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- Microalgae in a global world: New solutions for old problems?Publication . Vieira De Mendonça, Henrique; Assemany, Paula; Abreu, Mariana; De Aguiar Do Couto, Eduardo; Martins Maciel, Alyne; Duarte, Renata Lopes; Santos, Marcela Granato Barbosa dosABSTRACT: The human population blast has brought several problems related with the overconsumption of a wide range of feedstocks and natural resources conducting to their risk of depletion. The consumption of fossil fuels is an example, with increasing levels of exploitation and negative impacts caused by their use. Anthropogenic activities have triggered the over accumulation of many hazardous substances and wastes which are regarded to be detrimental to life in the Earth and to the various planet ecosystems. There is an urgent need to restore natural resources and unwanted residues and wastes to levels prior the demographic explosion. Microalgal biotechnology appears to be pivotal to achieve this goal in a near future to come. This review presents the current resource problems affecting the Earth and how microalgae are expected to be an important part of the solution, discussing how the production of renewable energy from microalgae can help in an integrated way to mitigate different environmental problems. Microalgae are able to convert wastewaters, CO2 and organic residues in marketable biomass for different uses, including biofuels, converting waste in value. An inventory of current microalgal-based biorefineries in operation as well as a directory of companies, products and applications are also presented.
- Microalgae biomass production for biofuels in brazilian scenario : a critical reviewPublication . Santos, Marcela Granato Barbosa dos; Duarte, Renata Lopes; Martins Maciel, Alyne; Abreu, Mariana; Reis, Alberto; Mendonca, Henrique Vieira deABSTRACT: The Brazilian environmental, economic, and social conditions for the long-term establishment of mass culture of microalgae for either biofuel production or greenhouse gases (GHG) abatement are described in detail. A brief historical introduction of the microalgal biotechnology is presented followed by a compilation of Brazilian published research works on microalgae, with special emphasis on microalgal Brazilian biodiversity and applied phycology. Several case studies on Brazilian microalgal biorefineries are presented with special emphasis on wastewater (WW) treatment. The manuscript also adds valuable new information about which regions of the country offer better growing conditions for dozens of endemic species. Favorable climatic and environmental conditions for the cultivation of several microalgae (green) and cyanobacteria species in specific regions of the country are suggested. Finally, based on realistic biomass productivities and product yields for the Brazilian context, several scenarios for biofuel production and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) abatement have been designed, and results are presented and critically discussed. Brazilian self-sufficiency on either fuels for transportation or GHG abatement using exclusively microalgae is quite challenging but achievable accordingly with the present state of the art.