Microalgal flocculation: Global research progress and prospects for algal biorefinery

Oct 5, 2019Biotechnology and applied biochemistry

Progress and Future of Clumping Microalgae for Algae-Based Biorefineries

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Abstract

Self-flocculation is highlighted as a promising and eco-friendly method for harvesting microalgal biomass.

Microalgal research has advanced due to the high-value industrial applications of microalgal biomass.
High production and harvesting costs are significant barriers to the commercialization of algae-based products.
Self-flocculation is identified as a low-cost method for harvesting microalgal biomass.
Genetic engineering approaches may enhance self-flocculation in non-flocculating microalgae.
Factors affecting self-flocculation and recent research trends have been reviewed.
The genetic basis of self-flocculation remains poorly understood and requires further investigation.

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Microalgal research has made significant progress due to versatile and high-value industrial applications of microalgal biomass or its derivatives. However, to explore their full potential and to achieve commercial robustness, microalgal biorefinery needs cost-effective technologies to produce, harvest, and process the microalgal biomass on large scale as higher production and harvesting cost is one of the key hindrances in the commercialization of algae-based products. Among several other algal biomass harvesting technologies, self-flocculation seems to be an attractive, low-cost, and eco-friendly harvesting technology. This review covers various flocculation-based methods that have been employed to harvest microalgal biomass with a special emphasis on self-flocculation in microalgae. Moreover, genetic engineering approaches to induce self-flocculation in non-flocculating microalgae along with the factors affecting self-flocculation and recent research trends have also been discussed. It is concluded that self-flocculation is the most desired approach for the energy- and environment-efficient harvesting of microalgal biomass. However, its poorly understood genetic basis needs to be deciphered through detailed studies to harness its potential for the algal biorefinery.

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Microalgal flocculation: Global research progress and prospects for algal biorefinery

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