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Microorganisms
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The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology
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The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024 | Viewed by 8612

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zivan Gojkovic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Algal Biotechnology Group (BITAL), Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
Interests: microalgal biotechnology; biochemistry; photobioreactor design; algae mass cultures; phytoplankton ecology; algae-related mercury chemistry; flocculation of algae; cell surface characteristics; mixotrophic growth; grazer control in open ponds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgae comprise a diverse group of unicellular photosynthetic organisms with great potential in various aspects of technology, including alternative food and feed sources, pigments and fine chemicals, biofuels, biofertilizers, urban and agricultural wastewater reclamation, and removal of diverse pollutants (e.g., detergents, herbicides, pharmacologically active ingredients, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metal removal, etc.). Owing to their very modest nutrient requirements and use of photosynthesis for energy and biomass production, microalgae are very promising agents for green biotechnology, with the potential  improve current technological processes.

Dr. Zivan Gojkovic
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
  • green biotechnology
  • biomass
  • biofuel
  • biofertilizer
  • bioremediation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1783 KiB  
Article
A Holistic Approach to Producing Anti-Vibrio Metabolites by an Endosymbiotic Dinoflagellate Using Wastewater from Shrimp Rearing
by Carlos Yure B. Oliveira, Jéssika L. Abreu, Barbara C. Brandão, Deyvid Willame S. Oliveira, Pedro Rodrigues de Sena, Weverson Ailton da Silva, Evando S. Araújo, Leonardo R. Rörig, Gisely Karla de Almeida Costa, Suzianny Maria B. C. Silva, Marius N. Müller, Giustino Tribuzi and Alfredo O. Gálvez
Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1598; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081598 - 6 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1123
Abstract
The aquaculture industry requires green solutions to solve several environmental challenges, including adequate wastewater remediation and natural drug applications to treat bacteria- and virus-related diseases. This study investigated the feasibility of cultivating the dinoflagellate Durusdinium glynnii in aquaculture wastewater from shrimp rearing in [...] Read more.
The aquaculture industry requires green solutions to solve several environmental challenges, including adequate wastewater remediation and natural drug applications to treat bacteria- and virus-related diseases. This study investigated the feasibility of cultivating the dinoflagellate Durusdinium glynnii in aquaculture wastewater from shrimp rearing in a synbiotic system (AWW-SS), with different dilutions of f/2 medium (FM). Interestingly, D. glynnii demonstrated enhanced growth in all AWW–SS treatments compared to the control (FM). The highest growth rates were achieved at AWW-SS:FM dilutions of 75:25 and 50:50. The removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus reached 50.1 and 71.7%, respectively, of the crude AWW–SS. Biomass extracts of D. glynnii grown with AWW–SS were able to inhibit the growth of the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus (inhibition zone of 10.0 ± 1.7 mm) and V. vulnificus (inhibition zone of 11.7 ± 1.5 mm). The presented results demonstrate that the dinoflagellate D. glynnii is a potential candidate for the development of circularity for sustainable aquaculture production, particularly by producing anti–Vibrio compounds at a near-zero cost. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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20 pages, 1254 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Ammonia Toxicity and Growth Kinetics of Four Different Microalgae Species
by Umut Metin and Mahmut Altınbaş
Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1542; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081542 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1318
Abstract
Although wastewater with high ammonia concentration is an ideal alternative environment for microalgae cultivation, high ammonia concentrations are toxic to microalgae and inhibit microalgae growth. In this study, the ammonia responses of four widely used microalgae species were investigated. Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella [...] Read more.
Although wastewater with high ammonia concentration is an ideal alternative environment for microalgae cultivation, high ammonia concentrations are toxic to microalgae and inhibit microalgae growth. In this study, the ammonia responses of four widely used microalgae species were investigated. Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella minutissima, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Arthrospira platensis were grown in batch reactors maintained at seven different NH4Cl concentrations at a constant pH of 8. Growth and nitrogen removal kinetics were monitored. IC50 values for the mentioned species were found as 34.82 mg-FA/L, 30.17 mg-FA/L, 27.2 mg-FA/L and 44.44 mg-FA/L, respectively, while specific growth rates for different ammonia concentrations ranged between 0.148 and 1.271 d−1. C. vulgaris demonstrated the highest biomass growth under an ammonia concentration of 1700.95 mg/L. The highest removal of nitrogen was observed for A. platensis with an efficiency of 99.1%. The results showed that all tested species could grow without inhibition in ammonia levels comparable to those found in municipal wastewater. Furthermore, it has been concluded that species C. vulgaris and A. platensis can tolerate high ammonia levels similar to those found in high strength wastewaters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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19 pages, 3252 KiB  
Article
Native Microalgae-Bacteria Consortia: A Sustainable Approach for Effective Urban Wastewater Bioremediation and Disinfection
by Joana F. Sousa, Helena M. Amaro, Sara Ribeirinho-Soares, Ana F. Esteves, Eva M. Salgado, Olga C. Nunes and José C. M. Pires
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071421 - 12 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1268
Abstract
Urban wastewater is a significant by-product of human activities. Conventional urban wastewater treatment plants have limitations in their treatment, mainly concerning the low removal efficiency of conventional and emerging contaminants. Discharged wastewater also contains harmful microorganisms, posing risks to public health, especially by [...] Read more.
Urban wastewater is a significant by-product of human activities. Conventional urban wastewater treatment plants have limitations in their treatment, mainly concerning the low removal efficiency of conventional and emerging contaminants. Discharged wastewater also contains harmful microorganisms, posing risks to public health, especially by spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes. Therefore, this study assesses the potential of a native microalgae-bacteria system (MBS) for urban wastewater bioremediation and disinfection, targeting NH4+-N and PO43−-P removal, coliform reduction, and antibiotic resistance gene mitigation. The MBS showed promising results, including a high specific growth rate (0.651 ± 0.155 d−1) and a significant average removal rate of NH4+-N and PO43−-P (9.05 ± 1.24 mg L−1 d−1 and 0.79 ± 0.06 mg L−1 d−1, respectively). Microalgae-induced pH increase rapidly reduces coliforms (r > 0.9), including Escherichia coli, within 3 to 6 days. Notably, the prevalence of intI1 and the antibiotic resistance genes sul1 and blaTEM are significantly diminished, presenting the MBS as a sustainable approach for tertiary wastewater treatment to combat eutrophication and reduce waterborne disease risks and antibiotic resistance spread. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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15 pages, 1360 KiB  
Article
Bioconversion of Furanic Compounds by Chlorella vulgaris—Unveiling Biotechnological Potentials
by Ricarda Kriechbaum, Oliver Spadiut and Julian Kopp
Microorganisms 2024, 12(6), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12061222 - 18 Jun 2024
Viewed by 730
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is abundant on Earth, and there are multiple acidic pretreatment options to separate the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin fraction. By doing so, the fermentation inhibitors 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FF) are produced in varying concentrations depending on the hydrolyzed substrate. In [...] Read more.
Lignocellulosic biomass is abundant on Earth, and there are multiple acidic pretreatment options to separate the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin fraction. By doing so, the fermentation inhibitors 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FF) are produced in varying concentrations depending on the hydrolyzed substrate. In this study, the impact of these furanic compounds on Chlorella vulgaris growth and photosynthetic activity was analyzed. Both compounds led to a prolonged lag phase in Chlorella vulgaris growth. While the photosynthetic yield Y(II) was not significantly influenced in cultivations containing HMF, FF significantly reduced Y(II). The conversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural to 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-Furoic Acid and 2-Furoic Acid was observed. In total, 100% of HMF and FF was converted in photoautotrophic and mixotrophic Chlorella vulgaris cultivations. The results demonstrate that Chlorella vulgaris is, as of now, the first known microalgal species converting furanic compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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19 pages, 3092 KiB  
Article
Phycoremediation Potential of Salt-Tolerant Microalgal Species: Motion, Metabolic Characteristics, and Their Application for Saline–Alkali Soil Improvement in Eco-Farms
by Huiying Chen, Siteng Yu, Ze Yu, Meng Ma, Mingyan Liu and Haiyan Pei
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040676 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1453
Abstract
Microalgae have great potential for remediating salt-affected soil. In this study, the microalgae species Coelastrella sp. SDEC-28, Dunaliella salina SDEC-36, and Spirulina subsalsa FACHB-351 were investigated for their potential to rehabilitate salt-affected soils. Nylon screens with optimal aperture sizes and layer numbers were identified to [...] Read more.
Microalgae have great potential for remediating salt-affected soil. In this study, the microalgae species Coelastrella sp. SDEC-28, Dunaliella salina SDEC-36, and Spirulina subsalsa FACHB-351 were investigated for their potential to rehabilitate salt-affected soils. Nylon screens with optimal aperture sizes and layer numbers were identified to efficiently intercept and harvest biomass, suggesting a correlation between underflow capability and the tough cell walls, strong motility, and intertwining characteristics of the algae. Our investigations proved the feasibility of incorporating monosodium glutamate residue (MSGR) into soil extracts at dilution ratios of 1/200, 1/2000, and 1/500 to serve as the optimal medium for the three microalgae species, respectively. After one growth period of these three species, the electrical conductivities of the media decreased by 0.21, 1.18, and 1.78 mS/cm, respectively, and the pH remained stable at 7.7, 8.6, and 8.4. The hypotheses that microalgae can remediate soil and return profits have been verified through theoretical calculations, demonstrating the potential of employing specific microalgal strains to enhance soil conditions in eco-farms, thereby broadening the range of crops that can be cultivated, including those that are intolerant to saline–alkali environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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18 pages, 5424 KiB  
Article
Methylmercury Effect and Distribution in Two Extremophile Microalgae Strains Dunaliella salina and Coccomyxa onubensis from Andalusia (Spain)
by Samuel Simansky, Jiří Holub, Ivana Márová, María Cuaresma, Ines Garbayo, Rafael Torronteras, Carlos Vílchez and Zivan Gojkovic
Microorganisms 2024, 12(3), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12030434 - 21 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1492
Abstract
The main entrance point of highly toxic organic Hg forms, including methylmercury (MeHg), into the aquatic food web is phytoplankton, which is greatly represented by various natural microalgal species. Processes associated with MeHg fate in microalgae cells such as uptake, effects on cells [...] Read more.
The main entrance point of highly toxic organic Hg forms, including methylmercury (MeHg), into the aquatic food web is phytoplankton, which is greatly represented by various natural microalgal species. Processes associated with MeHg fate in microalgae cells such as uptake, effects on cells and toxicity, Hg biotransformation, and intracellular stability are detrimental to the process of further biomagnification and, as a consequence, have great importance for human health. The study of MeHg uptake and distribution in cultures of marine halophile Dunaliella salina and freshwater acidophilic alga Coccomyxa onubensis demonstrated that most of the MeHg is imported inside the cell, while cell surface adhesion is insignificant. Almost all MeHg is removed from the culture medium after 72 h. Significant processes in rapid MeHg removal from liquid medium are its abiotic photodegradation and volatilization associated with algal enzymatic activity. The maximum intracellular accumulation for both species was in 80 nM MeHg-exposed cultures after 24 h of exposure for D. salina (from 27 to 34 µg/gDW) and at 48 h for C. onubensis (up to 138 µg/gDW). The different Hg intakes in these two strains could be explained by the lack of a rigid cell wall in D. salina and the higher chemical ability of MeHg to pass through complex cell wall structures in C. onubensis. Electron microscopy studies on the ultrastructure of both strains demonstrated obvious microvacuolization in the form of many very small vacuoles and partial cell membrane disruption in 80 nM MeHg-exposed cultures. Results further showed that Coccomyxa onubensis is a good candidate for MeHg-contaminated water reclamation due to its great robustness at nanomolar concentrations of MeHg coupled with its very high intake and almost complete Hg removal from liquid medium at the MeHg levels tested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application Potential of Microalgae in Green Biotechnology)
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