Comparing the proficiency of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Anabaena sp. in phycoremediation of contaminated wastewater

Water pollution is emerging problem of this era mainly due to anthropogenic activities including pollutants released by industrial dumps, sewage leaks, oil spills, heavy metals, animal wastes, chemical wastes, eroded sediments, deforestation, littering, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, etc. Microalgae such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Anabaena sp. can absorb and detoxify various heavy metals and organic pollutants, making it a versatile agent for cleaning contaminated water. Its ability to grow rapidly and thrive in wastewater environments further enhances its suitability for large-scale application. Various parameters such pH, color, odor, EC, TDS, COD, BOD, Nitrate and Heavy metal concentrations of wastewater collected from hospital and nearby industries of Shillong area were analyzed before and after their growth with microalgal isolates. A significant reduction in pH, EC values, TDS, COD and BOD were observed. Nitrate levels of collected wastewaters showed significant differences when compared with control and treatment conditions. The precise quantification of heavy metals (Pb, As, Ni, Fe) using ICP-OES, helped to understand the pollution levels and potential environmental risks associated with the wastewater samples analyzed.