Environmental bioremediation

Some of the most serious problems facing the planet are the greenhouse effect, caused by high emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere, as well as potable water shortage, the increase of degraded agricultural soils and the existence of burned soils.

The use of microalgae for solving these and other problems are assuming an important role in the world.

The use of microalgae in carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration is being implemented in some industries, diverting part of the emitted gases to large deposits containing microalgae - photobioreactors. The biomass of these microalgae, rich in different compounds, may have various applications: oil extraction, aquaculture, poultry, biofertilizers, among others.

Wastewater treatment is an area where microalgae has been playing a leading role. Their ability to take existing inorganic nutrients, fix heavy metals (Cu , Zn , Pb , As, etc.) and incorporate in their biomass part of the existing oils in the effluent, coupled with their ability to release oxygen (O₂) and reduce the acidity of the effluent, is becoming more clear.

Production of mucilage, fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, formation of resistance cells and capacity for adhesiveness of particles, make the microalgae as potential repairers for degraded or burned soils.