Preface
The marine environment accounts for most of the biodiversity of our planet, while offering a huge potential
for citizens’ well-being. Its extensive resources constitute the basis of several economic activities—yet
many more are expected in coming years.
This book intends to cover the state-of-art on uses of marine algae to obtain bulk and fine chemicals,
with an emphasis on optimization of the underlying production and purification processes. Major gaps
and potential opportunities in this field are discussed in a critical manner.
This book is accordingly divided into 16 chapters, along two sections. The first chapter entails
an overview of marine algae—covering both the current situation and unfolding opportunities; while
Chapters 2 and 5 address the ecological importance of algae. Chapter 3 focuses on microalgal metabolic
features and general utilization thereof; algal biomass production and downstream processing features are
also addressed in Chapters 4 and 6, respectively.
The next section focuses on economic products obtained from algae, including: (i) marine alga
bioactivities (Chapter 7); (ii) macroalgal phycocolloids (Chapter 8); (iii) microalgae for feed (Chapter
9); (iv) seaweed extracts against plant pathogens (Chapter 10); (v) cosmeceutical properties of algal
compounds (Chapter 11); (vi) biotechnological and pharmacological applications of biotoxins from
dinoflagellates (Chapter 12); (vii) integrated multi-trophic aquaculture; (viii) alternative green biofuels
from microalgae; and (ix) genetic engineering approaches to exploit marine algae as potential sources of
biofuels and added-value products (Chapter 15). Finally, present and future economic and environmental
impacts of algal technology, based on critical questions arising from this book, are presented in the last
chapter (Chapter 16).
The information provided in this book – co-authored by some of the most recognized experts in the
field, should be of interest for graduate students, research scientists, technologists, and industrialists—in
their quest for new technological and business opportunities in this exciting world of marine algae and
microalgae.
The marine environment accounts for most of the biodiversity of our planet, while offering a huge potential
for citizens’ well-being. Its extensive resources constitute the basis of several economic activities—yet
many more are expected in coming years.
This book intends to cover the state-of-art on uses of marine algae to obtain bulk and fine chemicals,
with an emphasis on optimization of the underlying production and purification processes. Major gaps
and potential opportunities in this field are discussed in a critical manner.
This book is accordingly divided into 16 chapters, along two sections. The first chapter entails
an overview of marine algae—covering both the current situation and unfolding opportunities; while
Chapters 2 and 5 address the ecological importance of algae. Chapter 3 focuses on microalgal metabolic
features and general utilization thereof; algal biomass production and downstream processing features are
also addressed in Chapters 4 and 6, respectively.
The next section focuses on economic products obtained from algae, including: (i) marine alga
bioactivities (Chapter 7); (ii) macroalgal phycocolloids (Chapter 8); (iii) microalgae for feed (Chapter
9); (iv) seaweed extracts against plant pathogens (Chapter 10); (v) cosmeceutical properties of algal
compounds (Chapter 11); (vi) biotechnological and pharmacological applications of biotoxins from
dinoflagellates (Chapter 12); (vii) integrated multi-trophic aquaculture; (viii) alternative green biofuels
from microalgae; and (ix) genetic engineering approaches to exploit marine algae as potential sources of
biofuels and added-value products (Chapter 15). Finally, present and future economic and environmental
impacts of algal technology, based on critical questions arising from this book, are presented in the last
chapter (Chapter 16).
The information provided in this book – co-authored by some of the most recognized experts in the
field, should be of interest for graduate students, research scientists, technologists, and industrialists—in
their quest for new technological and business opportunities in this exciting world of marine algae and
microalgae.