Application of Phycoremediation Technology in the Treatment of Sewage Water to Reduce Pollution Load

Phycoremediation is the use of algae for the removal or biotransformation of pollutants from waste water. Employing this technology in the treatment of municipal waste effluents presents an alternative to the current practice of using conventional methods, including physical and chemical methods. In the present study the effluents from sewage drains were treated using algal species isolated from the sewage drains itself. The objective of this study was to treat the effluent by phycoremediation (pilot-scale laboratory study) and to analyze the physical and chemical parameters before and after treatment. The results obtained showed that out of 22 isolated cloacal algae(sewage algae) three species i.e. Gloeocapsagelatinosa, Euglena viridis and Synedra affinis were found most prominent. On 25^th day of mixed algal culture treatment there was cent percent removal of NO₃-N, NO₂-N, Phosphate, iron, zinc and copper and there was a significant reduction in BOD, COD, NH₃-N, Org.-N and hardness.