Evaluation of the potential of microalgae for nitrite and ammonium removal in surface waters.

Currently, many municipalities and ASADAS face challenges in implementing treatment processes and technologies for both drinking water and wastewater. The use of microalgae for nitrite removal in wastewater is a sustainable and efficient strategy that contributes to the mitigation of aquatic pollution and nutrient recovery. Microalgae, such as Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp., have the capacity to assimilate nitrite ( and transform it into ammoniumhrough the action of the nitrite reductase enzyme, subsequently incorporating it into organic compounds like amino acids and proteins. This process not only reduces the concentration of nitrite in water but also offers an eco-friendly alternative to conventional wastewater treatment methods, which are typically energy-intensive and generate greenhouse gas emissions.Therefore, integrating microalgae into wastewater treatment systems represents a promising solution to address environmental challenges and move toward more sustainable development. To achieve this, implementing analysis methodologies for these ions is fundamental to determining the capabilities and limitations that microalgae might present in removing the target ions.Consequently, this proposal integrates into CEQIATEC's research lines through the evaluation and monitoring of chemical and microbiological contaminants, in this case, in water treated with a microalgae biofilter. The results of this proposal will help generate research lines to develop appropriate technologies for using microalgae in the removal of various compounds, which, in the future, can be integrated into the water treatment systems of industries and communities, both at national and regional levels.

valuation of the potential of microalgae for the removal of nitrites and ammonium in surface waters."

Water: Quality, potability, and treatment of the water resource.