Algal strains, treatment systems and removal mechanisms for treating antibiotic wastewater by microalgae

The presence of antibiotic contaminants in the environment has been recognized as a worldwide concern. Microalgae-based remediation technology has been widely reported as a sustainable and promising alternative for antibiotic removal. In this review, the algal strains, the treatment systems, and the mechanisms for antibiotics degradation by microalgae were summarized. The isolation and selection of ideal algal strains and developing efficient cultivation modes based on these strains play a vital role in improving the removal efficiency. This review sheds light on the heterotrophic mode, microalgae-bacteria consortium and non-suspended treatment system, and summarizes the metabolic processes and the gene expression involved in antibiotic biodegradation pathways unveiled by transcriptomics and metabolomics. Moreover, some ecological considerations regarding antibiotic resistance genes, antibiotic resistance bacteria, and the toxicity of degradation products were discussed.