The biotechnology of microalgae has gained considerable importance in recent decades. Applications range from simple biomass production for food and feed to valuable products for ecological applications. For most of these applications, the market is still developing and the biotechnological use of microalgae will extend into new areas. Considering the enormous biodiversity of microalgae and recent developments in genetic engineering, this group of organisms represents one of the most promising sources for new products and applications. With the development of sophisticated culture and screening techniques, microalgal biotechnology can already meet the high demands of both the food and pharmaceutical industries.

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Microalgae have a large biotechnological potential for producing valuable substances for the feed, food, cosmetics and pharmacy industries as well as for biotechnological processes. The design of the technical and technological basis for photobioreactors is the most important issue for economic success in the field of phototrophic biotechnology. For future applications, open pond systems for large-scale production seem to have a lower innovative potential than closed systems. For high-value products in particular, closed systems of photobioreactors seem to be the more promising field for technical developments despite very different approaches in design.

Viable microalgae are known to be able to accumulate heavy metals (bioaccumulation). Against a background of the increasing environmental risks caused by heavy metals. the microalgae Chlorellu vulguris and Spinclina plurensis and their potential for the biological removal of heavy metals from aqueous s o htions were taken as an example for investigation. Smd-scale cultivation tests (50 1) with Cd-resistant cells of Chlorella vulgaris have shown that approx. 40% of the added 10 mg Cd/l was removed from the solution within seven days. At this heavy metal cqncentration sensitive cells died. Non-viable microalgae are able to eliminate heavy metal ions in a short time by biosorption in uncomplicated systems, withcut any toxicity problems. Compared with original biomasses, the sorption capacity of microalgal by-products changes only insignificantly. Their low price makes them economical.

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