Advanced strategies for effective treatment of vanadium (III) polluted water by potential microalgae

Background: Environmental concerns are escalating globally due to rising pollution, with heavy metals like vanadium posing health risks even at 2 ppm. Industries like steel and semiconductors discharge vanadium, presenting environmental hazards. However, there's a lack of sustainable treatment methods for vanadium removal. This study aims to develop an eco-friendly microalgae vanadium treatment while utilizing microalgal biomass for biofuels, offsetting treatment expenses. Methods: Potential microalgae is chosen for vanadium (III) treatment. Over an 18-days period, maximum V(III) removal was aimed with adequate biomass and lipid yields. pH and temperature optimization enhances vanadium removal, guided by zeta potential analysis. FTIR confirms vanadium adsorption via algal cell wall reactive groups. Significant Findings: The study demonstrates a viable solution for the pressing issue of vanadium pollution. Chlorella sorokiniana TU5 effectively removes V(III), achieving a substantial removal rate of 20.38 mgL⁻¹. Moreover, the generated microalgal biomass showed a biomass yield of 2.3 gL⁻¹ and a lipid yield of 577.3 mgL⁻¹. The strategic optimization of pH and temperature further enhances the vanadium removal capacity. This approach not only addresses vanadium pollution but also provides a sustainable route for biofuel production using microalgal biomass, positioning it as a promising technique for industrial-scale vanadium bioremediation.