8. Use of Microalgae for the Removal of MPs as an Emerging Contaminant from Wastewaters

Microplastics are plastic particles with a size smaller than 5 mm. They have been identified in various environments, even in the human body. They are evaluated as emerging contaminants since they possess several health risks from DNA damage to inflammation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to remove them from environments and wastewaters. Microorganisms have been long used to remove contaminants from wastewaters. Bacteria, fungi, protists and algae were among those microorganisms to be involved in wastewater treatment. Microalgae are photosynthetic, aerobic, planktonic, freshwater or marine cyanobacteria which are easy to culture and maintain. They have been researched for their potential for wastewater treatment besides the other microorganisms. Recent studies also showed that microplastics were degraded by a well-known microalgae species Spirulina while giving severe damage to the algae. In this chapter, we evaluate the use of microalgae for the purpose of remediation of microplastics from wastewaters.