Removal of Radon from Radionuclide-Contaminated Water Using Microalgae

Bioremediation using microalgae is a potential alternative way to different conventional water treatment processes. The advantages of using microalgae are as follows: it requires low energy with reduced sludge formation and carbon dioxide sequestration. This review summarizes the possible bioremediation of radioactive radon from water system as radon gas is α- and β- radiation emitter. The major health hazard occurs due to indoor air radon which is usually released from the potable water contaminated with dissolved radon supplied through different distribution systems. Standard techniques like aeration and activated carbon filtration are the conventional techniques applied to remove radon from drinking water. However, both the processes face different technological drawbacks from complex designing, maintaining uniform concentration flow, short-lived decay products, and risk of sewer recontamination. The activated intercellular polysaccharides of the microalgae cell can be a potential accumulator of radon from drinking water as the activated intercellular polysaccharides mimic the activated carbon. The microalgae do not grow under the influence of high energy radiation; but, due to the evolution of this kind of microorganisms under prolonged influence of high energy radiation, they overcome the physiological stress in the extreme environment for their growth. A number of algal species grow in the highly radioactive sites. They accumulate different radioactive elements as well as α-, β-, and γ-radiations.