Sustainable Cost-Effective Microalgae Harvesting Strategies for the Production of Biofuel and Oleochemicals

Suchitra Rakesh,Subburamu Karthikeyan,Jayakumar Tharunkumar,Bhavya Sri,Karuppaiyan Jothibasu

doi:10.36462/h.biosci.20209

Abstract

Microalgae have been explored for sustainable production of biofuel and chemicals. Microalgae is promising feed stock for the production of several oleochemicals. It has the ability to utilize a variety of low cost feed stocks, accumulated large quantities of lipids and variety of value added products in their biomass. One of the major obstacles associated with the conversion of algae into value-added products is harvesting. The harvesting of algae is the most problematic area due to its low sedimentation rate, low biomass concentration, and high capital costs. Harvesting of algae is carried out by different physical, chemical, mechanical, biological, and electrolytic methods such as sedimentation, centrifugation, microstraining, dissolved air flotation, electrolytic flotation, chemical flocculation, bioflocculation, autoflocculation, Filtration. This review highlights the various methods of microalgae harvesting with advantages and future perspective of sustainable and cost-effective harvesting of microalgae.

Highlights

Algae are simple aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms that live in saline and freshwater environments
Floatation, and sedimentation, in which solid biomass is separated from suspensions
The techniques applied for microalgae harvesting are filtration, gravity sedimentation, centrifugation, microstraining, floatation, flocculation, etc., [10,11] and sometimes a combination of one or two methods

Summary

Introduction

Algae are simple aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms that live in saline and freshwater environments. Floatation, and sedimentation, in which solid biomass is separated from suspensions. The techniques applied for microalgae harvesting are filtration, gravity sedimentation, centrifugation, microstraining, floatation, flocculation, etc., [10,11] and sometimes a combination of one or two methods.

Results

Conclusion