ABSTRACT
Algae and plants can be effectively utilized as biosorbents to transfer the contaminants or pollutants from the wastewater and concentrate them on their surface. These biological materials exhibit various functional groups on their surfaces due to their phytochemical constituents and have several advantages when considered as biosorbents, including their availability in large quantities, possible to be cultivated in different climate conditions and their processing is relatively cheap. Processes based on algae and plants are also characterized by high efficiency and low operating and manufacturing costs, providing purified effluents with high qualities. These processes can be an efficient and green alternative for pollutant removal from wastewater. However, some aspects such as experimental trials to validate its performance on a large scale and strategies to improve algae production, including strategies related to cultivation mode, should be targets of future research for a better understanding.
