Table 1.
Microalgae for metal removal from wastewater
| Metals | Microalgal strain | Removal efficiency (%) | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper, zinc, cadmium, and mercury | Cladophora fracta; live algae | Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+ were 99%, 85%, 97%, and 98%, respectively | [11] |
| Cadmium |
Scenedesmus sp. Chlorella sp. Chlorella vulgaris |
73% 33–41% 66% |
[12] |
| Chromium |
Chlorella vulgaris Scenedesmus sp. Spirulina sp. |
50.7–80.3% 92.89% 82.67% |
[13–15] |
| Copper |
Spirulina maxima Chlorella vulgaris Scenedesmus obliquus |
94.9% 96.3% 72.4–91.7% |
[16,30] |
| Lead |
Chlorella vulgaris Chlorella sp. Pseudochlorococcum typicum |
89.26% 66.3% 70% |
[17,18,32] |
| Mercury |
Chlorella vulgaris Chlorella vulgaris Pseudochlorococcum typicum |
79–86% 34.21–93% 97% |
[18–20] |
| Nickel |
Scenedesmus sp. Chlorella vulgaris Chlorella miniate |
97% 33–41% 60-73% |
[12,21] |
| Zinc |
Chlorella sp Synechocystis sp Scenedesmus sp |
60–70% 40% 98% |
[21,32] |
| Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Zinc | Haslea ostrearia, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Skeletonema costatum, and Tetraselmis suecica; live algae | Reduction in Cu and Cd | [22] |
| Chromium | Chlorella miniata; dried algae; cultivated in domestic wastewater | 75% and 100% removal for Cr (III) and Cr (VI), respectively | [23] |
| Lead, Cadmium, Copper, and Arsenic | Cyanophyta (Oscillatoria princeps 92%, Oscillatoria subbrevis 2%, and Oscillatoria formosa 1%) and Chlorophyta (Spirogyra aequinoctialis 3%, Mougeta sp. 1%, and others 1%); dried algae | Metals were removed | [24] |