Algae for Africa: Microalgae as a source of food, feed and fuel in Kenya

Moejes, Fiona Wanjiku; Moejes, Karin Brenda

doi:10.5897/ajb2016.15721

Cited by 22 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Novel applications also include the use of microalgae as an alternative sustainable development tool [2]. One such microalgae is the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum that is able to synthesize a number of industrially relevant molecules applicable in: aquaculture as feed in e.g., bivalve, echinoderm, crustacean and fish hatcheries [3,4]; as biomass for biofuels [5,6]; pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals [5,[7][8][9]; and nanotechnology [10], and bioremediation industries [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of the Bacterial Community Associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum Cultures

et al. 2017

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Abstract:The pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a model organism able to synthesize industrially-relevant molecules. Commercial-scale cultivation currently requires large monocultures, prone to bio-contamination. However, little is known about the identity of the invading organisms. To reduce the complexity of natural systems, we systematically investigated the microbiome of non-axenic P. tricornutum cultures from a culture collection in reproducible experiments. The results revealed a dynamic bacterial community that developed differently in "complete" and "minimal" media conditions. In complete media, we observed an accelerated "culture crash", indicating a more stable culture in minimal media. The identification of only four bacterial families as major players within the microbiome suggests specific roles depending on environmental conditions. From our results we propose a network of putative interactions between P. tricornutum and these main bacterial factions. We demonstrate that, even with rather sparse data, a mathematical model can be reconstructed that qualitatively reproduces the observed population dynamics, thus indicating that our hypotheses regarding the molecular interactions are in agreement with experimental data. Whereas the model in its current state is only qualitative, we argue that it serves as a starting point to develop quantitative and predictive mathematical models, which may guide experimental efforts to synthetically construct and monitor stable communities required for robust upscaling strategies.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of the Bacterial Community Associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum Cultures

et al. 2017

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“…A summary comparison of the characteristics of open-pond systems and photobioreactors is shown in Table 4, based on the data [93,94].…”

Section: Biodiesel Production From Algae In the Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Perspective of Large-Scale Production of Algae Biodiesel

2020

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We have had high expectations for using algae biodiesel for many years, but the quantities of biodiesel currently produced from algae are tiny compared to the quantities of conventional diesel oil. Furthermore, no comprehensive analysis of the impact of all factors on the market production of algal biodiesel has been made so far. This paper aims to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with algal biodiesel, to evaluate its production prospects for the biofuels market. The results of the analysis show that it is possible to increase the efficiency of algae biomass production further. However, because the production of this biodiesel is an energy-intensive process, the price of biodiesel is high. Opportunities for more economical production of algal biodiesel are seen in integration with other processes, such as wastewater treatment, but this does not ensure large-scale production. The impact of state policies and laws is significant in the future of algal biodiesel production. With increasingly stringent environmental requirements, electric cars are a significant threat to biodiesel production. By considering all the influencing factors, it is not expected that algal biodiesel will gain an essential place in the fuel market.

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“…Besides the direct impact of increased access to clean energy, biomass‐based industry represents an increasing source of jobs and income in poor rural areas, contributing significantly to well‐being and development. [ 2,3 ]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate‐Simulated culturing suggests high microalgal biomass and oil productivities in most of the South American continent

Coronel

Curatti

2021

Biotechnology Journal

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Background Current production costs of microalgal biomass indicate that only highly‐productive cultivation facilities will approach commercial feasibility. Geographical site selection for siting those facilities is critical for achieving target productivities. The aim of this study was to provide a semi‐empirical estimation of microalgal biomass and lipids productivity in South America. Methods and Results Simulated‐climate was programed in environmental photobioreactors (Phenometrics) for a simulation of cultivation in open raceway ponds at different geographical sites. The mean annual South American biomass productivity of 20‐cm deep ponds was 12 ± 4 g · m− 2 · d−1. The most productive regions were clustered in the subtropical and tropical regions of the continent. Fortaleza (Brazil) showed a low seasonality and a high annual mean productivity of 23 g · m−2 · d−1 in 5‐cm deep ponds, closely approaching the productivity target. Lipids accumulation and productivity in Fortaleza showed a high microalgal oil accumulation up to 46% (w/w) and a maximum oil productivity of 5 g · m−2 · d−1 for biomass containing around 20% lipids (w/w). Conclusion This study provides the first semi‐empirical estimation of microalgal productivity in South America and supports a high potential of a vast region of the continent.

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Algae for Africa: Microalgae as a source of food, feed and fuel in Kenya

Cited by 22 publications

References 49 publications

Dynamics of the Bacterial Community Associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum Cultures

Dynamics of the Bacterial Community Associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum Cultures

The Perspective of Large-Scale Production of Algae Biodiesel

Climate‐Simulated culturing suggests high microalgal biomass and oil productivities in most of the South American continent

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