Wastewater Remediation Potential of Diatoms

Wastewater’s value is often neglected despite it being regarded as an untapped resource that has long been reliable in alleviating water scarcity. However, the use of current technology has cost a lot of water and additional chemicals. Thus, bioremediation is often sought after due to its availability, although it is feared to have a detrimental effect on the water–food–energy nexus as well as its long cultivation time and stressor responses. Thus, the use of a rigid and fast-growing plant without affecting the water–food–energy nexus is introduced by using diatoms which have a ubiquitous presence that allows varying species through seasonal variations and which grows rapidly with the presence of silicate. In this chapter, valued signatures of diatoms are discussed alongside their potential in dealing with emerging pollutants such as microplastics, heavy metals, pesticides, and nitrogen and phosphates, as well as their valuable by-products to further conclude its valuable use in wastewater treatment.