Algal Biotechnology Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

In this report, the authors describe the AlCRP project of CIFA, wherein various types of feeders were tested for fish ponds and the results that were obtained. They tell us about Fibre Re-inforced Plastic (FRP) based "demand"... more

In this report, the authors describe the AlCRP project of CIFA, wherein various types of feeders were tested for fish ponds and the results that were obtained. They tell us about Fibre Re-inforced Plastic (FRP) based "demand" fish feeders in Kaijang« Village in Khorda dist in Odisha.

The diverse development in the employment of algae to conquer the environmental snags have stimulated the assurance of achieving the sustainability. The word sustainability indicates the overall constructive improvements of an environ... more

The diverse development in the employment of algae to conquer the environmental snags have stimulated the assurance of achieving the sustainability. The word sustainability indicates the overall constructive improvements of an environ that encompasses a plentiful dynamic and their regulations. The hasty growth of the population and rapid civilization has led mankind to the exhaustive exploitation of nature and its vibrant resources. However, today humans have realized the catastrophes instigated because of their preceding errors and have already been facing future sustenance challenges. Today, it has turned out to be a challenging task to discover and to develop an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and cutting-edge strategies to encounter the current sustainability glitches like, sustainable agriculture solutions, feedstock crisis, pollution, carbon neutrality, industrial effluents and waste water treatment, energy crisis, and xenobiotic components contaminated the natural ecosystem. Advancement in the field of phycology research and allied areas has shown a positive hope on the way to green conversion and retaining sustainable environments. Algae can be a candid agent for employing in the developmental activities, as it can replace various domestic needs and deeds of man. This review discusses the wide spectrum opportunities of using algae for sustainability ground rules.

Objective: The current study focuses on R-Phycoerythrin pigment production from Seaweed using different chemical and physical conditions. Methods: In the present study Seaweed was collected from Rameshwaram and identified by CS-MCRI... more

Objective: The current study focuses on R-Phycoerythrin pigment production from Seaweed using different chemical and physical conditions. Methods: In the present study Seaweed was collected from Rameshwaram and identified by CS-MCRI Institute, Mandapam. The collected seaweed was then washed using distilled water for further processing. Using a sterile knife the seaweed was cut into small pieces. The chopped seaweeds were then weighed and subjected to different optimization procedures for pigment production. These equally weighed seaweeds were treated with three varying Buffers at different pH, the buffer showing better O.D value was subjected to different Cell disruption techniques and finally freeze thawed at different temperature stress. Results: The seaweeds were subjected to different chemical and physical stress conditions for R-phycoerythrin production. On optimizing the different buffer solutions for pigment production Sodium phosphate buffer showed maximum O.D of 0.215 when compared to other buffers whereas on providing different pH conditions the O.D value obtained was high at pH 7.2. Different cell disruption techniques were followed for pigment production using the sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 and freeze thaw method was found suitable for the highest pigment production with O.D value of 0.441. Hence after optimization of different extraction procedures, cell disruption followed by freeze & thaw method (−20°C and 25°C) showed maximum R-phycoerythrin content. Conclusion: From the findings, it was also observed that the primary metabolites produced by these organisms may serve as potential bioactive compounds of interest in the Food industries as natural colourant and in cosmetic industries.

This study aimed to apply Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) for Chlorella vulgaris TISTR8580 intracellular extraction. Twenty-five g/L of algal cell samples were treated with PEF at 5 kV/cm under different pulses (1,500 2,500 3,500 and 4,500... more

This study aimed to apply Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) for Chlorella vulgaris TISTR8580 intracellular extraction. Twenty-five g/L of algal cell samples were treated with PEF at 5 kV/cm under different pulses (1,500
2,500 3,500 and 4,500 pulses) with the initial temperature of 7 degree Celsius. Temperature, pH and conductivity were measured before and after treatments. Total carbohydrate and protein contents in the crude extracts were determined by the Phenol sulfuric acid method and the Bradford assay, respectively. Subsequently, carbohydrate
composition was analyzed by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). In addition, the morphology of PEF-treated cells was observed under light microscope and cell survival was examined by re-culture in BG-11. The results showed an increased number of PEF pulses raised the temperature and conductivity of the algal extract. The highest total carbohydrate (23.19 ± 1.47 mg/L) and protein (144.48 ± 1.41 g/L) contents were obtained from the crude extract treated with 2,500 pulses. TLC revealed that disaccharides and oligosaccharides were the major carbohydrate composition in the extract. PEF-treated algal cells exhibited color fading without any cell lysis. However, PEF
treatment at 2,500 pulses led to cell death. This study clearly suggested that PEF is a potential technology for C. vulgaris TISTR8580 carbohydrate and protein extraction. Further optimization to enhance PEF extraction efficiency are still needed to achieve high yield of algal intracellular extract.

The increasing demand for products derived from seaweeds has led to an increasing amount of research being directed towards studies related to their growth and productivity. Several investigators have attempted to develop different... more

The increasing demand for products derived from seaweeds has led to an increasing amount of research being directed towards studies related to their growth and productivity. Several investigators have attempted to develop different formulae for the estimation of growth rates and caused confusion to the readers. In this study, accuracy and reliability of the average growth rate formulae were analyzed using geometric progression theory and compared to each other. The lowest degree of error (0.023 %) and the highest matched point (61.90 %) was achieved by applying [(Wt /W0)1/t−1]×100 % in growth rate determination. This formula has been tested and proven to be the most accurate among all the currently available ones.

The current review explores the potential application of algal biomass for the production of biofuels and biobased products. The variety of processes and pathways through which bio-valorization of algal biomass can be performed are... more

The current review explores the potential application of algal biomass for the production of biofuels and biobased
products. The variety of processes and pathways through which bio-valorization of algal biomass can be
performed are described in this review. Various lipid extraction techniques from algal biomass along with
transesterification reactions for biodiesel production are briefly discussed. Processes such as the pretreatment
and saccharification of algal biomass, fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, and anaerobic
digestion for the production of biohydrogen, bio-oils, biomethane, biochar (BC), and various bio-based products
are reviewed in detail. The biorefinery model and its collaborative approach with various processes are
highlighted for the production of eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective biofuels and value-added products.
The authors also discuss opportunities and challenges related to bio-valorization of algal biomass and use their
own perspective regarding the processes involved in production and the feasibility to make algal research a reality
for the production of biofuels and bio-based products in a sustainable manner.

Condition for natural fermentation during ensilage of fish processing waste in sugarcane molasses (50:50 w/w) were evaluated to produce fish hydrolysate/Liquid fish bio-fertilizer(LFB) and hydrolysate meal/Bioorganic fish... more

Condition for natural fermentation during ensilage of fish processing
waste in sugarcane molasses (50:50 w/w) were evaluated to produce fish
hydrolysate/Liquid fish bio-fertilizer(LFB) and hydrolysate meal/Bioorganic fish
fertilizer(BFF) successful natural fermentation has been achieved by incubating micro
aerobically at ambient temperature (25-35ºC) to reach a pH of 4.0 in 28 days. The
underutilized processing waste could be cost effectively transformed into fish
hydrolysate using a natural fermentation process. Their value has been increased by
using them as liquid bio fertilizer, feed supplement and bioorganic manure.

Cyanobacteria have appeared on the primordial Earth over three billion years ago and still thrive in most habitats. These photosynthetic microbes have remarkable genetic plasticity and variability and have evolved an amazing arsenal of... more

Cyanobacteria have appeared on the primordial Earth over three billion years
ago and still thrive in most habitats. These photosynthetic microbes have remarkable genetic
plasticity and variability and have evolved an amazing arsenal of biochemical pathways that
exert defence mechanisms and produce metabolites unique to them. By forming plastids, endosymbiont cyanobacteria contributed to the
development of plants. Algae, the simplest plants,
thrive in similar habitats and face the same challenges of the ever changing environment as
cyanobacteria; and they have maintained similarity to them, with respect to production of
unique metabolites and utilizing unique pathways. The exploration of these natural compounds
and the biochemical pathways leading to their production provide excellent tools in fighting
some major challenge that mankind needs to face in our days. In this contribution we briefly
list the benefits that the genetics of these microbes and the produced compounds can offer,
with emphasis on possible medical relevance. We mention applications in basic science, industry
and agriculture, and list the potentials in medical drug development, therapy and nutrition of
some enzymes, polysaccharides, polyphenols, pigments, peptides and lipids, among others, in
the current state of the world-wide research on the topic.

The global demand for clean products obtained from biobased resources has increased significantly with the rapid growth of the world's population. In this context, microbially-produced compounds are highly attractive for their safety,... more

The global demand for clean products obtained from biobased resources has increased significantly with the rapid growth of the world's population. In this context, microbially-produced compounds are highly attractive for their safety, reliability, being environment friendly and sustainability. Nevertheless, the cost of the carbon sources required for such approaches accounts for greater than 60% of the total expenses, which further limits the scaling up of industries. In recent years, algae have been used in numerous industrial areas because of their rapid growth rate, easy cultivation, ubiquity and survival in harsh conditions. Over the past decade, notable advances have been observed in the extraction of high-value compounds from algae biomass (ABs). However, few studies have investigated ABs as green substrates for microbial conversion into value-added products. This review presents the potential of ABs as the substrates for microbial growth to produce industrially-important products, which sheds light on the importance of the symbiotic relationship between ABs and microbial species. Moreover, the successful algal-bacterial gene transformation paves the way for accommodating green technology advancements. With the escalated need for natural pigments, biosurfactants, natural plastics and biofuels, ABs have been new resources for microbial biosynthesis of these value-added products, resolving the problem of high carbon consumption. In this review, the fermentative routes, process conditions, and accessibility of sugars are discussed, together with the related metabolic pathways and involved genes. To conclude, the full potential of ABs needs to be explored to support microbial green factories, producing novel bioactive compounds to meet global needs.

Micropropagation technologies play an important role in enhancing the nutritional composition of seaweeds. Kappaphycus alvarezii explants, obtained from two types of seedling production system viz. micropropagation and farm propagation,... more

Micropropagation technologies play an important role in enhancing the nutritional composition of seaweeds. Kappaphycus alvarezii explants, obtained from two types of seedling production system viz. micropropagation and farm propagation, were analyzed. Results obtained from the post-farm cultivation seaweeds showed significantly higher total lipids in micropropagated compared to farm-propagated K. alvarezii. In the mineral and trace element analyses, micropropagated K. alvarezii yielded significantly higher calcium, magnesium, beryllium, cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, and zinc compared to farm-propagated K. alvarezii. A lower concentration of metal contaminants was detected in micropropagated K. alvarezii compared to farm-propagated K. alvarezii. Both sources of K. alvarezii showed high SFA compared to MUFA and PUFA, where C16:0 and C18:0 were found to be in abundance. The study suggests micropropagated K. alvarezii is a better food source for consumption compared to farm-propagated K. alvarezii and justifies the rationale of using micropropagation technique for seedling production in the seaweed industry.

Cultivation of seaweeds on a commercial scale requires a large number of propagules with desirable phenotypic traits which include high growth rates and resistance to diseases. Seaweed micropropagation can be considered as one of the best... more

Cultivation of seaweeds on a commercial scale requires a large number of propagules with desirable phenotypic traits which include high growth rates and resistance to diseases. Seaweed micropropagation can be considered as one of the best methods to provide a large amount of seedlings for commercial cultivation. This study was carried out to optimize the parameters known to affect the growth of Kappaphycus alvarezii in vitro and subsequently improve the production of seedlings through micropropagation. Suitability of media, concentration of phytoregulators, types and concentration of fertilizers, culture density, light intensity, interval of aeration activity, salinity, and pH were found to be critical factors for the growth of K. alvarezii. The optimum condition for direct regeneration of K. alvarezii in a culture vessel was found to be cultivation of explants in Provasoli's enriched seawater (PES) media supplemented with 2.5 mg L−1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 1.0 mg L−1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and 3.0 mg L−1 natural seaweed extract (NSE) with culture density of 0.4 %w/v, under light intensity of 75 μmol photons m−2 s−1, continuous aeration of 30.0 L h−1, salinity of 30.0 ppt, and pH 7.5. An airlift photobioreactor was constructed for the mass propagation of K. alvarezii explants with optimum culture conditions obtained from the study. The optimum growth rates of the K. alvarezii explants in culture vessels (5.5 % day−1) and photobioreactor (6.5 % day−1) were found to be higher than the growth rate observed in field trials in the open sea (3.5 % day−1). The information compiled during the course of this study will be of utility to commercial seaweed cultivators.

Rhodymenia pseudopalmata lives in the intertidal zone receiving high doses of solar radiation, including the potentially harmful UVR. Previous studies proved it ability to adapt to different artificial light intensities and salinity... more

Rhodymenia pseudopalmata lives in the intertidal zone receiving high doses of solar radiation, including the
potentially harmful UVR. Previous studies proved it ability to adapt to different artificial light intensities and
salinity concentrations. The aim of this study was to describe the differences on the Mycosporine-like amino
acids (MAAs), phenolic compounds, and pigments of R. pseudopalmata due to exposure to high solar radiation.
Vegetative thalli were exposed to solar radiation using a Solar Exposure Chambers System (SECS) under an
Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) approach with marine fish culture. Samples from natural populations
in Playa de Carmen, Mexico were included as reference. The biosynthesis of MAAs, and phenolic compounds
were stimulated as a response to the stress caused by the exposure to high solar irradiation. Liquid
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) revealed seven MAAs and their precursor deoxygadusol. Five
MAAs were partially characterized through MS2 and fragmentation patterns suggested a common fragmentation
pattern pathway. After seven days (D7), the MAAs total content was significant five-fold higher compared to
wild populations (0.26 ± 0.1 mg g−1 DW). The Individual composition increased from four MAAs at D0, up to
eight at D7, including deoxygadusol, palythene and usujirene, MAAs with high antioxidant activity. At D7,
phenolic compounds increased up to 20%, and the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant activity
reduced the IC50 to 4.0 ± 0.6 mg mL−1. The pigment content, Phycoerythrin (PE):Chl-a, and MAAs:Chl-a ratios
might confer a unique photoprotection role from PE and MAAs to Chl-a. Similarly, Fv/Fm which was adapted to
the variations of Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) indicated a process of dynamic photoinhibition. Overall,
our results evidenced the ability of this species to tolerate the stress to high solar irradiance and suggested the
photoadaptation of the thalli. Farming possibilities, expected MAAs productivity, potential applications of MAAs
and ecological considerations are also discussed.

Seaweed farming has been identified as one of the entry point projects (EPPs) in Malaysia since the government introduced the Economic Transformation Programme, which aims to increase seaweed production to 150,000 t annually by 2020. To... more

Seaweed farming has been identified as one of the entry point projects (EPPs) in Malaysia since the government
introduced the Economic Transformation Programme, which aims to increase seaweed production to 150,000 t annually by 2020. To achieve this goal, micropropagation and subsequent acclimatization of the micropropagated seaweeds to the open sea is one of the available options to solve the seedling shortage problem. Acclimatization is an important process in which micropropagated seaweeds adjust to gradual changes in environments such as temperature, humidity, photoperiod, and pH. Success acclimatization is an important key for the seaweed tissue culture industry to move forward, and therefore, the protocol of acclimatization of micropropagated Kappaphycus alvarezii has been extensively optimized in this study. Direct planting out of the micropropagated seaweeds to the open sea without going through the nursery acclimatization phase may cause shock to the seaweeds due to sudden changes in environmental conditions. In a 2-week acclimatization study, seedlings were found to achieve optimum growth when cultivated in seawater enriched with mixed-algae fertilizer, natural seaweed extract (NSE), under a regimen of daily medium change and culture density of 0.40 g L−1. The acclimatized K. alvarezii has achieved 83.33±5.77 % of survival in the seaweed farm with normal physiology and no epiphyte coverage. This study has provided useful information for seaweed cultivators to enhance the survival rate of micropropagated K. alvarezii through nursery acclimatization prior to serve as seedlings for commercial seaweed cultivation.

A mixed trophic state production process for algal lipids for use as feedstock for renewable biofuel production was developed and deployed at subpilot scale using a green microalga, Auxenochlorella (Chlorella) protothecoides. The process... more

A mixed trophic state production process for algal lipids for use as feedstock for renewable biofuel production was developed and deployed at subpilot scale using a green microalga, Auxenochlorella (Chlorella) protothecoides. The process is composed of two separate stages: (1) the photoautotrophic stage, focused on biomass production in open ponds, and (2) the heterotrophic stage focused on lipid production and accumulation in aerobic bioreactors using fixed carbon substrates (e.g., sugar). The process achieved biomass and lipid productivities of 0.5 and 0.27 g/L/h that were, respectively, over 250 and 670 times higher than those obtained from the photoautotrophic cultivation stage. The biomass oil content (over 60 % w/DCW) following the two-stage process was predominantly monounsaturated fatty acids (~82 %) and largely free of contaminating pigments that is more suitable for biodiesel production than photosynthetically generated lipid. Similar process performances were obtained using cassava hydrolysate as an alternative feedstock to glucose.

Mixed microalgal consortia were adapted to grow in coal-fired flue gas. Step-wise adaptation to increasing flue gas was applied over several months. Phosphate buffering enabled growth in 100% unfiltered flue gas. Desmodesmus spp. were... more

Mixed microalgal consortia were adapted to grow in coal-fired flue gas. Step-wise adaptation to increasing flue gas was applied over several months. Phosphate buffering enabled growth in 100% unfiltered flue gas. Desmodesmus spp. were among the most resilient and dominant microalgae. a b s t r a c t Microalgae have been considered for biological carbon capture and sequestration to offset carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion. This study shows that mixed biodiverse microalgal communities can be selected for and adapted to tolerate growth in 100% flue gas from an unfiltered coal-fired power plant that contained 11% CO 2. The high SOx and NOx emissions required slow adaptation of microalgae over many months, with step-wise increases from 10% to 100% flue gas supplementation and phosphate buffering at higher concentrations. After a rapid decline in biodiversity over the first few months, community profiling revealed Desmodesmus spp. as the dominant microalgae. To the authors' knowledge this work is the first to demonstrate that up 100% unfiltered flue gas from coal-fired power generation can be used for algae cultivation. Implementation of serial passages over a range of photobioreactors may contribute towards the development of microalgal-mediated carbon capture and sequestration processes.

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the quality of κ-carrageenan obtained from tissue-cultured and field-cultured Kappaphycus alvarezii. Carrageenan properties including yield, viscosity, gel strength and sulfate content were... more

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the quality of κ-carrageenan obtained from tissue-cultured and field-cultured Kappaphycus alvarezii. Carrageenan properties including yield, viscosity, gel strength and sulfate content were studied. After 60 days of cultivation, tissue-cultured K. alvarezii showed a higher growth rate (6.3 ± 0.01% day−1) than field-cultured seedlings (3.4 ± 0.3% day−1). The obtained carrageenan yield from tissue-cultured (67.3 ± 16.4%) was higher than field-cultured K. alvarezii (51.5 ± 21.0%). Gel viscosity of carrageenans from tissue-cultured K. alvarezii (1280.0 ± 25.0 cP) was found significantly higher than field-cultured samples (87.8 ± 20.9 cP). The 1.5% gel solution of tissue-cultured and field-cultured K. alvarezii exhibited gel strengths of 703.5 ± 14.1 and 288.3 ± 19.3 g cm−2, respectively. The average sulfate content of carrageenans was found to be significantly different between tissue-cultured and field-cultured K. alvarezii with 34.2 ± 10.9 and 7.5 ± 6.7%, respectively. Tissue culture is recommended to produce high quality seedlings by providing optimized culture conditions to the seaweed. This approach can serve as an alternative way to solve the seedling shortage problems currently faced by the seaweed industry.

We cordially announce the 21st Euro Biotechnology Congress to be held during October 11-12, 2018 Moscow, Russia. The attending delegates include Editorial Board Members of related international group journals. This is a fabulous open door... more

We cordially announce the 21st Euro Biotechnology Congress to be held during October 11-12, 2018 Moscow, Russia. The attending delegates include Editorial Board Members of related international group journals. This is a fabulous open door for the representatives from universities and institutes to communicate with the world class scientists from all across the globe.

Based on recommendations of the “Salinity, Sanitation and Sustainability” study, Project K5/1621 investigated “Biotechnology of Saline Wastewater Treatment” culminating in the current two-volume report series. Volume 1 of project K5/1621... more

Based on recommendations of the “Salinity, Sanitation and Sustainability” study, Project K5/1621 investigated “Biotechnology of Saline Wastewater Treatment” culminating in the current two-volume report series. Volume 1 of project K5/1621 deals with the evaluation of the ASPAM system at pilot-scale at the Environmental Biotechnology Research Unit (EBRU) at Rhodes University in Grahamstown using synthetic wastewater feed. The operation of the anaerobic unit of the system functioned well, producing sulphide through the sulphate reduction reaction process. Evidence of elemental sulphur in the settled sludge suggests this may be where the residual sulphur is located. The metal removal studies reported here demonstrated, not only the removal of metals in a synthetic influent stream, but showed that metal hydroxide precipitates may be used to remove sulphides from the final stream of a biological acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment operation. This study showed that the basic concept of using algal ponding systems in general, and the IAPS design in particular, as a process design basis for the extensive, and possibly low-cost, treatment of mine drainage wastewaters, has been demonstrated. The second part of Project K5/1621 investigated the use of chloride saline wastewaters for the reticulation and treatment of domestic and industrial effluents. A range of saline adapted culture innocula was sourced to initiate the study. Results of the pilot-scale study obtained thus far suggest that the saline IAPS has the capacity to effectively treat domestic wastewater reticulated in either sea water or possibly other brackish water sources of similar salinity, and to be able to meet discharge standards which are currently required for receiving fresh waters. However, further investigations will need to be done to understand floc formation and algal biomass settling.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of using glucose as a sole carbon source as well as in combination with glycerol as a complex carbon substrate in BG-11 media, to produce microalgal biomass (gL-1), lipid... more

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of using glucose as a sole carbon source as well as in combination with glycerol as a complex carbon substrate in BG-11 media, to produce microalgal biomass (gL-1), lipid (dcw%) and biochemical components, such as total soluble carbohydrates (mgmL-1) and proteins (mgmL-1) by Chlorella pyrenoidosa, over a cultivation period of 12 days. The present study revealed that using glucose as sole carbon source at various concentrations ranging from 1 to 20 (gL-1), total lipid, total biomass, total protein and total carbohydrates increased. In comparison to control showed increased biomass gL-1 (0.29±0.021 to 0.53±0.012), while Lipid content (DCW %) enhanced from (4.87± 0.021 to 14.09±0.016). But it has no stimulatory effects found on photosynthetic pigment i.e. total chlorophyll (µgmL-1) In another batch experiment, results showed that Chlorella species can utilize glycerol as a source of sole carbon source, showed less biomass lipid and carbohydrates but its effect are more promising when cultured in mixture of glucose and glycerol over a cultivation period of 15 days. It was found that biomass and total lipid content enhanced with mixed concentration of glycerol and glucose whereas decreased when chlorella used glycerol as sole carbon source. But it has also stimulatory effects on total carbohydrates.

A review of the current literature indicates that natural seaweeds are an excellent source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor properties. In the present study, 90% methanolic, 70% acetonic and aqueous... more

A review of the current literature indicates that natural seaweeds are an excellent source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor properties. In the present study, 90% methanolic, 70% acetonic and aqueous extracts from Kappaphycus alvarezii (strains Crocodile, Giant and Brown) and Kappaphycus striatum were used to inhibit the growth of HeLa cell lines. MTS assay was carried out to determine the proliferation of HeLa cells in the presence of different seaweed extracts. Both 500 μg/mL of aqueous and methanolic extracts from K. striatum demonstrated highest anti-proliferative activity against HeLa cells with cell growth inhibition of 53.5 and 43.7%, respectively. Treatment with the aqueous extracts from three strains of K. alvarezii did not show any growth inhibition against HeLa cell lines. The acetonic extract of Kappaphycus seaweeds exhibited a very poor cell growth inhibition with inhibitory activity observed under the treatment of 300 to 500 μg/mL of K. alvarezii strain Brown only. Further studies are suggested to identify and purify the specific anti-tumoral compounds for potential use in cancer therapy.

Among the diverse new generation biomass yielding species, green algae are the most promising organisms. Compared to biomass production of other organisms, production of algae is less laborious, quite fast, and more economical. Moreover,... more

Among the diverse new generation biomass yielding species, green algae are the most promising organisms. Compared to biomass production of other organisms, production of algae is less laborious, quite fast, and more economical. Moreover, eutrophicated waters get naturally purified in the cultivation process of algae. Algal biomass from monoculture of specific species, which are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, is considered a good source of diverse bio-products and feed-stock for food, feeds and bio-fuels. Quantity and quality of algal biomass for specific products depend on the species and strains as well as environmental conditions of cultivation. In this connection, biomass productivity and oil-yield of a local strain of Chlorococcum humicola (Nageli) Rabenhorst was assessed in Bold's Basal Medium. Long-term storage capacity of the alga was tried by entrapping the algal cells in sodium alginate beads, which showed viability up to 14 months. Estimation of total carbohydrate, protein, lipid and chemical characterization of oil as well as the feasibility of its conversion to biodiesel revealed the industrial potential of this local strain as a source of food and biofuel. Fatty acid profiling of the extracted oil showed that 70% are mono-saturated and 12.2 % are nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids. The oil could be effectively trans-esterified to methyl esters and the conversion was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Further standardization of the mass production of the alga in natural environmental conditions for biomass and oil is progressing to optimize its value as globally competent food, nutraceutical and biofuel resource.

The nature of global dietary supplements is transitioning from animal derivatives to plant based. Industries around the world are seeking vegan alternatives to animal-derived supplements. The microalgal industry is expected to undergo a... more

The nature of global dietary supplements is transitioning from animal derivatives to plant based. Industries around the world are seeking vegan alternatives to animal-derived supplements. The microalgal industry is expected to undergo a market boom in the current decade. Microalgal supplements (power based and extracts) as well as microalgal fuels are expected to show a significant increase in market value. Microalgae are an under-utilized source of high-value products. They are rich reservoirs of multiple compounds capable of enhancing immunity, fortifying nutritional diets and improving cardiovascular health. Microalgae are also high lipid producing organisms, which make them viable candidates in the global search for energy alternatives. However, the inability to translate in vitro results onto the industrial scale is a major drawback of the microalgal research landscape. It is therefore, vital to find a robust microalgal species capable of producing a feasible quantity of high-value compounds. This paper investigates the potential of four microalgae sourced from the coastal town of Mangalore, India as candidates for nutraceutical industries and the clean energy industry. Desmodesmus komareikii (MK990101) was found to be rich in total lipid, while the three Chlorella species were found to be relatively richer in total protein yields. Chlorella thermophila (MN006612) is capable of yielding harvests up to nearly 280 tonnes/ acre/year. Chlorella thermophila (MN006612) yielded the highest amount of both mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acid profiles of Chlorella thermophila (MN006612), Chlorella vulgaris (MN252517-18) and Chlorella sorokiniana (MN011568) can be explored as an alternative edible oil. Desmodesmus komareikii (MK990101) yielded the highest amount of saturated fatty acids, which are used in the production of clean and quality biofuels.

Motor or engine oil is a lubricant for engines containing majorly of base oils; these base oils include petrol-based hydrocarbons. Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is one of the major environmental problems resulting from its large... more

Motor or engine oil is a lubricant for engines containing majorly of base oils; these base oils include petrol-based hydrocarbons. Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is one of the major environmental problems resulting from its large scale uses in transportation, industrial and other sectors. Accidental release and workshop seepage of petroleum products are the key concern of the environment. Fresh engine oil contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Used engine oil also leads to further generation of PAHs. As an attempt to clean up such hydrocarbons, bioremediation or biodegradation methods are adapted. Bioremediation is a cost effective and eco-friendly treatment for oil contaminated materials by the use of micro-organisms. The present study is an attempt to isolate and find out hydrocarbon degrading fungi from oil and petroleum contaminated regions. Biodegradation potential of soil mycobiota isolated from automobile mechanic workshop in Virar on engine oil was investigated using standard methods. The most capable oil degrading fungi was identified morphologically by wet mount technique as Fusarium sp. The biodegradation of hydrocarbons and oil was determined by using 2,6 Dichlorophenol-indophenol (DCPIP) assay and gravimetric analysis. The quantitative estimation of engine oil degradation showed rate of degradation as 87% and 89%. This study confirms that isolated Fusarium sp. has the potential exploited in the bio-treatment and removal of hydrocarbons from the polluted soil. Results were recorded in the form of biodegradation percentage of hydrocarbon. The present study and their results can give unique future prospects in the field of bioremediation and biodegradation of petroleum contaminated soil.

Kappaphycus alvarezii is widely cultivated around the world as the demand for seaweed-based products now exceeds the supply of seaweed raw material. Protein profiling of macroalgae is important to understand the changes that occur during... more

Kappaphycus alvarezii is widely cultivated around the world as the demand for seaweed-based products now exceeds the supply of seaweed raw material. Protein profiling of macroalgae is important to understand the changes that occur during growth which can in turn lead to improved culture strains. A Proteomic study was carried out by comparing protein profiles of different growth stages of in vitro and wild-type K. alvarezii. Protein profile analysis was done using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by identification using MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. Additional band of low molecular weight observed in 12-weeks cultures, with similar intensity and size observed in wild-type, was indicated to be similar to lectin ESA-2 from Eucheuma serra. The production of lectin may indicate that the explants are ready to be transferred to the natural environment. Thus, the presence of lectin is a potential biomarker that can determine the status of seaweed cultures for introduction to the wild.

Microalgae have been considered for biological carbon capture and sequestration to offset carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion. This study shows that mixed biodiverse microalgal communities can be selected for and adapted to... more

Microalgae have been considered for biological carbon capture and sequestration to offset carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion. This study shows that mixed biodiverse microalgal communities can be selected for and adapted to tolerate growth in 100% flue gas from an unfiltered coal-fired power plant that contained 11% CO2. The high SOx and NOx emissions required slow adaptation of microalgae over many months, with step-wise increases from 10% to 100% flue gas supplementation and phosphate buffering at higher concentrations. After a rapid decline in biodiversity over the first few months, community profiling revealed Desmodesmus spp. as the dominant microalgae. To the authors' knowledge this work is the first to demonstrate that up 100% unfiltered flue gas from coal-fired power generation can be used for algae cultivation. Implementation of serial passages over a range of photobioreactors may contribute towards the development of microalgal-mediated carbon capture and sequ...

Modern cultivation of vegetables and crops are profoundly dependent on the fertilizers for a higher yield, but currently the high usage of chemically synthesized based fertilizers and inorganic chemicals could cause several threats to... more

Modern cultivation of vegetables and crops are profoundly dependent on the fertilizers for a higher yield, but currently the high usage of chemically synthesized based fertilizers and inorganic chemicals could cause several threats to human health including the environment. Therefore, applied science researchers turn to concentrate more, on the exploitation of microorganisms like algae, fungi, bacteria, thus can be a more simple, fast and eco-friendly sustainable approach in the field of vegetable and crop cultivation. Among them, cyanobacteria (blue green algae (BGA)), is an interesting group of microorganisms that also have numerous application in advanced biotechnology potential for current crop cultivation methods, through enhancement of nutrient availability, maintaining the organic carbon and can live in association with higher plants, because generally microbes are a biotechnological tool box. Currently, the application of cyanobacteria biomass production and its use as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponic cultivation is a feasible option, thus, empower basically the plant growth and more yields. This cyanobacteria liquid fertilizer allows and stimulates the microbiota in liquid fertilizer medium, which could enhance the nitrogen fixation. Apart from this, cyanobacteria and other group of algae basically produce various bioactive compounds, especially the crop related chemicals, such as growth hormones, enzymes, polysaccharides and antibiotic agents, in liquid fertilizer/soil. However, the hurdles mainly to develop commercialized biofertilizers needs to be addressed in the field of large-scale investigations, along with minimizing the cost of production in an effective manner, thus, could be a win-win situation in the field of algal liquid fertilizer production as an important sustainable eco-friendly resource. This review article focuses on the research achievements on eco-friendly, sustainable microalgae and cyanobacteria-based plant biofertilizers and bio-stimulants, in the hydroponic vegetable (Mentha) cultivation.

District heating networks are commonly addressed in the literature as one of the most effective solutions for decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. These systems require high investments which are returned... more

District heating networks are commonly addressed in the literature as one of the most effective solutions for decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. These systems require high investments which are returned through the heat sales. Due to the changed climate conditions and building renovation policies, heat demand in the future could decrease, prolonging the investment return period. The main scope of this paper is to assess the feasibility of using the heat demand – outdoor temperature function for heat demand forecast. The district of Alvalade, located in Lisbon (Portugal), was used as a case study. The district is consisted of 665 buildings that vary in both construction period and typology. Three weather scenarios (low, medium, high) and three district renovation scenarios were developed (shallow, intermediate, deep). To estimate the error, obtained heat demand values were compared with results from a dynamic heat demand model, previously developed and validated by the authors. The results showed that when only weather change is considered, the margin of error could be acceptable for some applications (the error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation scenarios, the error value increased up to 59.5% (depending on the weather and renovation scenarios combination considered). The value of slope coefficient increased on average within the range of 3.8% up to 8% per decade, that corresponds to the decrease in the number of heating hours of 22-139h during the heating season (depending on the combination of weather and renovation scenarios considered). On the other hand, function intercept increased for 7.8-12.7% per decade (depending on the coupled scenarios). The values suggested could be used to modify the function parameters for the scenarios considered, and improve the accuracy of heat demand estimations. Abstract The fossil fuels accomplish almost 80% of the world energy needs. The ever increasing exploitation of fossil fuels has led to environmental pollution, global climate change and health problems to living beings. Hence to meet the needs of the future energy and to mitigate the environmental pollution, it is critical to look for the alternate fuels. Global energy infrastructure in the future is believed to be accomplished by the energy generated from the low-cost renewable resources. Algae biomass has emerged as a promising biofuel source, as microalgae-based biofuels are biodegradable, renewable, and eco-friendly in comparison to fossil driven fuels. This study aims to examine the importance of microalgae as an alternative renewable energy source and evaluate the key challenges in the production of microalgae biofuel.

Worldwide the increasing use of inorganic nitrogenous fertilizer becomes a threat to the environment and consequently to the mankind. It is high time to think about the alternate nitrogenous source for assuring sustainable agriculture.... more

Worldwide the increasing use of inorganic nitrogenous fertilizer becomes a threat to the environment and consequently to the mankind. It is high time to think about the alternate nitrogenous source for assuring sustainable agriculture. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), involving beneficial microorganism, is a process of converting the free atmospheric nitrogen into plant available form. This biological process harmonizes the ecosystem and offers an economic and environment-friendly approach for reducing the external inputs and improving internal sources. In nature a symbiotic relationship exists between most of the agriculturally important leguminous plants and beneficial microorganism, where bacteria can fix atmospheric free N2 and provide it to the plant in available form in exchange of nutrition and shelter. These rhizobia (bacteria) dwell in the nodule present in the roots of leguminous plants. This type of symbiosis also exists between free-living microorganisms, viz., Azolla...

Novel operational strategies to reduce the O2 concentration in the upgraded biogas were evaluated in a 180 L algal–bacterial photobioreactor interconnected to a 2.5 L external absorption column during the simultaneous treatment of diluted... more

Novel operational strategies to reduce the O2 concentration in the upgraded biogas were evaluated in a 180 L
algal–bacterial photobioreactor interconnected to a 2.5 L external absorption column during the simultaneous
treatment of diluted anaerobically digested or raw vinasse and biogas upgrading. The lowest biomethane O2
levels (0.7 ± 0.2%) were recorded when raw vinasse was fed directly into the absorption column, which resulted
in CO2 and H2S removals from biogas of 72 ± 1% and 100 ± 0%, respectively. Process operation at a Hydraulic
Retention Time (HRT) of 7 d under the above configuration also supported the maximum total carbon, nitrogen
and phosphorus removals of 72 ± 4%, 74 ± 3% and 78 ± 5%, respectively. Biomass productivity ranged from
11.4 ± 1.8 to 13.5 ± 2.2 g m−2 d−1 during microalgae cultivation in diluted anaerobically digested vinasse,
while this productivity increased to 16.9 ± 0.7 g m−2 d−1 when feeding diluted raw vinasse. The good settling
characteristics of the algal–bacterial flocs resulted in an average harvesting efficiency of 98.6 ± 0.5% at a HRT
in the settler of 23 min, regardless of the treated vinasse. The morphological and molecular characterization of
the microbial communities showed a high microalgae diversity and bacterial species richness, regardless of the
operational conditions (Shannon–Wiener indices ranging from 2.8 to 3.3).

The cultivation of seaweeds contributes significantly to the national economy and provides employment to the economically backward communities of Sabah, Malaysia. Cultivation of seaweeds on a commercial scale requires a large number of... more

The cultivation of seaweeds contributes significantly to the national economy and provides employment to the economically backward communities of Sabah, Malaysia. Cultivation of seaweeds on a commercial scale requires a large number of propagules with desirable phenotypic traits which include high growth rates and resistance to diseases. Thus, seaweed tissue culture can be considered as one of the best methods to provide a large amount of seedlings for commercial cultivation. The parameters which have been determined to have a significant effect on the growth of in vitro propagated Eucheuma seaweeds are the sterilization techniques, media composition, light intensity and aeration. Eucheuma seaweeds were surface sterilized by washing with optimized concentration of disinfectants and antibiotics. The appropriate medium was determined to be Provasoli’s Enriched Seawater (PES) while optimum light intensity was in the range of 6,000 lux. Continuous aeration was important to provide enough carbon dioxide for carbon fixation. Hormone IAA:BAP was provided with concentration ratio of 5:1 mg/l. Temperature was maintained in the range of 25 to 30°C while salinity of the seawater was kept constant at 32 ppt.

The global carbon cycle has altered significantly due to extensive use of fossil fuels which lead to increase in the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO 2 , CH 4 , NO 2 and CFCs causing climate change. In order to achieve... more

The global carbon cycle has altered significantly due to extensive use of fossil fuels which lead to increase in the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO 2 , CH 4 , NO 2 and CFCs causing climate change. In order to achieve environmental and economic sustainability, a renewable, carbon neutral fuels are required that are also capable of sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide. Amongst various carbon sequestration technologies, the biological methods particularly the ones using microalgae, have several merits. This include, direct CO 2 capture and fixation from flue gases by suitable micro-algal strains and their biomass conversion into useful products. This is quite important because the separation of CO 2 from flue gases takes a major portion over 70% of the total sequestration cost. Microalgae have ability to fix CO 2 using solar energy with efficiency 10 times greater than the terrestrial plants with numerous additional technological advantages. They have comparatively higher growth rate, allowing a large quantity of biomass production in a shorter amount of time in a smaller area. In addition carbon fixed by microalgae is incorporated into carbohydrates and lipids, so that energy, chemicals or food can be produced from algal biomass. Microalgae have a huge potential to capture CO 2 from power plants, steel, cement, oil, automobiles and many other industries and the resulting algal biomass can be not only used for biofuel production but also for various economic products such as fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. The present review aimed at shedding some light upon the sequestration of CO 2 from stationary combustion systems by microalgal photosynthesis. It also discussed about the various types of microalgal production systems, factors that affect microalgal growth and the future directions for enhancing CO 2 mitigation.

Euglena gracilis is a highly complex alga belonging to the green plant line that shows characteristics of both plants and animals, while in evolutionary terms it is most closely related to the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma and... more

Euglena gracilis is a highly complex alga belonging to the green plant line that shows characteristics of both plants and animals, while in evolutionary terms it is most closely related to the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma and Leishmania. This well-studied organism has long been known as a rich source of vitamins A, C and E, as well as amino acids that are essential for the human diet. Here we present de novo transcriptome sequencing and preliminary analysis, providing a basis for the molecular and functional genomics studies that will be required to direct metabolic engineering efforts aimed at enhancing the quality and quantity of high value products from E. gracilis. The transcriptome contains over 30 000 protein-encoding genes, supporting metabolic pathways for lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates and vitamins, along with capabilities for polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide biosynthesis. The metabolic and environmental robustness of Euglena is supported by a substantial capacity for responding to biotic and abiotic stress: it has the capacity to deploy three separate pathways for vitamin C (ascorbate) production, as well as producing vitamin E (α-tocopherol) and, in addition to glutathione, the redox-active thiols nor-trypanothione and ovothiol.

Selection of appropriate native species/strains of micro algae that work well in local conditions is imperative for a viable algae-based biofuel production system. We have identified and isolated native predominant algal species of... more

Selection of appropriate native species/strains of micro algae that work well in local conditions is imperative for a viable algae-based biofuel production system. We have identified and isolated native predominant algal species of Himachal Pradesh India, which can serve as starting material
for strain development. Chlorella sp. was dominant in most of the sample collections followed by Scenedesmus quadricauda and Scenedesmus dimorphus. The uni-algal culture were established and characterized for growth and lipid production potential. Overall biomass yield and biomass
productivity of all the species was less when cultured in BG-11 medium compared to BG11+0.1%urea indicating urea can be used as an alternative nitrogen source for commercial-scale cultivation which is cheaper and easily available. Scenedesmus dimorphus produced highest lipid content while
Scenedesmus quadricauda was less productive. Different isolates of Chlorella sp. were characterized for growth and lipid accumulation potential under normal growth conditions to understand variation for these traits so that Chlorella sp. Isolates with the best combination of lipid content, biomass and
lipid productivity can be identified.

The Chlorella genus has biotechnological potential and is suitable for high biomass production because of its large-scale cultivation technology. In order to define the conditions that best favor its development aiming to optimize crops... more

The Chlorella genus has biotechnological potential and is suitable for high biomass production because of its large-scale cultivation technology. In order to define the conditions that best favor its development aiming to optimize crops for greater algal growth, this research aims to verify whether cell growth is different due to different concentrations of the macrophyte extract Victoria amazonica, enriched with NPK inorganic and under different temperatures. It was concluded that, the aquatic macrophyte substrate was efficient for cultivation, representing a low cost means for the production and maintenance of the cultivation of Chlorella sorokiniana.

This study reveals the effect of five different culture media on biomass and oil production of five marine microalgae, Tetraselmis sp, Chaetoceros sp, Chlorella sp, Nannochloropsis sp and Dunaliella sp which were harvested by Flocculation... more

This study reveals the effect of five different culture media on biomass and oil production of five marine microalgae, Tetraselmis sp, Chaetoceros sp, Chlorella sp, Nannochloropsis sp and Dunaliella sp which were harvested by Flocculation method using Aluminium sulphate. The Conway, MN + , and ASN-III medium resulted in a significantly higher growth (P<0.05) when compared to the Guillard and Chu 10 medium. The results suggest that the ASN-III medium is the best growth medium for Chlorella sp, Nannochloropsis sp and Chaetoceros sp than the other species studied. The maximum oil yield was obtained in the Nannochloropsis sp that was grown in Conway medium. The oil yield in relation with species and culture media are significant (P < 0.05).