Sewage to energy: harnessing algae-fungi consortium for bioremediation: in Energy Ecology and Environment

In this study, we tackle the pressing issue of wastewater treatment amid rising urbanization and chemical pollution. The study finds that consortium systems, especially those combining algae and fungi, are more effective than monocultures in treating wastewater. This research, conducted under ambient environmental conditions, evaluates the performance of microalgae, bacteria, and fungi in removing pollutants from wastewater. The algae-fungi consortium achieved remarkable phosphate removal efficiency of up to 98% and significantly reduced heavy metal concentrations. Furthermore, the biomass generated from these consortia shows promise for biofuel production, with a high heating value and carbon content. However, more work is still needed to optimize these systems for large-scale applications, which could significantly enhance wastewater treatment and biofuel production. Read the full article here. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-025-00395-3