Microalgae biorefinery: High value products perspectives
Journal
Bioresource Technology
Journal Volume
229
Pages
53-62
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
Microalgae have received much interest as a biofuel feedstock in response to the uprising energy crisis, climate change and depletion of natural sources. Development of microalgal biofuels from microalgae does not satisfy the economic feasibility of overwhelming capital investments and operations. Hence, high-value co-products have been produced through the extraction of a fraction of algae to improve the economics of a microalgae biorefinery. Examples of these high-value products are pigments, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins and anti-oxidants, with applications in cosmetics, nutritional and pharmaceuticals industries. To promote the sustainability of this process, an innovative microalgae biorefinery structure is implemented through the production of multiple products in the form of high value products and biofuel. This review presents the current challenges in the extraction of high value products from microalgae and its integration in the biorefinery. The economic potential assessment of microalgae biorefinery was evaluated to highlight the feasibility of the process. ? 2017 Elsevier Ltd
Subjects
Biorefinery
Extraction
High value products
Microalgae
Other Subjects
Bioconversion; Biofuels; Climate change; Economics; Energy policy; Extraction; Investments; Microorganisms; Refining; Biofuel feedstocks; Biorefineries; Economic feasibilities; Economic potentials; High value products; Micro-algae; Microalgal biofuels; Pharmaceuticals industry; Algae; antioxidant; biofuel; carbohydrate; cosmetic; lipid; pigment; polyunsaturated fatty acid; protein; vitamin; biological product; antioxidant; biofuel; capital provision; carbohydrate; climate change; economic analysis; innovation; lipid; microalga; protein; sustainability; antiangiogenic activity; antiinflammatory activity; antineoplastic activity; Article; biochemical analysis; biomass conversion; clinical evaluation; economic evaluation; life cycle assessment; microalga; microbial fuel cell; nonhuman; petrochemical industry; photosynthesis; priority journal; thermostability; transesterification; bioenergy; biotechnology; economics; esterification; metabolism; microalga; microbiology; procedures; temperature; algae; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Biological Products; Biotechnology; Esterification; Microalgae; Temperature
Type
journal article