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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of EPA and DHA Production from Microalgae and Farmed Fish

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  • Sarat Chandra Togarcheti

    (School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, D02CP49 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Ramesh Babu Padamati

    (School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, D02CP49 Dublin, Ireland
    AMBER Centre, CRANN Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02CP49 Dublin, Ireland
    Bioorbic Bioeconomy Centre, University College Dublin, D02CP49 Dublin, Ireland)

Abstract

The present study aims at comparing the life cycle environmental impacts of polyunsaturated fatty acids production (PUFA) from microalgae and farmed fish. PUFA production from microalgae cultivated via heterotrophy and photoautotrophy was assessed and compared. The primary energy demand (PED) and environmental impacts (EI) of PUFA production from microalgae via heterotrophy were significantly lower compared to PUFA produced via photoautotrophy. Furthermore, PED and EI of PUFA production from fish farmed in marine net pens were assessed. The results indicated that the PED and EI of PUFA production from farmed fish are higher than that produced from microalgae cultivated via heterotrophy. Therefore, the results suggest that PUFA produced from microalgae via heterotrophy could substitute fish oil from an environmental perspective. Furthermore, life cycle analysis results indicate that PUFA derived from microalgae could potentially replace fish oil in the fish feed, thus reducing the pressure on oceans.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarat Chandra Togarcheti & Ramesh Babu Padamati, 2021. "Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of EPA and DHA Production from Microalgae and Farmed Fish," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jcltec:v:3:y:2021:i:4:p:42-710:d:645025
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chalima, Angelina & Taxeidis, George & Topakas, Evangelos, 2020. "Optimization of the production of docosahexaenoic fatty acid by the heterotrophic microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii utilizing a dark fermentation effluent," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 102-109.
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