title: Implications for public health demands alternatives to inorganic and synthetic flocculants: bioflocculants as important candidates.
abstract: Chemical flocculants are generally used in drinking water and wastewater treatment due to their efficacy and cost effectiveness. However, the question of their toxicity to human health and environmental pollution has been a major concern. In this article, we review the application of some chemical flocculants utilized in water treatment, and bioflocculants as a potential alternative to these chemical flocculants. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report in the literature that provides an up-to-date review of the relevant literature on both chemical flocculants and bioflocculants in one paper. As a result, this review paper comprehensively discussed the various chemical flocculants used in water treatment, including their advantages and disadvantages. It also gave insights into bioflocculants production, challenges, various factors influencing their flocculating efficiency and their industrial applications, as well as future research directions including improvement of bioflocculants yields and flocculating activity, and production of cation-independent bioflocculants. The molecular biology and synthesis of bioflocculants are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kunle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okaiyeto
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.
authors.forename: Uchechukwu U
authors.initials: UU
authors.lastname: Nwodo
authors.affiliation: GenØK - Centre for Biosafety, Science Park, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, 9291, Norway.
authors.forename: Stanley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Okoli
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leonard V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Mabinya
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.
authors.forename: Anthony I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Okoh
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005427:Flocculation; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D008965:Molasses; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification; D011634:Public Health; D013696:Temperature; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals; D009584:Nitrogen; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Bioflocculants; chemical flocculants; environmental pollution; industrial applications; molecular biology