feedstock, and based on patent landscape, human nutrition is the second most
important sector (Chilton et al. 2016). Aquaculture is a special case with an average
growth (35%) much higher than other areas (20%) (Chilton et al. 2016). Dry
biomass powder with high nutrient content and valuable compounds included, such
as fatty acids, pigments, and antioxidants, is the main product presentation (Hamed
2016). Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and vitamins are of great interest for nutrition
as well as pigments like: yellow-orange carotenes and xanthophylls, the red or blue
phycobilins, and green chlorophylls. They have applications as natural colorants for
food industry or supplements for both human and animal nutrition. High-quality
proteins are produced by microalgae like Spirulina (Becker 2007) and Chlorella,
which are identified as “super food” (Milledge 2011) and commercialized as
nutraceuticals. Microalgae food is mainly commercialized as dried algae (Chlorella
and Spirulina) and sold as dietary supplements or found as specialty products,
extracted/isolated from the microalgae and added to food/feed to improve their
nutritional value (pigments, antioxidants, proteins, and fatty acids, e.g., omega-3,
DHA, and EPA). The market size of nutrients obtained from microalgae is still
significantly smaller in comparison with the one derived from crops, but this sector
has an impressive and unique growth (Vigani et al. 2015).
Biochemicals: Market projection predicts that 17–38% of total organic chemicals will be provided by biochemicals around 2050 (Budzianowski 2017). The US
Department of Energy (DOE) registered ten biochemicals with high future potential
for the market (Bozell and Petersen 2010): biohydrocarbons, succinic acid, furanic,
glycerol and derivatives, lactic acid, levulinic acid, hydroxypropionic acid/
aldehyde, xylitol, sorbitol, and ethanol. Numerous biochemicals, such as biomethanol, lactic acid, glutamic acid, sorbitol, glycerol, and 3-hydroxypicolinic acid
(3-HPA), are already used in industries like BioMCN or Roquette Freres SA
(Broeren et al. 2013). Further reduction of production costs will allow expanding
their applications. Other products, such as alginates, xylose, or glucaric acid, are
however unique, and their specific market does not exist yet (Budzianowski 2017).
Microalgae produce various building blocks for biochemicals, and these are the
largest class of high-value bioproducts that could be obtained in a biorefinery, such
as pigments and PUFAs (Budzianowski 2017).
Biofertilizers: They have great potential to replace chemical fertilizers and avoid
the aggressive use of chemicals that leads to soil erosion and degradation of local
ecosystems through eutrophication when they run off into rivers or percolate into
groundwater. Likewise, their use contributes indirectly toward greenhouse gas
emissions as their production depends on fossil fuels. Biofertilizers include the
nitrogen-fixing, phosphate solubilizing, and plant growth-promoting microorganisms. Microalgae have important role in soil ecosystems (Pulz and Gross 2004).
According to Chatterjee et al. (2017), microalgae contribute to soil fertilization
through: (1) enhancement of soil porosity because of the filamentous structure and
production of adhesive substances of certain cyanobacteria; (2) release of growth
promoters, such as amino acids, hormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins), and
vitamins (Pulz and Gross 2004; Singh et al. 2016); (3) increase in water retention
capacity through their thickened structure (Hamed 2016); (4) soil enrichment with
96
P.-L. Gorry et al.
important sector (Chilton et al. 2016). Aquaculture is a special case with an average
growth (35%) much higher than other areas (20%) (Chilton et al. 2016). Dry
biomass powder with high nutrient content and valuable compounds included, such
as fatty acids, pigments, and antioxidants, is the main product presentation (Hamed
2016). Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and vitamins are of great interest for nutrition
as well as pigments like: yellow-orange carotenes and xanthophylls, the red or blue
phycobilins, and green chlorophylls. They have applications as natural colorants for
food industry or supplements for both human and animal nutrition. High-quality
proteins are produced by microalgae like Spirulina (Becker 2007) and Chlorella,
which are identified as “super food” (Milledge 2011) and commercialized as
nutraceuticals. Microalgae food is mainly commercialized as dried algae (Chlorella
and Spirulina) and sold as dietary supplements or found as specialty products,
extracted/isolated from the microalgae and added to food/feed to improve their
nutritional value (pigments, antioxidants, proteins, and fatty acids, e.g., omega-3,
DHA, and EPA). The market size of nutrients obtained from microalgae is still
significantly smaller in comparison with the one derived from crops, but this sector
has an impressive and unique growth (Vigani et al. 2015).
Biochemicals: Market projection predicts that 17–38% of total organic chemicals will be provided by biochemicals around 2050 (Budzianowski 2017). The US
Department of Energy (DOE) registered ten biochemicals with high future potential
for the market (Bozell and Petersen 2010): biohydrocarbons, succinic acid, furanic,
glycerol and derivatives, lactic acid, levulinic acid, hydroxypropionic acid/
aldehyde, xylitol, sorbitol, and ethanol. Numerous biochemicals, such as biomethanol, lactic acid, glutamic acid, sorbitol, glycerol, and 3-hydroxypicolinic acid
(3-HPA), are already used in industries like BioMCN or Roquette Freres SA
(Broeren et al. 2013). Further reduction of production costs will allow expanding
their applications. Other products, such as alginates, xylose, or glucaric acid, are
however unique, and their specific market does not exist yet (Budzianowski 2017).
Microalgae produce various building blocks for biochemicals, and these are the
largest class of high-value bioproducts that could be obtained in a biorefinery, such
as pigments and PUFAs (Budzianowski 2017).
Biofertilizers: They have great potential to replace chemical fertilizers and avoid
the aggressive use of chemicals that leads to soil erosion and degradation of local
ecosystems through eutrophication when they run off into rivers or percolate into
groundwater. Likewise, their use contributes indirectly toward greenhouse gas
emissions as their production depends on fossil fuels. Biofertilizers include the
nitrogen-fixing, phosphate solubilizing, and plant growth-promoting microorganisms. Microalgae have important role in soil ecosystems (Pulz and Gross 2004).
According to Chatterjee et al. (2017), microalgae contribute to soil fertilization
through: (1) enhancement of soil porosity because of the filamentous structure and
production of adhesive substances of certain cyanobacteria; (2) release of growth
promoters, such as amino acids, hormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins), and
vitamins (Pulz and Gross 2004; Singh et al. 2016); (3) increase in water retention
capacity through their thickened structure (Hamed 2016); (4) soil enrichment with
96
P.-L. Gorry et al.