Microalgae are promising organisms that are rapidly gaining much attention due to their numerous advantages and applications, especially in biorefineries for various bioenergy and biochemicals. This review focuses on the microalgae contributions to Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy, in which zero-waste approaches for sustainable production and biorefineries of microalgal biomass are introduced and their possible integration is discussed. Firstly, overviews of wastewater upcycling and greenhouse gas capture by microalgae are given. Then, a variety of valuable products from microalgal biomass, e.g., pigments, vitamins, proteins/peptides, carbohydrates, lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and exopolysaccharides, are summarized to emphasize their biorefinery potential. Techno-economic and environmental analyses have been used to evaluate sustainability of microalgal biomass production systems. Finally, key issues, future perspectives, and challenges for zero-waste microalgal biorefineries, e.g., cost-effective techniques and innovative integrations with other viable processes, are discussed. These strategies not only make microalgae-based industries commercially feasible and sustainable but also reduce environmental impacts.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129620 | DOI Listing |
Biotechnol Rep (Amst)
March 2025
Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), UM Power Energy Dedicated Advanced Centre (UMPEDAC), Level 4, Wisma R&D, University of Malaya, Jalan Pantai Baharu, Kuala Lumpur, 59990, Malaysia.
The increasing need for sustainable agricultural practices due to the overuse of chemical fertilizers has prompted interest in microalgae as biofertilizers. This review investigates the potential of microalgae as biofertilizers and phycoremediators within sustainable agroecosystems, addressing both soil fertility and wastewater management. Microalgae provide a dual benefit by absorbing excess nutrients and contaminants from wastewater, generating nutrient-rich biomass that can replace chemical fertilizers and support plant growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Hydrobiology Lab, Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
Carbon black (CB) as rubber reinforcement has raised environmental concerns regarding this traditional petroleum-based filler, which is less susceptible to biodegradability. Although it has great reinforcing properties, the production technique is no longer sustainable, and its cost increases regularly. For these reasons, it is wise to look for sustainable replacement materials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hazard Mater
December 2024
School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China. Electronic address:
The widespread use of copper (Cu) in industrial and agricultural settings leads to the accumulation of excess Cu within aquatic ecosystems, posing a threat to organism health. Microalgal bioremediation has emerged as a popular and promising solution to mitigate the risks. Nevertheless, the genetic underpinnings and engineering tactics involved in heavy metal bioremediation by microalgae remain inadequately elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hazard Mater
December 2024
SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Co-metabolism with appropriate carbon sources has been demonstrated to effectively enhance the removal of ubiquitous recalcitrant micropollutant by microalgae. However, the specific impacts of carbon sources on the co-metabolism of antibiotics by microalgae remain insufficiently explored. In this study, transcriptomics, gene network analysis, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and enzymatic activity involved in co-metabolic pathways of norfloxacin (NFX), were systematically evaluated to investigate the underlying biological mechanisms involved in NFX co-metabolism by Chlorella pyrenoidosa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Pollut Res Int
December 2024
Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India.
The aim of the current investigation is to explore the novel application of pumpkin, papaya, and orange peels as growth substrates for microalgae cultivation, with the overarching goal of advancing a sustainable "Agro to Agro" biorefinery paradigm. The research evaluates the integration of waste management practices into microalgal production, optimizing growth parameters to maximize output. Optimal concentrations of 2.
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