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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications
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Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 2341

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ihana Aguiar Severo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Sustainable Energy Research & Development Center (NPDEAS), Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil
2. Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS), Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee, FL 32310-6046, USA
Interests: microalgal biotechnology; microalgae-based processes; microalgae cultivation; biomass production; biofuels; renewable energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a special issue titled "Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications”. This special issue aims to highlight the latest research and technological advancements in the field of microalgal biotechnology. Microalgae are promising biological resources due to their ability to produce a wide range of valuable products of commercial interest, including biofuels/bioenergy, biofertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals, as well as their applications in environmental sustainability, such as wastewater treatment and CO2 sequestration.

The goal of this special issue is to provide a comprehensive overview of current trends and future directions in microalgal biotechnology. We encourage submissions that address various aspects of the field, including innovative cultivation techniques, genetic and metabolic engineering, optimization of biomass production, and advances in bioreactor design. We are also interested in studies that focus on the extraction and utilization of high-value compounds from microalgae, new methods for harvesting and processing microalgal biomass, as well as biofuel production, renewable energy integration strategies in microalgae-based processes, and economic and environmental approaches.

By bringing together cutting-edge research and expert reviews, this special issue aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners working to unlock the full potential of microalgae in biotechnology. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ihana A. Severo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microalgae biotechnology
  • microalgae cultivation
  • genetic engineering
  • metabolic engineering
  • biofuels
  • biofertilizers
  • pharmaceuticals
  • nutraceuticals
  • wastewater treatment
  • CO2 sequestration
  • bioreactor design
  • biomass production
  • downstream processing techniques
  • life cycle assessments
  • techno-economic analysis

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 809 KiB  
Article
Fermentation of Microalgae as a Platform for Naturally Encapsulated Oil Powders: Characterization of a High-Oleic Algal Powder Ingredient
by Walter Rakitsky, Leon Parker, Kevin Ward, Thomas Pilarski, James Price, Mona Correa, Roberta Miller, Veronica Benites, Dino Athanasiadis, Bryce Doherty, Lucy Edy, Jon Wittenberg, Gener Eliares, Daniel Gates, Manuel Oliveira, Frédéric Destaillats and Scott Franklin
Microorganisms 2025, 13(7), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071659 - 14 Jul 2025
Viewed by 255
Abstract
Powdered oil ingredients are widely used across food, nutrition, and personal care industries, but they are typically produced through encapsulation technologies that involve multiple additives and stabilizers. These systems can compromise oxidative stability, clean-label compliance, and functional performance. Here, we present the development [...] Read more.
Powdered oil ingredients are widely used across food, nutrition, and personal care industries, but they are typically produced through encapsulation technologies that involve multiple additives and stabilizers. These systems can compromise oxidative stability, clean-label compliance, and functional performance. Here, we present the development and characterization of a novel high-oleic algal powder (HOAP) produced from a heterotrophically fermented microalgae. The production strain was developed through classical mutagenesis to enhance oleic acid and lipid accumulation. Three independent fermentation batches at a 20 L scale demonstrated strong reproducibility in key metrics, including dried-cell weight (210.0 g per L on average, CV% = 0.7), oil content (62.0% of DCW on average, CV% = 2.0), and oleic acid (88.8% of total fatty acids on average, CV% = 0.1). HOAP exhibited a favorable nutritional profile (e.g., high monounsaturated fat and fiber, low sugar and moisture) and good oxidative stability under ambient and accelerated storage conditions. Microbiological analyses confirmed compliance with food-grade standards, and in silico allergenicity screening revealed no clinically relevant homologs. Unlike traditional oil powders, HOAP does not require encapsulation and retains oil within a natural protein–fiber matrix, offering both functional and clean-labeling advantages. Its compositional attributes and stability profile support potential use in food, nutrition, and the delivery of bioactive nutrients. These findings establish HOAP as a next generation of oil powder ingredients with broad application potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications)
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21 pages, 2558 KiB  
Article
Multiparametric Evaluation of Tetradesmus obliquus Biomass: An Integrated Approach Including Antioxidant, Nutritional, and Energy Properties
by Gilvana Scoculi de Lira, Ihana Aguiar Severo, Fernando Augusto Ferraz, Iago Gomes Costa, Matheus Murmel Guimarães, Ingrid Fátima Zattoni, Luiz Fernando Bianchini, José Viriato Coelho Vargas, Dhyogo Miléo Taher and André Bellin Mariano
Microorganisms 2025, 13(7), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13071583 - 4 Jul 2025
Viewed by 373
Abstract
The microalga Tetradesmus obliquus has emerged as a promising candidate for biotechnological and industrial applications due to its rapid growth, resilience under diverse environmental conditions, and potential for bioactive compound production. This study presents a multiparametric characterization of dry T. obliquus biomass cultivated [...] Read more.
The microalga Tetradesmus obliquus has emerged as a promising candidate for biotechnological and industrial applications due to its rapid growth, resilience under diverse environmental conditions, and potential for bioactive compound production. This study presents a multiparametric characterization of dry T. obliquus biomass cultivated in patented industrial-scale photobioreactors, integrating thermochemical, elemental, antioxidant, and protein analyses. Proximate and ultimate analyses were conducted to assess fuel potential, revealing favorable volatile matter (VM = 64.80–72.44%) and fixed carbon (FC = 15.77–21.23%) contents. The HHV (18.32–22.75 MJ·kg−1) and LHV (16.86–21.24 MJ·kg−1) confirmed the biomass as a viable candidate for solid biofuel. The elemental composition provided the total nitrogen values, subsequently used to estimate the protein content via both the Kjeldahl and Dumas methods, with results ranging from 36.66% to 40.02%, in line with the literature. Despite the absence of detectable antioxidant activity under the tested DPPH conditions, the biomass demonstrated a robust nutritional profile and energy potential. These findings support the industrial relevance of T. obliquus biomass, particularly for applications targeting sustainable protein sources and bioenergy solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications)
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18 pages, 1691 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Recovery of Food-Grade Euglena gracilis Biomass Through Synergistic pH-Modified Chitosan Flocculation and Green Light Stimulation
by Jiangyu Zhu, Lan Yang, Li Ding, Zhengfei Yang, Yongqi Yin, Minato Wakisaka, Shahram Ashouri, Mohammadhadi Jazini and Weiming Fang
Microorganisms 2025, 13(2), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020303 - 30 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1066
Abstract
The efficient and cost-effective harvesting of food-grade Euglena gracilis remains a critical challenge in microalgal food production. This study presents an innovative, food-safe approach integrating pH preconditioning, chitosan biopolymer flocculation, and green light irradiation to leverage E. gracilis’ natural phototactic behavior. Response surface [...] Read more.
The efficient and cost-effective harvesting of food-grade Euglena gracilis remains a critical challenge in microalgal food production. This study presents an innovative, food-safe approach integrating pH preconditioning, chitosan biopolymer flocculation, and green light irradiation to leverage E. gracilis’ natural phototactic behavior. Response surface methodology optimized the parameters (pH 6.49, 46.10 mg·L−1 chitosan, and 60 min green light), achieving 93.07% biomass recovery, closely matching the predicted 92.21%. The synergistic effects of pH-modified chitosan flocculation and phototaxis significantly enhanced the harvesting efficiency compared to conventional methods. Notably, harvested cells maintained substantial photosynthetic capability, as evidenced by chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, ensuring the preservation of nutritional quality. Economic analysis revealed exceptional harvesting cost-effectiveness at 2.35 USD per kg of dry weight biomass harvested. The method’s use of food-grade chitosan and non-invasive light stimulation ensures product safety while minimizing the environmental impact. This sustainable and economical approach offers a promising solution for industrial-scale production of food-grade E. gracilis while demonstrating potential applicability to other phototactic microalgae species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgal Biotechnology: Innovations and Applications)
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