title: Cell disruption for microalgae biorefineries.
abstract: Microalgae are a potential source for various valuable chemicals for commercial applications ranging from nutraceuticals to fuels. Objective in a biorefinery is to utilize biomass ingredients efficiently similarly to petroleum refineries in which oil is fractionated in fuels and a variety of products with higher value. Downstream processes in microalgae biorefineries consist of different steps whereof cell disruption is the most crucial part. To maintain the functionality of algae biochemicals during cell disruption while obtaining high disruption yields is an important challenge. Despite this need, studies on mild disruption of microalgae cells are limited. This review article focuses on the evaluation of conventional and emerging cell disruption technologies, and a comparison thereof with respect to their potential for the future microalgae biorefineries. The discussed techniques are bead milling, high pressure homogenization, high speed homogenization, ultrasonication, microwave treatment, pulsed electric field treatment, non-mechanical cell disruption and some emerging technologies.
authors: VITO NV, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium; Wageningen University, Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands. Electronic address: emre.guenerken@vito.be.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Günerken
authors: VITO NV, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: els.dhondt@vito.be.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: D'Hondt
authors: Wageningen University, Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands. Electronic address: michel.eppink@wur.nl.
authors: M H M
authors: MH
authors: Eppink
authors: VITO NV, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: linsey.garcia-gonzalez@vito.be.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Garcia-Gonzalez
authors: VITO NV, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: kathy.elst@vito.be.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Elst
authors: Wageningen University, Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands; University of Nordland, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, N-8049 Bodø, Norway. Electronic address: rene.wijffels@wur.nl.
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Wijffels
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels
keywords: Bead milling; Biorefinery; Cell disruption; High pressure homogenization; High speed homogenization; Microalgae; Microwave treatment; Non-mechanical cell disruption; Pulsed electric field treatment; Ultrasonication