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Marangon BB, Magalhães IB, Pereira ASAP, Silva TA, Gama RCN, Ferreira J, Castro JS, Assis LR, Lorentz JF, Calijuri ML. Emerging microalgae-based biofuels: Technology, life-cycle and scale-up. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 326:138447. [PMID: 36940833 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae biomass is a versatile feedstock with a variable composition that can be submitted to several conversion routes. Considering the increasing energy demand and the context of third-generation biofuels, algae can fulfill the increasing global demand for energy with the additional benefit of environmental impact mitigation. While biodiesel and biogas are widely consolidated and reviewed, emerging algal-based biofuels such as biohydrogen, biokerosene, and biomethane are cutting-edge technologies in earlier stages of development. In this context, the present study covers their theoretical and practical conversion technologies, environmental hotspots, and cost-effectiveness. Scaling-up considerations are also addressed, mainly through Life Cycle Assessment results and interpretation. Discussions on the current literature for each biofuel directs researchers towards challenges such as optimized pretreatment methods for biohydrogen and optimized catalyst for biokerosene, besides encouraging pilot and industrial scale studies for all biofuels. While presenting studies for larger scales, biomethane still needs continuous operation results to consolidate the technology further. Additionally, environmental improvements on all three routes are discussed in light of life-cycle models, highlighting the ample research opportunities on wastewater-grown microalgae biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- B B Marangon
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - I B Magalhães
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - A S A P Pereira
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - T A Silva
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - R C N Gama
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - J Ferreira
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - J S Castro
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - L R Assis
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - J F Lorentz
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - M L Calijuri
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa (Universidade Federal de Viçosa/UFV), Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
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Şenol H. Effects of NaOH, thermal, and combined NaOH-thermal pretreatments on the biomethane yields from the anaerobic digestion of walnut shells. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:21661-21673. [PMID: 33410085 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11984-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) of walnut shells (WS) results in only a limited biomethane yield because of their high fibre content, which ultimately represents an essentially nonbiodegradable lignocellulosic biomass. In the present study, thermal (i.e. 50-250 °C), alkaline (i.e. 1-5% w/w NaOH) and combined alkaline-thermal (i.e. 4% w/w NaOH + 150 °C thermal) pretreatment methods have been applied to increase the anaerobic biodegradation of WS. The highest biomethane yields of 159.9 ± 6.8 mL CH4.g VS-1 and 169.8 ± 6.8 mL CH4.g VS-1 were achieved after pretreatment at both 250 °C and with 4% NaOH. After combined NaOH-thermal pretreatments, the AD process showed the largest total VFA concentration (i.e. 1280.1 mg Hac L-1) but a relatively high lag phase (i.e. 3.90 days) compared to thermal and NaOH pretreatments alone, from which the highest biomethane yield (i.e. 192.4 ± 8.2 mL CH4.g VS-1 ) was achieved at the end of the AD process. The highest biomethane yield from the combined NaOH-thermal pretreated WS was corroborated by the corresponding highest SCOD/TCOD ratio (i.e. 0.37 ± 0.02) and the highest lignocellulosic fibre removal (i.e. 41.1 ± 2.7% cellulose, 35.6 ± 1.8% hemicellulose, and 58.7 ± 3.2% lignin). The cumulative biomethane yields were further simulated via a modified Gompertz model. This study provides a promising strategy in the sense that the biomethane yield of WS containing large amounts of lignin can be significantly increased via thermal, NaOH, and combined NaOH-thermal pretreatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halil Şenol
- Genetic and Bioengineering Department, Giresun University, 28200, Giresun, Turkey.
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Klassen V, Blifernez-Klassen O, Bax J, Kruse O. Wastewater-borne microalga Chlamydomonas sp.: A robust chassis for efficient biomass and biomethane production applying low-N cultivation strategy. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 315:123825. [PMID: 32693344 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Biogas/biomethane generation from microalgae biomass via anaerobic fermentation is increasingly gaining attention as CO2-neutral energy source. Intensive research has shown, however, that microalgae represent a rather challenging substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) due to their high cell wall recalcitrance and unfavourable protein content. Previously, the utilization of nitrogen-limited (low-N) microalgal biomass for continuous AD-processes was demonstrated (as proof-of-concept) with remarkable biomethane productivity. The present study shows the efficient portability of the low-N cultivation/fermentation strategy on a robust, wastewater-borne microalga isolate that tolerates high temperature and light conditions and can perfectly cope with microbial contaminations. Continuous long-term anaerobic digestion was characterized by stable and efficient specific biogas and biomethane productivity (765 ± 20 and 478 ± 15 mLNg-1 volatile solids (VS) d-1, respectively), equivalent to volumetric methane productivity of 1912 mLN L-1d-1. The present work underlines the applicability of low-N-biomass of wastewater-borne, robust microalgae as mono-substrate for highly efficient continuous methane generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Klassen
- Algenbiotechnology and Bioenergy, Bielefeld University, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Olga Blifernez-Klassen
- Algenbiotechnology and Bioenergy, Bielefeld University, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jördis Bax
- Algenbiotechnology and Bioenergy, Bielefeld University, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Olaf Kruse
- Algenbiotechnology and Bioenergy, Bielefeld University, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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