title: Microalgae - A promising tool for heavy metal remediation.
abstract: Biotechnology of microalgae has gained popularity due to the growing need for novel environmental technologies and the development of innovative mass-production. Inexpensive growth requirements (solar light and CO2), and, the advantage of being utilized simultaneously for multiple technologies (e.g. carbon mitigation, biofuel production, and bioremediation) make microalgae suitable candidates for several ecofriendly technologies. Microalgae have developed an extensive spectrum of mechanisms (extracellular and intracellular) to cope with heavy metal toxicity. Their wide-spread occurrence along with their ability to grow and concentrate heavy metals, ascertains their suitability in practical applications of waste-water bioremediation. Heavy metal uptake by microalgae is affirmed to be superior to the prevalent physicochemical processes employed in the removal of toxic heavy metals. In order to evaluate their potential and to fill in the loopholes, it is essential to carry out a critical assessment of the existing microalgal technologies, and realize the need for development of commercially viable technologies involving strategic multidisciplinary approaches. This review summarizes several areas of heavy metal remediation from a microalgal perspective and provides an overview of various practical avenues of this technology. It particularly details heavy metals and microalgae which have been extensively studied, and provides a schematic representation of the mechanisms of heavy metal remediation in microalgae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suresh Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hans-Uwe
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Dahms
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, South Korea. Electronic address: shinkh@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyung-Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Bioremediation; Heavy metals; Mechanism; Microalgae