the range of 14–21
C would also be an interesting alternative. Considering the three
areas studied, the Bay of Malaga is proposed as the best option for octopus culture.
20.3.3 Marine Microalgae
20.3.3.1 Recent Advances and Current Global Trends in Microalgae
Production and Use
The last decade has witnessed important advances in the aquaculture technology
supporting marine microalgal production at various levels of intensification. Such
development was to a great extent promoted and subsequently economically
supported by a misinterpreted perception about the real options that microalgal
mass production had as a feedstock in the biofuel sector. Despite noticeable
advances achieved, current production costs are still far distant from those that
would be needed for cultured microalgal biomass to become a real option to the
use of other energy sources. The current technology is unable to produce a positive
energy balance in comparison to other fuel sources (Dassey et al. 2014). It has to be,
nevertheless, recognized that, as a consequence of such efforts, more efficient
outdoor mass production systems are now available both in open ponds (Kumar
et al. 2015) and in closed photobioreactors (Pereira et al. 2018). These advances have
allowed a growing number of new companies to operate and generate novel aquaculture products from cultured microalgae. In this regard, the current state of
microalgal production has surpassed the traditional concept of auxiliary food support
to some aquaculture practices and can nowadays be contemplated in a wider concept
as an independent and well-differentiated aquaculture option.
Significant progresses in several applications of either the entire microalgal
biomass or selected extracted compounds (Liang et al. 2018) are now uncovered,
offering new biotechnological products in important markets as, among others, those
of the food manufacturing, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. Technological advances
are concerned with a wide range of microalgal production systems, but applications
depend to a great extent on whether marine or freshwater species are involved. So,
the systems used for the two traditional freshwater microalgae (Chlorella and
Spirulina) that represent most of the current world microalgal production are not
running with marine microalgae. On the other hand, typical uses in nutrient recycling
from urban wastewater treatment plants (Cai et al. 2013) or in any other human landbased activity generating excess nutrient load can be more complicated to perform
when marine microalgal aquaculture is the choice. Within this context, it is postulated that short-term progress on marine microalgal production has to build prioritizing either on the expansion of already developed activities involving marine
species (e.g., Dunaliella) or the development of new products of generally elevated
commercial value.
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A. Ortega et al.
C would also be an interesting alternative. Considering the three
areas studied, the Bay of Malaga is proposed as the best option for octopus culture.
20.3.3 Marine Microalgae
20.3.3.1 Recent Advances and Current Global Trends in Microalgae
Production and Use
The last decade has witnessed important advances in the aquaculture technology
supporting marine microalgal production at various levels of intensification. Such
development was to a great extent promoted and subsequently economically
supported by a misinterpreted perception about the real options that microalgal
mass production had as a feedstock in the biofuel sector. Despite noticeable
advances achieved, current production costs are still far distant from those that
would be needed for cultured microalgal biomass to become a real option to the
use of other energy sources. The current technology is unable to produce a positive
energy balance in comparison to other fuel sources (Dassey et al. 2014). It has to be,
nevertheless, recognized that, as a consequence of such efforts, more efficient
outdoor mass production systems are now available both in open ponds (Kumar
et al. 2015) and in closed photobioreactors (Pereira et al. 2018). These advances have
allowed a growing number of new companies to operate and generate novel aquaculture products from cultured microalgae. In this regard, the current state of
microalgal production has surpassed the traditional concept of auxiliary food support
to some aquaculture practices and can nowadays be contemplated in a wider concept
as an independent and well-differentiated aquaculture option.
Significant progresses in several applications of either the entire microalgal
biomass or selected extracted compounds (Liang et al. 2018) are now uncovered,
offering new biotechnological products in important markets as, among others, those
of the food manufacturing, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. Technological advances
are concerned with a wide range of microalgal production systems, but applications
depend to a great extent on whether marine or freshwater species are involved. So,
the systems used for the two traditional freshwater microalgae (Chlorella and
Spirulina) that represent most of the current world microalgal production are not
running with marine microalgae. On the other hand, typical uses in nutrient recycling
from urban wastewater treatment plants (Cai et al. 2013) or in any other human landbased activity generating excess nutrient load can be more complicated to perform
when marine microalgal aquaculture is the choice. Within this context, it is postulated that short-term progress on marine microalgal production has to build prioritizing either on the expansion of already developed activities involving marine
species (e.g., Dunaliella) or the development of new products of generally elevated
commercial value.
682
A. Ortega et al.