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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Due to the increasing competition with finite natural supplies and to environmental concerns, all segments of society seek for sustainable and efficient resources. In this framework, microalgae have attracted significant interest worldwide as they are fast-growing microorganisms and do not compete with traditional crops for arable land. They present a unique nutritional composition with high content of proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, enzymes, pigments, and bioactive compounds. Moreover, these microorganisms play an essential role in Earth's sustainability since they convert CO2 into O2 and can be cultivated in harsh conditions. They are applied in several fields, such as food, feed, health & well-being, and cosmetics, contributing to the global economic growth, with several promising applications continuously emerging. Examples include agricultural-based products and biomaterials, their exploitation for wastewater treatment and CO2 removal from industrial flue gases, the use of their proteins as natural emulsifiers, and their pigments as natural colorants, where genetic engineering is being applied to potentiate the improvement of cultivation and specific characteristics. Due to all these scenarios, microalgae can be easily integrated within a biorefinery approach, being used as a feedstock for biofuels and bioenergy production, generating multiple products along the productive value chain, perfectly aligned with the bioeconomy framework. In this context, this chapter presents the microalgal research's past and current status by evaluating the evolution of the leading research fields over the years, supported by a bibliographic and bibliometric analysis. Particular emphasis is given to recent developments and perspectives driving the near future of the microalgae research.
Description
Keywords
Bioeconomy Bioenergy Biofertilizers Biomaterials CO2 removal Microalgae biorefinery Microalgae biotechnology Microalgal pigments Microalgal proteins Wastewater treatment
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Silva, Samara Cristina; Dias, Madalena M.; Barreiro, M.F. (2023). What is next in microalgae research. In Microalgae-Based Systems: Process Integration and Process Intensification Approaches. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, p. 81-106. ISBN 978-311078126-7
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter