Simultaneous production of biofuel, and removal of heavy metals using marine alga Turbinaria turbinata as a feedstock in NEOM Region, Tabuk

Depletion of fossil fuel and pollution by heavy metals are two major global issues. The cell wall of algae consists of polymers of polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicellulose, alginate, starch, and many others that are readily hydrolyzed to monosaccharides and hence are amenable to fermentation into bioethanol. Moreover, algae contain lipids that may undergo trans-esterification to biodiesel, and can be absorbed by heavy metals. In this study, extraction of lipids from Turbinaria turbinata (common brown alga) from the beach of Sharma, NEOM, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia by different solvents hexane, methanol, and hexane: methanol (1:1), and trans-esterification was performed to obtain biodiesel and investigated by GC.MS. The alga residue after fats extractions by different solvents was used in bioremediation synthetic wastewater containing 50 ppm of As−3, Co+2, Cu+2, Fe+2, Mn+2, and Zn+2. The residue of defatted alga was hydrolyzed by 2% H2SO4 and then fermented to obtain bioethanol. The combination of hexane: methanol (1:1) gave the greatest amount of petroleum hydrocarbons, which contain Tetradecane, 5-methyl, Octacosane, Pentatriacontane, and a small amount of Cyclotrisiloxane, Hexamethyl. The most effective removal % was obtained with alga residue defatted by hexane: methanol (1:1), and methanol, 100% removal of As−3, 83% Co+2, 95% Cu+2, 97.25% Fe+2, Mn+2 79.69%, Zn+2 90.15% with 2 g alga /L at 3 hours. The lowest value of sugar was obtained with hexane: methanol residue but gave the highest bioethanol efficiency. Thus, it is possible to use Turbinaria turbinata, or brown alga as a feedstock to produce bio-diesel, and bioethanol, and to remove heavy metals from wastewater, which may have a great economic and environmental significance.