Development of Microalgae Biodiesel: Current Status and Perspectives.

Microalgae are regarded as a promising source of biodiesel. In contrast with conventional crops currently used to produce commercial biodiesel, microalgae can be cultivated on non-arable land, besides having a higher growth rate and productivity. However, microalgal biodiesel is not yet regarded as economically competitive, compared to fossil fuels and crop-based biodiesel; therefore, it is not commercially produced.

Combination of trace elements and salt stress in different cultivation modes improves the lipid productivity of Scenedesmus spp.

The genus Scenedesmus harbors around 120 species, and some strains have been successfully used for mass culture and biotechnological applications. Considering the potential of this genus as a promising feedstock for production of biofuels, mainly biodiesel, it was evaluated the combined effects of trace elements, salinity stress and different cultivation modes (single batch, semi-continuous, and two-stage batch) on lipid productivity of the freshwater strains S. obliquus BR003 and S.

Allelopathy as a potential strategy to improve microalgae cultivation.

One of the main obstacles for continuous productivity in microalgae cultivation is the presence of biological contaminants capable of eliminating large numbers of cells in a matter of days or even hours. However, a number of strategies are being used to combat and prevent contamination in microalgae cultivation. These strategies include the use of extreme conditions in the culture media such as high salinity and high pH to create an unfavorable environment for the competitive organisms or predators of the microalgae.