Future prospect of development of integrated wastewater and algal biorefineries and its impact on biodiversity and environment

Utilizing nutrients that can be recovered from secondary sources could be the key to meeting the growing needs of the world's population. The microalgae-based biorefinery interconnected to the treatment of effluents may have an advantageous potential. From the point of view of biomass production, through a low-carbon circular economy, the use of microalgae can present itself as a competitive alternative to traditional water treatment techniques. Effluent water bodies assimilate high amounts of pollutants, which, on the contrary, can be a versatility of nutrients, since microalgae have a metabolism capable of making use of these for the production of biomass with added value. Given this context, the core of this chapter is to demonstrate the real potential of using microalgae as a source for the bioremediation process applied to biorefineries. In an introductory way, the particularities of microalgae, in general, are discussed. This directs a closer look at bioremediation with microalgae in wastewater treatment, showing its impacts on biodiversity and the economy. An approach to pollutant treatment for microalgae biomass production is also described. In the end, the last appendix of the chapter brings the futuristic perspectives of this process linked to the microalgae biorefinery.