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Microalgae Cultivation and Biomass Quantification in a Bench-Scale Photobioreactor with Corrosive Flue Gases
Published on: December 19, 2019
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Is it possible to shape the microalgal biomass composition with operational parameters for target compound
Ana F Esteves1, Ana L Gonçalves2, Vítor J P Vilar3
1LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; LSRE-LCM - Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Biotechnology Advances
|December 7, 2024
Summary
Microalgae cultivation offers a sustainable source of valuable compounds. Optimizing growth conditions and employing strategies like stress induction and two-stage cultivation enhance biomass productivity and target compound yield.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Sustainable resource management
- Microalgal cultivation
Background:
- Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms rich in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, pigments, vitamins, and antioxidants.
- They offer sustainable advantages including rapid growth, CO2 fixation, cultivation on non-arable land, and wastewater utilization.
- Applications span bioenergy, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize research from 2019 onwards on microalgal cultivation strategies, focusing on stress induction and two-stage cultivation.
- To explore the effects of operational parameters (light, nutrients, salinity, temperature) on microalgal biomass composition and underlying mechanisms.
- To address challenges and propose future directions for optimizing microalgal compound production.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature published from 2019 to present.
- Analysis of studies investigating stress induction techniques for enhanced compound production.
- Examination of research on two-stage cultivation systems balancing biomass and product yield.
Main Results:
- Microalgal biochemical composition is highly variable and influenced by growth phases and environmental factors.
- Manipulating operational parameters like light, nutrients, salinity, and temperature can significantly shape biomass composition.
- Stress induction and two-stage cultivation are promising strategies for optimizing specific compound yields.
Conclusions:
- Effective species selection and precise control over environmental conditions are critical for maximizing target compound production.
- Overcoming challenges in upstream/downstream processing, monitoring, and scale-up is essential for industrial viability.
- Future research should focus on strain engineering, advanced monitoring, and large-scale techno-economic and life cycle assessments.
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