Algae-Based Biorefinery as a Sustainable Renewable Resource

Salami, Robab; Kordi, Masoumeh; Bolouri, Parisa; Delangiz, Nasser; Lajayer, Behnam Asgari

doi:10.1007/s43615-021-00088-z

Cited by 17 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 93 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Microalgae have the potential for the phytoremediation of wastewater that is rich in nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen. Algal remediation or phycoremediation could be applied during the secondary-treatment processing of wastewater to biologically oxidize organic contents and accumulate nutrients [48]. Such a process is more efficient and safer compared to other physico-chemical treatments.…”

Section: Use Of Algal Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Algal-Mediated Nanoparticles, Phycochar, and Biofertilizers for Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Plants: A Review

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The excessive use of agrochemicals to ensure food security under the conditions of a growing population, global climate change, weather extremes, droughts, wasteful use of freshwater resources, and land degradation has created severe challenges for sustainable crop production. Since the frequent and abrupt environmental changes are outcompeting the existing agricultural technologies of crop production systems to meet food security, the development and use of modern technologies and nature-based solutions are urgently needed. Nanotechnology has shown potential for revolutionizing agri-production and agri-business in terms of nanofertilizers and nanoparticles for crop protection. Furthermore, in the recent past, biochar has been identified as a negative emission technology for carbon sequestration and soil fertility improvement. However, supply chain issues for biochar, due to feedstock availability, challenges its worldwide use and acceptability. Meanwhile progress in algae research has indicated that, algae can be utilized for various agro-ecosystem services. Algae are considered an efficient biological species for producing biomass and phytochemicals because of their high photosynthetic efficiency and growth rate compared to terrestrial plants. In this context, various options for using algae as a nature-based solution have been investigated in this review; for instance, the possibilities of producing bulk algal biomass and algal-based biofertilizers and their role in nutrient availability and abiotic stress resistance in plants. The potential of algae for biochar production (hereafter “phycochar” because of algal feedstock), its elemental composition, and role in bioremediation is discussed. The potential role of agal nanoparticles’ in mitigating abiotic stress in crop plants was thoroughly investigated. This review has effectively investigated the existing literature and improved our understanding that, algae-based agro-solutions have huge potential for mitigating abiotic stresses and improving overall agricultural sustainability. However, a few challenges, such as microalgae production on a large scale and the green synthesis of nanoparticle methodologies, still need further mechanistic investigation.

show abstract

Section: Use Of Algal Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Algal-Mediated Nanoparticles, Phycochar, and Biofertilizers for Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Plants: A Review

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indeed, microalgae are responsible for the primary productivity in aquatic ecosystems, thus forming the basis of food webs and accounting for more than 50% of the oxygen produced [1]. Due to a huge bio-and chemodiversity, and possibly high growth performances, they constitute a vast renewable resource [2]. However, only a few strains of microalgae are actually exploited on an industrial scale (less than a dozen, including those used as feed in aquaculture).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Was Old Is New Again: The Pennate Diatom Haslea ostrearia (Gaillon) Simonsen in the Multi-Omic Age

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The marine pennate diatom Haslea ostrearia has long been known for its characteristic blue pigment marennine, which is responsible for the greening of invertebrate gills, a natural phenomenon of great importance for the oyster industry. For two centuries, this taxon was considered unique; however, the recent description of a new blue Haslea species revealed unsuspected biodiversity. Marennine-like pigments are natural blue dyes that display various biological activities—e.g., antibacterial, antioxidant and antiproliferative—with a great potential for applications in the food, feed, cosmetic and health industries. Regarding fundamental prospects, researchers use model organisms as standards to study cellular and physiological processes in other organisms, and there is a growing and crucial need for more, new and unconventional model organisms to better correspond to the diversity of the tree of life. The present work, thus, advocates for establishing H. ostrearia as a new model organism by presenting its pros and cons—i.e., the interesting aspects of this peculiar diatom (representative of benthic-epiphytic phytoplankton, with original behavior and chemodiversity, controlled sexual reproduction, fundamental and applied-oriented importance, reference genome, and transcriptome will soon be available); it will also present the difficulties encountered before this becomes a reality as it is for other diatom models (the genetics of the species in its infancy, the transformation feasibility to be explored, the routine methods needed to cryopreserve strains of interest).

show abstract

“…Fermentation 2024, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 15 of 23 4 Damage to human health calculated in disability-adjusted life years; 5 category that quantifies the environmental impact related to the consumption of renewable biomass resources within a particular process or product life cycle.…”

Section: Environmental Impact Analysis For Exopolysaccharide Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Notably, microalgae and cyanobacteria offer the potential to efficiently produce biomass for various applications, including food, feed, fuels, and chemicals, while addressing challenges in wastewater treatment and carbon capture [3]. The economic significance of algae in marine biotechnology, coupled with their higher energy yields and faster photosynthesis, has attracted attention from economists [4,5]. Cyanobacterium, particularly Arthrospira platensis, known as spirulina, stands out for its diverse applications in health, cosmetics, nutrition, and bioremediation [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Assessment of Exopolysaccharides and Phycocyanin Production with Arthrospira platensis

Cogo Badan,

Jung,

Singh

et al. 2024

Fermentation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the pursuit of sustainable solutions for contemporary environmental challenges arising from the increasing global demand for energy, this study delves into the potential of cyanobacteria, specifically Arthrospira platensis (commonly known as “spirulina”), as a versatile resource. Employing a life cycle assessment (LCA) in accordance with the ISO 14044:2006 standard and employing both midpoint and endpoint indicators, the study comprehensively evaluates environmental impacts. The research explored a range of scenarios, specifically investigating variations in light intensity and harvesting volume. These investigations were carried out using a pilot-scale photobioreactor, specifically an airlift reactor system featuring a horizontal tubular downcomer. The primary focus is on extracting valuable compounds, namely exopolysaccharides and phycocyanin. It emphasized the extraction of value-added products and strategic integration with a biogas plant for process heat, contributing to developing a sustainable supply network and offering insights into environmentally conscious algae cultivation practices with implications for renewable energy and the production of valuable products. The results emphasize the project’s potential economic feasibility with minimal energy impact from by-product extraction. The environmental assessment identifies marine ecotoxicity and fossil resource depletion as principal impacts, predominantly influenced by upstreaming and harvesting stages. After conducting comparisons across various scenarios, it was found that cultivations under higher light intensities have a lower environmental impact than cultivations with low light supply. However, regardless of light intensity, processes with shorter harvesting cycles tend to have a smaller environmental impact compared to processes with longer harvesting cycles. Overall, this research contributes a nuanced and realistic perspective, fostering informed decision-making in sustainable algae cultivation practices, with implications for renewable energy and valuable compound production.

show abstract

Algae-Based Biorefinery as a Sustainable Renewable Resource

Cited by 17 publications

References 93 publications

Algal-Mediated Nanoparticles, Phycochar, and Biofertilizers for Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Plants: A Review

Algal-Mediated Nanoparticles, Phycochar, and Biofertilizers for Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Plants: A Review

What Was Old Is New Again: The Pennate Diatom Haslea ostrearia (Gaillon) Simonsen in the Multi-Omic Age

Life Cycle Assessment of Exopolysaccharides and Phycocyanin Production with Arthrospira platensis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About