Abstract:
Microalgae-based treatment systems represent a promising avenue for simultaneous
wastewater treatment and resource recovery. In these systems, microalgae play a vital role
by absorbing nutrients and generating oxygen, thereby enhancing water quality.
Additionally, the harvested microalgae biomass can be used to produce biofuels and other
valuable bioproducts. However, downstream processing of microalgal biomass remains a
key challenge in advancing wastewater derived microalgae. Within this framework,
anaerobic digestion emerges as a well-established and widely recognized technology for
converting microalgae biomass into bioenergy. Nevertheless, the anaerobic digestion of
microalgae is mainly hindered by their robust cell walls, resulting in limited methane
production potential and a reduced conversion rate. Furthermore, it's noteworthy that
microalgae possess a high protein content, which can lead to the inhibition of anaerobic
digestion process due to ammonia nitrogen. This study aims to treat leachate and
wastewater using microalgae and improve anaerobic digestion of harvested microalgae by
using different approaches.
