In most Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP), tertiary treatment focuses on removing excess phosphorus and nitrogenous nutrients, such as phosphate (PO43−), nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+), which are key components in wastewater treatment. However, tertiary treatment presents challenges, such as high energy costs due to the need for strong aeration and carbon sources, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases.
A sustainable alternative for wastewater treatment is the use of microalgae, which produce low greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional systems. The "sludge" generated by microalgae treatment is a biomass that can be converted into bio-products, contributing to the circular economy by reusing and adding value to waste and raw materials, including water reuse.
High concentrations of detergents containing surfactants form a layer of foam on the water surface, which hinders oxygen uptake and affects the respiration of aquatic organisms, thus damaging aquatic ecosystems.
The aim of this research is to evaluate the removal of surfactants by natural microalgae consortia in the wastewater treatment process and to develop a design proposal for its implementation as a tertiary treatment in a WWTP.
To determine the presence of surfactants in water, Method 5540 C. The intensity obtained by the blue colour in the organic phase will be the MBAS measurement determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 652 nm.
Two experimental designs will be evaluated at laboratory scale, the first experimental design will be Wastewater vs. different microalgal concentrations, and the second design will be wastewater with different dilution factors vs. the same microalgal concentration.
Once the results of the experiment have been obtained, the effectiveness of the experiment will be evaluated and a full-scale design for the WWTP will be carried out.