Membrane-Based Harvesting Processes for Microalgae and Their Valuable-Related Molecules: A Review

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Renewable Energy
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Microalgae are a key third-generation feedstock for renewable energy production.
• Efficient recovery of microalgae biomass from culture media is crucial for economic viability.
• Existing harvesting methods require optimization for scalability and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent (last three years) research on membrane-based technologies for microalgae harvesting.
• To analyze strategies for improving filtration performance and mitigating fouling in microalgae harvesting.
• To explore the integration of membrane technology in microalgae biorefineries for biofuel and high-value compound production.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature focusing on membrane technologies (microfiltration, ultrafiltration, forward osmosis) for microalgae harvesting.
• Analysis of operational parameters influencing membrane performance.
• Examination of novel approaches to enhance filtration efficiency and reduce membrane fouling.

Main Results:

• Membrane technologies offer promising solutions for efficient microalgae biomass recovery.
• Recent advancements focus on improving flux, reducing energy consumption, and managing membrane fouling.
• Successful harvesting facilitates the extraction of valuable compounds like lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Conclusions:

• Membrane-based harvesting is essential for developing cost-effective and sustainable microalgae biorefineries.
• Continued research into advanced membrane materials and process optimization is needed.
• Integration of harvesting with downstream processing maximizes the value derived from microalgae biomass.