This book contains a wide compendium of information, which includes algal culture basics and the newest scientific and industrial advances in microalgal applications, including traditional uses such as renewable energy biofuels, wastewater treatment, edible products, aquaculture and livestock production. It also presents emerging perspectives of microalgae valorization, for example, health/cosmetic products, biofertilizers, bioplastics, vaccine delivery systems, nanotechnology and enzymes bio-factories.
Moreover, this book provides a comprehensive overview for those readers that are initiating the study about microalgae potential as a renewable source of valuable commercial products and highlights the state-of-the-art on the innovative advances for scientific researchers, students and microalgae commercial producers, which already focused in developing microalgae biotechnology for bioenergy, food, and other applications. Also, the role of microalgae technology in the blue economy is analyzed, an aspect with high relevance in the present and the future time, but which is regularly understudied.
Part I. Fundamentals of Microalgae Cultures.- The Beginning to
Integration: Evolution and Context of Microalgae Biotechnology.- Microalgae
Production Systems and Photobioreactor Designs: Recent Trends and Future
Prospects.- Dewatering and Microalgal Harvesting Techniques: The Bottleneck
to Industrial Microalgae Processing.- Wastewater Treatment Based in
Microalgae Bioremediation.- Part II. Microalgae as Bioenergy Products.-
Thermochemical Conversion of Microalgae Biomass: A Potential Source of
Bio-oil, Biochar and Syngas.- Biodiesel Production from Microalgae Biomass.-
Biogas Production from Anaerobic Digestion of Microalgae.- Microalgae Biomass
as Feedstock for Bioethanol.- Biohydrogen from Microalgae: Future
Perspectives and Constrains.- Part III. Microalgae as Source of Edible
Products.- Properties, Extraction, Characterization, and Market Opportunities
of Edible Oil from a Residual Microalgae Biomass.- Pigments from Microalgae:
Chlorophyll, Carotenoids and Phycobiliproteins as Source of Natural Colorants
for Food.- Microalgae as Source of Alimentary Ingredients: Valorization of
Microalgal Protein, Lipids and Vitamins from the Perspective of Food
Applications.- Part IV. Health Products Developed from Microalgal Biomass.-
Microalgal Compounds with Therapeutic Properties with Potential Uses in
Medicine and Human Health.- Microalgae as Source of Antioxidants: Potential
Role on the Nutraceutical Products for Human Health.- Part V. Cosmetic
Applications from Microalgae.- Microalgae as a Potential Source of
Cosmeceuticals Products with Anti-Ageing Properties.- Main Prospects and
Constrains for a New Cosmetics Generation Based on Microalgae Bioactive
Compounds.- Part VI. Alternative High Value Application for Microalgae
Biomass.- Microalgae as Bio-Fertilizers Source in the Advanced Agriculture.-
Microalgae Biomass as a Sustainable Source of Bioplastics.- Enzymes
Bio-Factories Developed Through Microalgae.- Microalgal Applications in
Nanotechnology: Potential for Bioproducts Obtention and Nano-Compounds
Synthesis.- Part VII. Techno-Economical Approaches Applied to Microalgal
Technologies and Products.- Microalgal Biorefineries: Advances, and
Techno-Economical Challenges.- Life Cycle Assessment of Microalgae Technology
and Products.- The Bioeconomy Analysis of Microalgal Products and Process:
The Role of Microalgae Technology in the Blue Economy.
Dr. David Ulises Santos Ballardo is a research scientist at the Research Center of Food and Development in Mexico, is interested in using second-generation and microalgae biomass to develop biorefineries, including biofuels and other valuable products. He has more than 14 years of field and laboratory experience on this topic, having published more than 27 publications (articles, chapters, books, and divulgation publications, published, in press, or submitted) of research and scientific outreach.
Dr. Sergio Rossi is a research scientist specialized in marine natural resources and biological oceanography, focused in health indicators of coastal benthic suspension feeder populations, flows of matter and energy in the benthic-pelagic coupling, the animal forests as carbon sinks, and the management/conservation of benthic marine wildlife, with also a wide experience in articles publications, and also in editing and publishing books in Springer-Nature. He has now more than 180 scientific publications (published, in press or submitted). He has an H factor of 40 (SCOPUS). He is professor in the Universidade Federal do Cearą and Universitą del Salento, and also Scientific Director of Underwater Gardens International.
