Research Center for Environment and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta Pusat, IndonesiaDepartment of Phycology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Trebon, Czech RepublicDepartment of Petrochemical Engineering, Politeknik Tun Syed Nasir Syed Ismail, Hab Pendidikan Tinggi Pagoh, KM 1, Jalan Panchor, Pagoh, Johor 84600, MalaysiaCenter for Green and Sustainable Materials, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Jalan Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan 35365, Indonesia; Department of Mining Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Jalan Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan 35365, Indonesia; Sustainable Mineral Processing Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jalan Grafika No. 2 Kampus UGM Bulaksumur, D.I. Yogyakarta, 55281, IndonesiaDepartment of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor 43600, MalaysiaEast Coast Environmental Research Institute, Gong Badak Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu 21300, Malaysia; Faculty of Bioresource and Food Industry, Besut Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jerteh, Terengganu 22020, MalaysiaEast Coast Environmental Research Institute, Gong Badak Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu 21300, Malaysia; Faculty of Innovative Design and Technology, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kampung Gong Badak, Terengganu 21300, MalaysiaStudy Program of Environmental Engineering, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Kampus C UNAIR, Jalan Mulyorejo, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia; Sanitary Engineering Section, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, CN Delft 2628, Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Study Program of Environmental Engineering, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Kampus C UNAIR, Jalan Mulyorejo, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.Microalgae-based wastewater treatment is an alternative to physico-chemical and bacteria-based technologies. Microalgae-based wastewater treatment showed enormous potential, not only exhibiting excellent pollutant removal efficiencies but also unlimited opportunities for resource recovery. Despite its promising future, the question of selecting autotrophy or heterotrophy regimes for optimal organic pollutant removal remains. This current work juxtaposes the performance of autotrophic and heterotrophic cultures in treating organic-rich wastewater to shed light on the unsolved puzzle. This review paper details the autotrophy and heterotrophy growth regimes for microalgae, as well as highlights the source of organic-rich wastewater and its characteristics. A clear comparison between both regimes was then discussed with recent references. Heterotrophic cultures showed better parameter removal performances, especially carbon-related and N-related compounds, while the removal of P-related compounds is considerably similar. Heterotrophic regimes also resulted in higher biomass yield with higher P content as compared to autotrophy. Despite their superiority, heterotrophic regimes continuously require additional carbon sources, posing a cost-related limitation. In contrast, autotrophic culture has an added value of carbon sequestration, making it beneficial for climate mitigation and lowering operational costs. Future research should concentrate on techno-economic and cost-benefit analyses to further refine the currently discussed topic.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001754BiomassBioremediationCircular economyMicroalgal biomass valorizationWastewater
spellingShingle Setyo Budi Kurniawan
Mária Čížková
Azmi Ahmad
Yudha Gusti Wibowo
Nor Sakinah Mohd Said
Hajjar Hartini Wan Jusoh
Azimah Ismail
Muhammad Fauzul Imron
Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
Desalination and Water Treatment
Biomass
Bioremediation
Circular economy
Microalgal biomass valorization
Wastewater
title Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
title_full Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
title_fullStr Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
title_full_unstemmed Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
title_short Autotrophic vs. heterotrophic microalgae: Juxtaposition of performances in treating organic-rich effluent
title_sort autotrophic vs heterotrophic microalgae juxtaposition of performances in treating organic rich effluent
topic Biomass
Bioremediation
Circular economy
Microalgal biomass valorization
Wastewater
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625001754
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