Microalgae and Biofuels: Integration of Productive Chains

Abstract

The microalgae biofuels are considered a technically feasible alternative to supply the demands of the automotive, aviation and energy sectors. However, the costs associated with cultivation and processing still limit the scale-up of biomass production and its conversion into biofuels. One of the barriers associated with microalgae cultivation is the cost of nutrients used in heterotrophic and mixotrophic cultures. In this review were described and analyzed initiatives to explore effluents or coproducts from production chains of bioethanol and biodiesel for use as sources of nutrients for the cultivation of microalgae. With the purpose of reducing costs and integrating convergent agroindustrial chains, were evaluate the use of vinasse from the first generation of bioethanol plants, hemicellulosic hydrolyzate from the acid pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse, crude glycerol produced by the transesterification of oils and fats and washing water of biodiesel for the production of algal biomass.

Redução de nutrientes da vinhaça por microalgas Chlorella vulgaris

“…A utilização de vinhaça como meio para os cultivos microalgas é uma alternativa que apresenta grande relevância para redução dos riscos ambientais causados pela disposição desse efluente diretamente no solo (Monção, et al, 2018). O cultivo de microalgas Chorella vulgaris em vinhaça é conhecido e, desde a sua descoberta, essas microalgas apresentam características -crescimento heterótrofo ou então mixotrófico -que se refere a capacidade de um organismo vivo de produzir seu alimento fixando dióxido de carbono, ao passo que se alimentam de compostos inorgânicos ou orgânicos.…”