Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Green Algae01:21

Green Algae

590
Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...
590
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

811
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
811
Overview of Algae01:28

Overview of Algae

612
The kingdom Archaeplastida encompasses red and green algae, along with land plants. Unlike other protists with chloroplasts that arose through secondary endosymbiosis, only red and green algae originated from primary endosymbiotic events. This diverse group of eukaryotic organisms contains chlorophyll and performs oxygenic photosynthesis.Algae exist in various forms, from large brown kelp in coastal waters to green scum in puddles and stains on rocks or soil. Some species are responsible for...
612
Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

21.9K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
21.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Insights on industrial symbiosis applied to algal wastewater treatment: Decoupling remediation from valorization to achieve technological readiness.

Journal of environmental management·2026
Same author

Paths to sustainable agriculture: Social life cycle assessment of fertilizers and biofertilizers in perspective.

Journal of environmental management·2026
Same author

One-step Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Catalytic Upgrading of Wastewater-Grown Microalgae for Potential Sustainable Aviation Fuel Precursors.

ACS omega·2026
Same author

Application of nanoparticles to microalgae-based wastewater treatment: Mechanisms, bioremediation potential and technological frontiers.

Journal of environmental management·2026
Same author

Microalgae Cultivated in Industrial Wastewater as Agricultural Bioinputs: Technical and Life Cycle Assessment to Support Sustainable Production.

ACS omega·2026
Same author

Microalgae-Based Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Valorization: Insights, Challenges, and Opportunities from 15 Years of Research.

ACS omega·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Coupling Carbon Capture from a Power Plant with Semi-automated Open Raceway Ponds for Microalgae Cultivation
08:17

Coupling Carbon Capture from a Power Plant with Semi-automated Open Raceway Ponds for Microalgae Cultivation

Published on: August 14, 2020

5.7K

Microalgae based biofertilizer: A life cycle approach.

Jackeline de Siqueira Castro1, Maria Lúcia Calijuri1, Jessica Ferreira1

  • 1Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, Campus da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-900, Brazil.

The Science of the Total Environment
|April 9, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microalgae biofertilizer production has higher environmental impacts than conventional phosphate fertilizer. Optimizing the production chain, especially energy use and drying methods, can significantly reduce these impacts.

Keywords:
Algal biomassBiofertilizerEffluent treatmentHigh rate algal pondsNutrient recovery

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
07:34

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production

Published on: March 22, 2024

3.1K
Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids
11:08

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

22.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Coupling Carbon Capture from a Power Plant with Semi-automated Open Raceway Ponds for Microalgae Cultivation
08:17

Coupling Carbon Capture from a Power Plant with Semi-automated Open Raceway Ponds for Microalgae Cultivation

Published on: August 14, 2020

5.7K
Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
07:34

Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production

Published on: March 22, 2024

3.1K
Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids
11:08

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

22.1K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Biotechnology
  • Agricultural Science

Background:

  • Biomass waste is a rich source of nutrients for biofertilizer production.
  • Conventional phosphate fertilizers like triple superphosphate have environmental impacts.
  • Microalgae offer a sustainable alternative for nutrient recovery and biofertilizer development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the environmental impacts of microalgae biomass-based phosphate biofertilizer with triple superphosphate.
  • To identify key stages in the biofertilizer production chain contributing to environmental burdens.
  • To evaluate an optimized scenario for reducing the environmental footprint of microalgae biofertilizers.

Main Methods:

  • Life-cycle assessment (LCA) conducted using Simapro® software.
  • Functional unit defined as 163 g of Phosphorus (P) for both fertilizer types.
  • Phosphorus recovery from meat processing industry effluent using a high-rate algal pond.

Main Results:

  • Microalgae biofertilizer exhibited higher environmental impacts across all categories compared to triple superphosphate, notably in climate change and terrestrial ecotoxicity.
  • The overall biofertilizer chain's primary impact was on climate change (3.17 kg CO2eq).
  • An optimized scenario (using renewable energy, gravimetric sedimentation, and drying beds) substantially reduced the microalgae biofertilizer's environmental impact, nearing that of conventional fertilizer.

Conclusions:

  • The current microalgae biofertilizer production process is less environmentally friendly than conventional triple superphosphate.
  • Energy consumption, particularly in drying, significantly contributes to the environmental impact of microalgae biofertilizers.
  • Further research is crucial to optimize the algae production chain for enhanced environmental attractiveness and potential higher value products.