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Application of Microalgae Biotechnology: Insights at the Molecular Level

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2024 | Viewed by 2153

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: microalgae; antioxidant activity; antitumor activity; skin UV protection; nanoparticles; ferritin nanocages; anticancer metallodrugs
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Guest Editor
Bioprocess Engineering Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Interests: biorefinery; bioreactor design; microalgae; bioprocess engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, microalgae have attracted much attention as “sustainable cell factories” as they produce a wide range of high-added value classes of molecules. Indeed, microalgae are small microorganisms with the ability to perform carbon-capture, grow on non-arable lands, and produce highly valuable bioproducts and molecules important for biofuel production.

However, the high costs related to upstream and downstream processes impose to researchers the application of a biorefinery approach, linked to green chemistry and circular economy, as well as methodologies for increases, at the molecular level, in the production of their molecules. Thus, this Special Issue will consider papers and reviews related to the following:

  • Advances in microalgae biotechnology, from the isolation of metabolites to their applications;
  • Insights, at the molecular level, of the biological activities of the isolated molecules from algal biomass;
  • Innovative strategies to increase the production of microalgae value-added bioproducts;
  • Engineering approaches applied to microalgal processes and products.

Pure clinical or model studies will not be suitable for this Special Issue, unless if combined with biomolecular experiments.

Dr. Daria Maria Monti
Dr. Giuseppe Olivieri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • microalgae
  • biotechnology
  • biorefinery
  • bioactive molecules recovery

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1708 KiB  
Article
Microalgae Flocculation: Assessment of Extraction Yields and Biological Activity
by Paola Imbimbo, Alfonso Ferrara, Enrica Giustino, Davide Liberti and Daria Maria Monti
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10238; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910238 - 24 Sep 2024
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Abstract
Downstream costs represent one of the main obstacles to enabling microalgae to become widespread. The development of an economical, easily scaled-up strategy could reduce the overall process costs. Here, different flocculants were tested on different microalgae strains and a cyanobacterium. The results indicate [...] Read more.
Downstream costs represent one of the main obstacles to enabling microalgae to become widespread. The development of an economical, easily scaled-up strategy could reduce the overall process costs. Here, different flocculants were tested on different microalgae strains and a cyanobacterium. The results indicate that flocculation could be an alternative to centrifugation, as CaCl2 induced a complete flocculation of green and red marine strains (96 ± 4% and 87.0 ± 0.5%, respectively), whereas Chitosan was the only agent able to induce flocculation on the cyanobacterium (46 ± 1%). As for the thermoacidophilic red microalga, 100% flocculation was achieved only by increasing the pH. Carotenoids were extracted from the flocculated biomass, and the strategy improved with the use of the wet biomass. The results indicate that flocculation does not affect carotenoid yield, which is at least the same than that obtained upon centrifugation and extraction from the wet biomass. Then, for the first time, the biological activity of the extracts obtained from the flocculated biomasses was evaluated. The results indicate that only the green microalga extract shows increased antioxidant activity. In conclusion, this work highlights that a general downstream procedure cannot be developed for microalgae strains but should be rationally tailored. Full article
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Review

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22 pages, 3139 KiB  
Review
Use of Residual Lignocellulosic Biomass and Algal Biomass to Produce Biofuels
by Deborah Terra de Oliveira, Vanessa Albuquerque de Mescouto, Rutiléia de Jesus Paiva, Sara Roberta Ferreira da Silva, Luiz Augusto Barbosa Santos, Gustavo Marques Serra, Luciana Pereira Xavier, Renata Coelho Rodrigues Noronha and Luís Adriano Santos do Nascimento
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(15), 8299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25158299 - 30 Jul 2024
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Abstract
Efforts are intensifying to identify new biofuel sources in response to the pressing need to mitigate environmental pollutants, such as greenhouse gases, which are key contributors to global warming and various worldwide calamities. Algae and microalgae present themselves as excellent alternatives for solid-gaseous [...] Read more.
Efforts are intensifying to identify new biofuel sources in response to the pressing need to mitigate environmental pollutants, such as greenhouse gases, which are key contributors to global warming and various worldwide calamities. Algae and microalgae present themselves as excellent alternatives for solid-gaseous fuel production, given their renewable nature and non-polluting characteristics. However, making biomass production from these organisms economically feasible remains a challenge. This article collates various studies on the use of lignocellulosic waste, transforming it from environmental waste to valuable organic supplements for algae and microalgae cultivation. The focus is on enhancing biomass production and the metabolites derived from these biomasses. Full article
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