title: Microalgae for bioenergy: key technology nodes.
abstract: Microalgae have increasingly gained research interest as a source of lipids for biodiesel production. The wet way processing of harvested microalgae was suggested and evaluated with respect to the possible environmental impacts and production costs. This study is focused on the three key steps of the suggested process: flocculation, water recycling, and extraction of lipids. Microalgae strains with high content of lipids were chosen for cultivation and subsequent treatment process. Ammonium hydroxide was tested as the flocculation agent and its efficiency was compared with chitosan. Determined optimal flocculation conditions for ammonium hydroxide enable the water recycling for the recurring microalgae growth, which was verified for the use of 30, 50, and 80% recycled water. For extraction of the wet microalgae hexane, hexane/ethanol and comparative chloroform/methanol systems were applied. The efficiency of hexane/ethanol extraction system was found as comparable with chloroform/methanol system and it seems to be promising owing to its low volatility and toxicity and mainly the low cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR, v.v.i., Rozvojova 135, 16502 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ywetta
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7289-390X
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maleterova
authors.affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR, v.v.i., Rozvojova 135, 16502 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Frantisek
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kastanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR, v.v.i., Rozvojova 135, 16502 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rouskova
authors.affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR, v.v.i., Rozvojova 135, 16502 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matejkova
authors.affiliation: Ecofuel Laboratories, s.r.o., Sazavska 721/17, 12000 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kastanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR, v.v.i., Rozvojova 135, 16502 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8527-9378
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Solcova
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D056804:Biofuels; D001709:Biotechnology; D005427:Flocculation; D058086:Microalgae / Q000502:physiology; D059027:Recycling; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D014867:Water