Microalgae biomass deconstruction using green solvents: Challenges and future opportunities.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Renewable Energy
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Microalgae convert CO2 into valuable biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins) via biochemical pathways.
• These components can be processed into biofuels, chemicals, and materials.
• Commercialization of microalgal biorefineries is hindered by recalcitrant cell walls and inefficient, non-green pretreatment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe microalgal chemical structure, types, and cell wall rigidity.
• To summarize traditional pretreatment methods for cell wall constituent extraction.
• To evaluate green solvents (ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents) for microalgal biomass pretreatment and selective extraction.

Main Methods:

• Review of microalgal chemical composition and cell wall structural properties.
• Summary and analysis of conventional pretreatment techniques.
• Exploration of green solvent systems (ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, natural deep eutectic solvents) for biomass pretreatment.

Main Results:

• Green solvents demonstrate potential for selective biocomponent extraction from microalgae.
• Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents offer promising characteristics for biomass pretreatment.
• Overcoming cell wall recalcitrance is crucial for efficient microalgal processing.

Conclusions:

• Green solvents represent a viable alternative for microalgal pretreatment, enhancing component extraction.
• Further research is essential for optimizing task-specific ionic liquid/deep eutectic solvent design, understanding their mechanisms, and assessing environmental impact (toxicity, biodegradability, recyclability).
• Integrating microalgal cultivation with biorefineries can improve waste management, sustainability, and economic viability.