Bioprospecting of Indigenous Microalgae to Evaluate Their Potential for Bioenergy and Wastewater Treatment

Abstract In this study we investigated the phycoremediation ability of indigenous microalgal strains using synthetic wastewater along with the production of high-value biomass. Two algal strains were collected, cultured, purified, and later named as named as BERC3 and BERC4 after morphologically and genetically identification. Nutrient concentrations, pH, and light intensity were optimized for maximum growth and metabolite content. Harvested biomass was characterized to check the impact of wastewater on the biomass productivity and metabolite content (lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, pigments) of selected strains. Results shows that both strains produced maximum biomass in low-light (150µmol m− 2 s− 1) at neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Both the strains performed very well in MGB11 (synthetic wastewater), indicated that these strains are suitable for growth in wastewater as those conditions favor biomass and metabolite production.