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Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids
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Technologies for harvesting the microalgae for industrial applications: Current trends and perspectives
Zhiyong Liu1, Nahui Hao2, Yuyong Hou1
1Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China.
Bioresource Technology
|August 6, 2023
Summary
Microalgae harvesting for industrial products faces high costs, hindering large-scale use. Advances in flocculation, resource reuse, and metabolic regulation are key to cost-effective microalgal biomass production.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Sustainable Energy
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Microalgae offer sustainable solutions for global product demands.
- High energy consumption during harvesting is a major industrial barrier.
- Current harvesting methods limit large-scale microalgal applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review microalgae harvesting technologies and industrial applications.
- To highlight recent advancements in flocculation techniques for microalgae.
- To identify strategies for cost-effective, large-scale microalgal biomass production.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of microalgae harvesting technologies.
- Focus on flocculation methods and their industrial relevance.
- Analysis of economic and technical challenges in microalgae harvesting.
Main Results:
- Flocculation techniques show promise for biodiesel, food, and wastewater treatment.
- Laboratory-scale progress in harvesting is significant but cost remains high.
- Resource utilization (waste materials, media, flocculants) is crucial for cost reduction.
Conclusions:
- Cost-effective microalgal harvesting requires integrated strategies.
- Efficient resource management and flocculant reuse are essential.
- Metabolic regulation and novel flocculation methods will overcome species-specific limitations.
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