Microalgae constitute the basis of life, in a variety of marine and freshwater ecosystems. They are efficient cell factories, the majority operating photosynthetically to turn light energy and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with simple inorganic nutrients into biomass. Moreover, they have great potential for the production of industrially relevant high-value products such as proteins, polysaccharides,
Photosynthesis is the process that harnesses the energy of photons that hit the Earth’s surface to split water and produce molecular oxygen that energizes the atmosphere while forming the biomass that sustains all the food chain in the form of biomass, and our economies and lifestyle in the form of fossil fuels. Most oxygenic photosynthetic
The use of first-principles mathematical models to describe bio-chemical phenomena is paramount to the effective development of microalgae processes. Model-based design of experiments (MBDoE) represents a valuable tool providing several methodologies that assist the model-building strategy of such complex mathematical models. The objective is to design experiments (or campaigns of experiments) that will provide the
The optimization of microalgae cultivation has been occurring on two levels, genetically modified strains, and advanced control systems. On one side, the genetic modification of microalgae is aimed to enhance or modify the metabolic activity for biotechnological exploitation.
The establishment of algae based production processes for application in different goods such as food, feed, nutritional supplements, medicine, fuel or platform chemicals is increasingly gaining more attention. A main reason for this development might be due to the crescent need to replace conventional industrial processes with more sustainable ways of production.
