Metagenomic insights into virus removal performance of an algal-based wastewater treatment system utilizing Galdieria sulphuraria

Occurrence, fates and potential treatment approaches for removal of viruses from wastewater: A review with emphasis on SARS-CoV-2

“…Various studies have investigated the cultivation of microalgae in photobioreactors, biofilm reactors, MBRs, and oxidation ponds to evaluate their efficiencies for wastewater disinfection. A microalgae-based wastewater treatment system employing the extremophile Galdieria sulphuraria has been demonstrated to achieve high removal rates for enteroviruses (1.05 ± 0.32), noroviruses (1.49 ± 0.16) and coliphages (1.23 ± 0.343–3.13 ± 0.34) [ 16 ]. A team of researchers in Bangladesh developed a Pithophora sp.…”

“…The concept of phycoremediation has been gaining impetuous and involves the use of micro/macro-algae for removal of toxic/non-toxic contaminants from different kinds of solid, liquid, and gaseous waste [ 15 ]. Recently, an extremophile Galdieria sulphuraria has been utilised for the development of a microalgae-based wastewater treatment system that demonstrated high removal rates for noroviruses, coliphages, and enteroviruses [ 16 ]. Some recent studies have elucidated various removal mechanisms, namely; adsorption [ 17 ], pH shift [ 18 ], sunlight-mediated inactivation [ 19 ], and predation [ 20 ] for microalgae-mediated virus inactivation [ 21 ].…”

Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in water environments: Current status, challenges and research opportunities

“…The traditional treatment techniques for the removal of viruses from wastewater include sand filters, chlorine treatment, UV inactivation, ozone treatment, microbial treatment, membranes and pond systems [ [85] , [86] , [87] , [88] , [89] , [90] ]. Though it is assumed that the current techniques used for wastewater treatment might be helpful to eliminate the novel virus; due to the global impact of this pandemic, experimental results are needed to validate this assumption [ 62 , [91] , [92] , [93] ].…”

The role of wastewater treatment plants as tools for SARS-CoV-2 early detection and removal

“…Delanka-Pedige et al [ [140] , [141] , [142] ] recently published three articles dealing with the use of algae for removing viruses in wastewater. Results obtained are in the same range as for activated sludge with log removal values in the range of 1–3 depending on the virus type.…”

“…They seem, however, to reduce the number of species more efficiently and thus reduce the need for chlorination. Mechanisms for viral removal in algae based wastewater treatment systems include sedimentation after viral particles have attached to algal biomass, increased temperatures denaturing algal nucleic acids and proteins and sunlight mediated degradation [ 140 ].…”