Algae—a Step Forward in the Sustainability of Resources: 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The planet’s resources are being depleted at increasing rates every year: climate change, the loss of biodiversity, the loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution have become  part of both our present and our near future.

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic algae play a crucial role in the Earth’s ecosystems, not only because they are the energy base of the food web for all aquatic organisms, but also due to their ability to capture CO₂ and produce oxygen. As autotrophic organisms, algae convert water, carbon dioxide, and some nitrogen and phosphorus sources into biomass that can be used as a source of high-value compounds, food/feed, and energy. Moreover, their rapid growth and the fact that no arable land or potable water are needed for their cultivation, makes these organisms an exceptional and sustainable source of eco-friendly products.

We welcome, therefore, the submission of high-quality research articles, reviews, and short communications that provide fresh insights into several aspects of how algae (seaweeds, microalgae, and cyanobacteria) can positively contribute to or play a role in a more sustainable use of resources. We encourage submissions related to algal biotechnology; algal processes or processes that include algae; screenings for the exploitation of new species or new applications for known species; the optimization of cultivation/production/extraction of algal biomass and their products; algal eco-services; algal products obtained under biorefinery strategies; and the role of algae in the promotion of a circular economy, as contained within the topics:

• Health: bioactive compounds from algae as sources of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics;
• Food/Feed: ingredients for feed/food formulations, food/feed preservatives, nutraceuticals, algae as a source of food/feed, integrated multithrophic aquaculture (IMTA);
• Environment: water treatment/polishing, biofuel production, ecosystem restoration, CO₂ sequestration/capture, life cycle assessment of algal processes or processes involving algae, biofertilizers, biopesticides, and the green extraction of algal compounds.

Dr. Graciliana Lopes
Dr. Leonel Pereira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Life 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 2600 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.

• macroalgae
• microalgae
• cyanobacteria
• bioactive compounds
• biomass production
• pharmaceuticals
• nutraceuticals
• cosmetics
• food/feed
• CO₂ sequestrations
• water treatment
• IMTA
• ecosystem services
• biofuels
• biopesticides
• green extraction methods

• Algae—a Step Forward in the Sustainability of Resources in Life (10 articles)