Acidophilic microalgae: the new alternative for phycocyanin production at industrial scale

Polyextremophile acidophilic microalgae are a unique class of microorganisms that thrive in extreme environments with extremely low pH levels and high temperatures. These organisms are capable of surviving in very harsh conditions, making them potentially useful, for instance, in the mining and metal recovery industries. The acidity of the growing media hinders the development of

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Accounting for transient changes in bioprocess conditions for robust process monitoring and improved control of microalgal processes

Microalgal biotechnology and the production of microalgae-derived products are promising technologies in the industrial transformation to create a more circular and biobased economy with net zero carbon footprint. For the production of microalgae, many process conditions have to be controlled according to specific environmental requirements by the microalgal strain of interest. These requirements include for

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Combined effect of temperature and light intensity on microalgae growth in small scale photobioreactors

Temperature and light intensity are the main factors affecting microalgae growth in unlimited nutrient conditions. The approach of assuming temperature and light intensity as two independent factors in photosynthesis models is generally accepted— however, a weak coupling between both variables is already observed at low light intensities, while limited data about the joint effect of

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Digitalgaesation spring school in Dresden

The spring school “SMART algae reactor design” was held in Dresden (Germany) between 28 and 31 March 2023 and was organised by TU Dresden. The school mainly focused on data collection, data processing, and data exploration. Methodologies and best practices were presented during lectures, and several practical exercises allowed the ESRs to face the challenges

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Rotating green to red: a biofilm-based approach to astaxanthin production

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms able to convert light energy and inorganic nutrients into high-value compounds such as fatty acids, polysaccharides, or carotenoids. Astaxanthin, a red carotenoid pigment, is a very attractive molecule due to its antioxidant properties, which are significantly stronger than those of other carotenoids and vitamins. It has numerous applications in various industries,

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