Development of a controlled release fertilizer by incorporating lauric acid into microalgal biomass: Dynamics on soil biological processes for efficient utilisation of waste resources.

Utilisation of microalgae to extract nutrients from the effluent of anaerobic digestion of food waste is an emerging technology. A by-product of this process is the microalgal biomass which has potential to be used as an organic bio-fertilizer. However, microalgal biomass are rapidly mineralized when applied to soil which may result in N loss.