ABSTRACT
The immobilized algal cells have various applications, including nutrients removal from water and wastewater, biosorption of heavy metals from wastewater, removal of organic pollutants from wastewater, and biofuel production. The general protocol for immobilization in loofa starts with soaking it in boiling water for 30 minutes, washing it with tap water, and leaving it in deionized (DI) water for 24 hours. The immobilization process started with mixing 1 g of cyanobacterial cells (dry weight equivalent) with 25 mL of 6% sodium silicate solution and 25 mL of DI water. As a sustainable treatment system, immobilized algal beads have been widely used to remove nutrients (nitrate and phosphate), metals, and organic compounds from water and wastewater. Microalgae cultivation in wastewater has been an alternative system for biological wastewater treatment, as it has the advantages of removing nutrients and producing biomass.
