Microalgae Potential and Multiple Roles—Current Progress and Future Prospects—An Overview

Balasubramani Ravindran, Sanjay Kumar Gupta, Won-Mo Cho, Jung Kon Kim, Sang Ryong Lee, Kwang-Hwa Jeong, Dong Jun Lee and Hee-Chul Choi
Additional contact information
Balasubramani Ravindran: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
Won-Mo Cho: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Jung Kon Kim: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Sang Ryong Lee: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Kwang-Hwa Jeong: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Dong Jun Lee: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea
Hee-Chul Choi: Animal Environment Division, Department of Animal Biotechnology and Environment, National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-Do 55365, Korea

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: Substantial progress has been made in algal technologies in past few decades. Initially, microalgae drew the attention of the scientific community as a renewable source of biofuels due to its high productivity over a short period of time and potential of significant lipid accumulation. As of now, a technological upsurge has elaborated its scope in phycoremediation of both organic and inorganic pollutants. The dual role of microalgae—i.e., phycoremediation coupled with energy production—is well established, however, commercially, algal biofuel production is not yet sustainable due to high energy inputs. Efforts are being made to make the algal biofuel economy through modification in the cultivation conditions, harvesting, and extraction of value added products. Recent studies have demonstrated algal biomass production with various types of wastewater and industrial effluents. Similarly, the recent advent of eco-friendly harvesting technologies—such as low-cost green coagulants, electrochemical harvesting, etc.—are energy efficient and economical. Contemporary improvement in efficient lipid extraction from biomass will make algal biodiesel economical. The absolute extraction of all the value added products from algal biomass, either whole cell or lipid extracted biomass, in a complete biorefinery approach will be more economical and eco-friendly.

Keywords: microalgae; lipid extraction; energy; biofuel; value added products; waste water treatment; CO 2 sequestrations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/12/1215/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/12/1215/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:12:p:1215-:d:83688

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().