Bioaerosol emissions from open microalgal processes and their potential environmental impacts: what can be learned from natural and anthropogenic aquatic environments?

•Microbial communities from open water spread to the environment through bioaerosols.•Bioaerosols are sources of contaminations at different spatial scales.•Processes for intensification of algal ponds culture increase bioaerosol emissions.•Aerosolization should be taken into account to design and improve pond management.

Open processes for microalgae mass cultivation and/or wastewater treatment present an air–water interface. Similarly to other open air-aquatic environments, they are subject to contamination, but as such, they also represent a source of bioaerosols. Indeed, meteorological, physico-chemical and biological factors cause aerial dispersion of the planktonic community. Operating conditions like liquid mixing or gas injection tend to both enhance microbial activity, as well as intensify aerosolization. Bacteria, virus particles, fungi and protozoa, in addition to microalgae, are all transient or permanent members of the planktonic community and can thus be emitted as aerosols. If they should remain viable, subsequent deposition on various habitats could instigate their colonization of other environments and the potential expression of their ecological function.

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