Identification of Marine Biotechnology Value Chains with High Potential in the Northern Mediterranean Region

Marine (blue) biotechnology is an emerging field enabling the valorization of new products and processes with massive potential for innovation and economic growth. In the Mediterranean region, this innovation potential is not exploited as well as in other European regions due to a lack of a clear identification of the different value chains and the high fragmentation of business innovation initiatives. As a result, several opportunities to create an innovative society are being missed. To address this problem, eight Northern Mediterranean countries (Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain) established five national blue biotechnology hubs to identify and address the bottlenecks that prevent the development of marine biotechnology in the region. Following a three-step approach (1. Analysis: setting the scene; 2. Transfer: identification of promising value chains; 3. Capitalization: community creation), we identified the three value chains that are most promising for the Northern Mediterranean region: algae production for added-value compounds, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and valorization aquaculture/fisheries/processing by-products, unavoidable/unwanted catches and discards. The potential for the development and the technical and non-technical skills that are necessary to advance in this exciting field were identified through several stakeholder events which provided valuable insight and feedback that should be addressed for marine biotechnology in the Northern Mediterranean region to reach its full potential.

Photosynthetic performance of Chlamydopodium (Chlorophyta) cultures grown in outdoor bioreactors

The microalga Chlamydopodium fusiforme MACC-430 was cultured in two types of outdoor pilot cultivation units-a thin-layer cascade (TLC) and a raceway pond (RWP) placed in a greenhouse. This case study aimed to test their potential suitability for cultivation scale-up to produce biomass for agriculture purposes (e.g., as biofertilizer or biostimulant). The culture response to the alteration of environmental conditions was evaluated in "exemplary" situations of good and bad weather conditions using several photosynthesis measuring techniques, namely oxygen production, and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence. Validation of their suitability for online monitoring in large-scale plants has been one of the objectives of the trials. Both techniques were found fast and robust reliable to monitor microalgae activity in large-scale cultivation units. In both bioreactors, Chlamydopodium cultures grew well in the semi-continuous regime using daily dilution (0.20-0.25 day^-1). The biomass productivity calculated per volume was significantly (about 5 times) higher in the RWPs compared to the TLCs. The measured photosynthesis variables showed that the build-up of dissolved oxygen concentration in the TLC was higher, up to 125-150% of saturation (%sat) as compared to the RWP (102-104%sat). As only ambient CO₂ was available, its shortage was indicated by a pH increase due to photosynthetic activity in the thin-layer bioreactor at higher irradiance intensities. In this setup, the RWP was considered more suitable for scale-up due to higher areal productivity, lower construction and maintenance costs, the smaller land area required to maintain large culture volumes, as well as lower carbon depletion and dissolved oxygen build-up. KEY POINTS: • Chlamydopodium was grown in both raceways and thin-layer cascades in pilot-scale. • Various photosynthesis techniques were validated for growth monitoring. • In general, raceway ponds were evaluated as more suitable for cultivation scale-up.

New approach to solar photo-Fenton operation. Raceway ponds as tertiary treatment technology

The photo-Fenton process has proven its efficiency in the removal of micropollutants. However, the high costs usually associated with it prevent a spread of this technology. An important factor affecting costs is the kind of photoreactor used, usually tubular with a reflecting surface. Tubular reactors like compound parabolic collectors, CPCs, involve high capital costs. In comparison, the application of less costly reactors such as the extensive raceway ponds (RPRs) would help to spread the use of the photo-Fenton process as tertiary treatment at commercial scale. As far as the authors know, RPRs have never been used in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) applications. This work is aimed at studying the applicability of RPRs to remove micropollutants with solar photo-Fenton. For this purpose, a pesticide mixture of commercial acetamiprid (ACTM) and thiabendazole (TBZ) (100μg/L each) was used in simulated secondary effluent. Iron concentration (1, 5.5 and 10mg/L) and liquid depth (5, 10 and 15cm) were studied as process variables. TBZ was removed at the beginning of the treatment (less than 5min), although ACTM removal times were longer (20-40min for the highest iron concentrations). High treatment capacity per surface area was obtained (48mg/hm(2) with 5.5mg Fe/L and 15cm liquid depth), proving the feasibility of using RPRs for micropollutant removal.

Protein measurements of microalgal and cyanobacterial biomass

The protein content of dry biomass of the microalgae Porphyridium cruentum, Scenedesmus almeriensis, and Muriellopsis sp. and of the cyanobacteria Synechocystis aquatilis and Arthrospira platensis was measured by the Lowry method following disruption of the cells by milling with inert ceramic particles. The measurements were compared with the Kjeldahl method and by elemental analysis. The nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors for biomass obtained from exponentially growing cells with a steady state doubling time of approximately 23 h were 5.95 for nitrogen measured by Kjeldahl and 4.44 for total nitrogen measured by elemental analysis. The protein content in dry biomass ranged from 30% to 55%. The above conversion factors are useful for estimating the protein content of microalgal biomass produced in rapid steady state growth as encountered in many commercial production processes.