Enhancement of Spirulina platensis Remediation Action Using Biosurfactants for Wastewater Treatment

Pollution of water systems with heavy metals is an urgent problem for many countries. Wastewater is the main pathway for pollution of rivers and water systems from heavy metals. Wastewater treatment is expensive and not always ecologically friendly. That is why alternative methods of water purification based on the use of harmless biological objects are very relevant. This work focused on the framework of a new approach of water cleansing polluted by lead and copper, by using combined action of the ecological potential of algae Spirulina platensis and chelating agent – biosurfactant. It has been chosen to work the concentration of metals – 100 ppm. It is clear from a series of tests that the adsorption of Cu 2+ and Pb 2+ ions by biomass of Spirulina is improved and sped up by using ecologically friendly biosurfactants—Rhamnolipids and Trehalose lipid. Specifically, the process of metals removal from polluted water is sped up by 24 h, which will be considered in creating a quick response strategy of wastewater treatment technology. Rhamnolipid1 enhances the absorption of copper by Spirulina Platensis by about 42%, Rhamnolipid2-by 68%, and Trehalose lipid by 73%. These results are more important in comparison to the well-known chelating agent of heavy metals—EDTA, which is toxic to the environment. Obtained experimental data will possible to provide an inexpensive and ecologically friendly approach for purifying wastewater from lead and copper ions. Article Highlights Spirulina platensis as an ecologically friendly remediator for water purification; Spirulina platensis uptakes Cu 2+ and Pb 2+ ions from wastewater; Biosurfactants—enhancer of the dynamics of heavy metals absorption by Spirulina.