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Bio-based flocculants for sustainable harvesting of microalgae for biofuel production. A review

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  • Ogbonna, Christiana N.
  • Nwoba, Emeka G.

Abstract

Energy is indispensable to human existence and sustains economic and individual activities globally. The rising environmental challenges of global warming and other climate changes due to increasing dependence on fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) as the primary energy source requires innovation away from carbon-based fossil fuel sources. Hence, the development of renewable and low-emission energy sources becomes imperative to guarantee sustainable economic and human population growth and fuel security. In this context, microalgae biofuels are increasingly appreciated as viable alternative to fossil-based fuels because their biomass can be transformed into various clean fuel commodities such as biodiesel, biogas, and bioethanol in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner. However, high energy and financial costs of harvesting microalgal biomass for biofuel production constitute a substantial bottleneck in the industry. Bio-based flocculation methods have recently received increased research attention due to their high efficiency, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly attributes. In this review, the feasibility and performance of bio-based technologies for large-scale, cost-effective and sustainable harvesting of microalgal biomass for biofuel production were evaluated. The review shows that the harvesting efficiencies of bio-based processes are not significantly different from those achieved with energy-intensive traditional biomass separation methods such as centrifugation and membrane filtration. Harvested biomass met the moisture content metrics for biofuel feedstocks. The utilization of natural coagulants in algal biomass recovery is associated with low energy consumption, low environmental impacts and reduced effect on the chemistry of recycled medium. Production of recombinant bioflocculants are emerging but the application in algal biomass harvesting is yet to be reported. Bioflocculation approaches provide opportunities for the integration of photosynthetic biorefineries with bioremediation of wastewaters, and this enhances the potential of microalgae biotechnology for biofuel production.

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  • Ogbonna, Christiana N. & Nwoba, Emeka G., 2021. "Bio-based flocculants for sustainable harvesting of microalgae for biofuel production. A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:139:y:2021:i:c:s1364032120309746
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110690
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    1. Nwoba, Emeka G. & Parlevliet, David A. & Laird, Damian W. & Alameh, Kamal & Louveau, Julien & Pruvost, Jeremy & Moheimani, Navid R., 2020. "Energy efficiency analysis of outdoor standalone photovoltaic-powered photobioreactors coproducing lipid-rich algal biomass and electricity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
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    2. Marcin Zieliński & Marcin Dębowski & Joanna Kazimierowicz, 2022. "Outflow from a Biogas Plant as a Medium for Microalgae Biomass Cultivation—Pilot Scale Study and Technical Concept of a Large-Scale Installation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Tamás Mizik, 2021. "Economic Aspects and Sustainability of Ethanol Production—A Systematic Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Shokravi, Zahra & Shokravi, Hoofar & Atabani, A.E. & Lau, Woei Jye & Chyuan, Ong Hwai & Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi, 2022. "Impacts of the harvesting process on microalgae fatty acid profiles and lipid yields: Implications for biodiesel production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. Mizik, Tamás, 2022. "A bioetanol-termelés gazdasági és fenntarthatósági vetületei [Economic and sustainability aspects of bioethanol production]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(10), pages 1213-1241.
    6. Shousong Zhu & Lauren Higa & Antonia Barela & Caitlyn Lee & Yinhua Chen & Zhi-Yan Du, 2023. "Microalgal Consortia for Waste Treatment and Valuable Bioproducts," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-23, January.
    7. Shuhong Wang & Xiaojing Yi, 2023. "Can the Financial Industry ‘Anchor’ Carbon Emission Reductions?— The Mediating and Moderating Effects of the Technology Market," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(3), pages 533-559, May.

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