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Gradual increase in concentration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere due to the various anthropogenic interventions leading to significant alteration in the global carbon cycle has been a subject of worldwide attention and matter of potential research over the last few decades. In these alarming scenario microalgae seems to be an attractive medium for capturing the excess CO 2 present in the atmosphere generated from different sources such as power plants, automobiles, volcanic eruption, decomposition of organic matters and forest fires. This captured CO 2 through microalgae could be used as potential carbon source to produce lipids for the generation of biofuel for replacing petroleum-derived transport fuel without affecting the supply of food and crops. This comprehensive review strives to provide a systematic account of recent developments in the field of biological carbon capture through microalgae for its utilization towards the generation of biodiesel highlighting the significance of certain key parameters such as selection of efficient strain, microalgal metabolism, cultivation systems (open and closed) and biomass production along with the national and international biodiesel specifications and properties. The potential use of photobioreactors for biodiesel production under the influence of various factors viz., light intensity, pH, time, temperature, CO 2 concentration and flow rate has been discussed. The review also provides an economic overview and future outlook on biodiesel production from microalgae.

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Gradual rise in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) due to burning of fossil fuels has become a matter of environmental concern in the recent years. In this alarming situation capturing CO2 and storing it to restrict its release to the atmosphere could be an attractive approach toward mitigation. Photosynthesis has been recognized as the most sustainable means to arrest CO2 from the atmosphere and microalgae; a photosynthetic microorganism has been identified as the potential sequestering candidate with the highest carbon fixing capabilities. Cyanobacteria and algae have developed their own exclusive editions of photosynthetic carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to aid ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) in efficient CO2 capture. Carbonic anhydrase (CA), a zinc‐containing metallo‐enzyme has been observed to play a key role in the CCM by catalysing the reversible hydration of CO2 into bicarbonate and a proton thereby helping in fixation of atmospheric CO2. This review gives an account of the importance of the different types of CA enzymes along with its locations, mechanism of action and the various studies on biosequestration of CO2 through microalgae. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 1605–1615, 2016