Advancements in Nano-Enhanced microalgae bioprocessing.

Microalgae are promising sources of valuable compounds: carotenoids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipids, etc. To overcome the feasibility challenge due to low yield and attain commercial potential, researchers merge technologies to enhance algal bioprocess. In this context, nanomaterials are attractive for enhancing microalgal bioprocessing, from cultivation to downstream extraction. Nanomaterials enhance biomass and product yields (mainly lipid and carotenoids) through improved nutrient uptake and stress tolerance during cultivation. They also provide mechanistic insights from recent studies. They also revolutionize harvesting via nano-induced sedimentation, flocculation, and flotation. Downstream processing benefits from nanomaterials, improving extraction and purification. Special attention is given to cost-effective extraction, showcasing nanomaterial integration, and providing a comparative account. The review also profiles nanomaterial types, including metallic nanoparticles, magnetic nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, silica nanoparticles, polymers, and functionalized nanomaterials. Challenges and future trends are discussed, emphasizing nanomaterials' role in advancing sustainable and efficient microalgal bioprocessing, unlocking their potential for bio-based industries.

Development in health-promoting essential polyunsaturated fatty acids production by microalgae: a review.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) found in microalgae, primarily omega-3 (ω-3) and omega-6 (ω-6) are essential nutrients with positive effects on diseases such as hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and coronary risk. Researchers still seek improvement in PUFA yield at a large scale for better commercial prospects. This review summarizes advancements in microalgae PUFA research for their cost-effective production and potential applications. Moreover, it discusses the most promising cultivation modes using organic and inorganic sources. It also discusses biomass hydrolysates to increase PUFA production as an alternative and sustainable organic source. For cost-effective PUFA production, heterotrophic, mixotrophic, and photoheterotrophic cultivation modes are assessed with traditional photoautotrophic production modes. Also, mixotrophic cultivation has fascinating sustainable attributes over other trophic modes. Furthermore, it provides insight into growth phase (stage I) improvement strategies to accumulate biomass and the complementing effects of other stress-inducing strategies during the production phase (stage II) on PUFA enhancement under these cultivation modes. The role of an excessive or limiting range of salinity, nutrients, carbon source, and light intensity were the most effective parameter in stage II for accumulating higher PUFAs such as ω-3 and ω-6. This article outlines the commercial potential of microalgae for omega PUFA production. They reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, and hypertension and play an important role in their emerging role in healthy lifestyle management.

Sustainable production of cellulose and hemicellulose-derived oligosaccharides from pineapple leaves: Impact of hydrothermal pretreatment and controlled enzymatic hydrolysis.

Globally, the demands for sustainably sourced functional foods like prebiotic oligosaccharides have been constantly increasing. This study assessed the potential of pineapple leaves (PL) as lignocellulosic feedstock for sustainable production of cellulose and hemicellulose-derived oligosaccharides through its hydrothermal pretreatment (HT) followed by controlled enzymatic hydrolysis. PL was subjected to HT at 160, 175, and 190 °C for 20, 30, 60, and 90 min without any catalyst for xylooligosaccharide (XOS) production, whereas, the resulting solid content after HT was subjected to controlled enzymatic hydrolysis by commercial cellulase using conduritol B epoxide (0.5-5 mM) for glucooligosaccharides (GOS) production. HT at 160 °C for 60 min resulted in maximum yield of XOS and GOS at 23.7 and 18.3 %, respectively, in the liquid phase. Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of HT treated (160 °C) PL solids for 20 and 30 min yielded âˆ¼ 174 mg cellobiose/g dry biomass within 24 h, indicating overall high oligosaccharide production.

Graphene-based functional electrochemical sensors for the detection of chlorpyrifos in water and food samples: a review.

Prolonged and excessive use of chlorpyrifos (CPS) has caused severe pollution, particularly in crops, vegetables, fruits, and water sources. As a result, CPS is detected in various food and water samples using conventional methods. However, its applications are limited due to size, portability, cost, etc. In this regard, electrochemical sensors are preferred for CPS detection due to their high sensitivity, reliability, rapid, on-site detection, and user-friendly. Notably, graphene-based electrochemical sensors have gained more attention due to their unique physiochemical and electrochemical properties. It shows high sensitivity, selectivity, and quick response because of its high surface area and high conductivity. In this review, we have discussed an overview of three graphene-based different functional electrochemical sensors such as electroanalytical sensors, bio-electrochemical sensors, and photoelectrochemical sensors used to detect CPS in food and water samples. Furthermore, the fabrication and operation of these electrochemical sensors using various materials (low band gap material, nanomaterials, enzymes, antibodies, DNA, aptamers, and so on) and electrochemical techniques (CV, DPV, EIS, SWV etc.) are discussed. The study found that the electrical signal was reduced with increasing CPS concentration. This is due to the blocking of active sites, reduced redox reaction, impedance, irreversible reactions, etc. In addition, acetylcholinesterase-coupled sensors are more sensitive and stable than others. Also, it can be further improved by fabricating with low band gap nanomaterials. Despite their advantages, these sensors have significant drawbacks, such as low reusability, repeatability, stability, and high cost. Therefore, further research is required to overcome such limitations.

Sustainable management of tea wastes: resource recovery and conversion techniques.

As the demand for tea (Camellia sinensis) has grown across the world, the amount of biomass waste that has been produced during the harvesting process has also increased. Tea consumption was estimated at about 6.3 million tonnes in 2020 and is anticipated to reach 7.4 million tonnes by 2025. The generation of tea waste (TW) after use has also increased concurrently with rising tea consumption. TW includes clipped stems, wasted tea leaves, and buds. Many TW-derived products have proven benefits in various applications, including energy generation, energy storage, wastewater treatment, and pharmaceuticals. TW is widely used in environmental and energy-related applications. Energy recovery from low- and medium-calorific value fuels may be accomplished in a highly efficient manner using pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and gasification. TW-made biochar and activated carbon are also promising adsorbents for use in environmental applications. Another area where TW shows promise is in the synthesis of phytochemicals. This review offers an overview of the conversion procedures for TW into value-added products. Further, the improvements in their applications for energy generation, energy storage, removal of different contaminants, and extraction of phytochemicals have been reviewed. A comprehensive assessment of the sustainable use of TWs as environmentally acceptable renewable resources is compiled in this review.

Fine-tuning of key parameters to enhance biomass and nutritional polyunsaturated fatty acids production from Thraustochytrium sp.

The escalating demand for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) due to their vital health effects has deepened the exploration of sustainable sources. Thraustochytrium sp. stands out as a promising platform for omega-3 and 6 PUFA production. This research strategically optimizes key parameters: temperature, salinity, pH, and G:Y:P ratio and the optimized conditions for maximum biomass, total lipid, and DHA enhancement were 28 °C, 50 %, 6, and 10:1:2 respectively. Process optimization enhanced 32.30 and 31.92 % biomass (9.88 g/L) and lipid (6.57 g/L) yield. Notably, DHA concentration experienced a substantial rise of 69.91 % (1.63 g/L), accompanied by notable increases in EPA and DPA by 82.69 % and 31.47 %, respectively. MANOVA analysis underscored the statistical significance of the optimization process (p < 0.01), with all environmental factors significantly influencing biomass and lipid data (p < 0.05), particularly impacting DHA production. Thraustochytrium sp. can be a potential source of commercial DHA production with the fine-tuning of these key process parameters.

Biodegradation of microplastics: Advancement in the strategic approaches towards prevention of its accumulation and harmful effects.

Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles in a size ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm in diameter, and are formed by the breakdown of plastics from different sources. They are emerging environmental pollutants, and pose a great threat to living organisms. Improper disposal, inadequate recycling, and excessive use of plastic led to the accumulation of MP in the environment. The degradation of MP can be done either biotically or abiotically. In view of that, this article discusses the molecular mechanisms that involve bacteria, fungi, and enzymes to degrade the MP polymers as the primary objective. As per as abiotic degradation is concerned, two different modes of MP degradation were discussed in order to justify the effectiveness of biotic degradation. Finally, this review is concluded with the challenges and future perspectives of MP biodegradation based on the existing research gaps. The main objective of this article is to provide the readers with clear insight, and ideas about the recent advancements in MP biodegradation.

Microalgal lutein: Advancements in production, extraction, market potential, and applications.

Lutein, a bioactive xanthophyll, has recently attracted significant attention for numerous health benefits, e.g., protection of eye health, macular degeneration, and acute and chronic syndromes etc. Microalgae have emerged as the best platform for high-value lutein production with high productivity, lutein content, and scale-up potential. Algal lutein possesses numerous bioactivities, hence widely used in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, aquaculture, cosmetics, etc. This review highlights advances in upstream lutein production enhancement and feasible downstream extraction and cell disruption techniques for a large-scale lutein biorefinery. Besides bioprocess-related advances, possible solutions for existing production challenges in microalgae-based lutein biorefinery, market potential, and emerging commercial scopes of lutein and its potential health applications are also discussed. The key enzymes involved in the lutein biosynthesizing Methyl-Erythritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway have been briefly described. This review provides a comprehensive updates on lutein research advancements covering scalable upstream and downstream production strategies and potential applications for researchers and industrialists.

Assessment of thraustochytrids potential for carotenoids, terpenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids biorefinery.

Heterotrophic fast-growing thraustochytrids have been identified as promising candidates for the bioconversion of organic sources into industrially important valuable products. Marine thraustochytrids exhibit remarkable potential for high-value polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) production however their potential is recently discovered for high-value carotenoids and terpenoids which also have a role as a dietary supplement and health promotion. Primarily, omega-3 and 6 PUFAs (DHA, EPA, and ARA) from thraustochytrids are emerging sources of nutrient supplements for vegetarians replacing animal sources and active pharmaceutical ingredients due to excellent bioactivities. Additionally, thraustochytrids produce reasonable amounts of squalene (terpenoid) and carotenoids which are also high-value products with great market potential. Hence, these can be coextracted as a byproduct with PUFAs under the biorefinery concept. There is still quite a few printed information on bioprocess conditions for decent (co)-production of squalene and carotenoid from selective protists such as lutein, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and lycopene. The current review seeks to provide a concise overview of the coproduction and application of PUFAs, carotenoids, and terpenoids from oleaginous thraustochytrids and their application to human health.

Microalgae and nano-cellulose composite produced via a co-culturing strategy for ammonia removal from the aqueous phase.

This study addresses the pressing need for sustainable bioremediation solutions to combat increasing pollution challenges in alignment with sustainability development goals. The research focuses on developing a co-culture approach involving microalgae and Komagataeibacter europaeus BCRC 14148 bacterium to create a biocomposite for efficient ammonia removal. Nanocellulose, produced by the bacterium, serves as a substrate for microalgae attachment. Optimization using specific growth media ratios resulted in biocomposite yields of 4.05 ± 0.16 g/L and 3.83 ± 0.13 g/L in HS medium with fructose and glucose, respectively. The optimal conditions include a 40:60 ratio of HS-F to TAP medium, 25 ℃ incubation, 6000 Lux light intensity, pH 5.5, and a 48-hour incubation period. When applied to wastewater treatment, the biocomposite demonstrated exceptional ammonium removal efficiency at 91.64 ± 1.27 %. This co-culture-derived biocomposite offers an eco-friendly, recyclable, and effective solution for sustainable environmental bioremediation.

Advances in oligosaccharides production from brown seaweeds: extraction, characterization, antimetabolic syndrome, and other potential applications.

Brown seaweeds are a promising source of bioactive substances, particularly oligosaccharides. This group has recently gained considerable attention due to its diverse cell wall composition, structure, and wide-spectrum bioactivities. This review article provides a comprehensive update on advances in oligosaccharides (OSs) production from brown seaweeds and their potential health applications. It focuses on advances in feedstock pretreatment, extraction, characterization, and purification prior to OS use for potential health applications. Brown seaweed oligosaccharides (BSOSs) are extracted using various methods. Among these, enzymatic hydrolysis is the most preferred, with high specificity, mild reaction conditions, and low energy consumption. However, the enzyme selection and hydrolysis conditions need to be optimized for desirable yield and oligosaccharides composition. Characterization of oligosaccharides is essential to determine their structure and properties related to bioactivities and to predict their most suitable application. This is well covered in this review. Analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are commonly applied to analyze oligosaccharides. BSOSs exhibit a range of biological properties, mainly antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and prebiotic properties among others. Importantly, BSOSs have been linked to possible health advantages, including metabolic syndrome management. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, oligosaccharides have potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Future research should focus on improving industrial-scale oligosaccharide extraction and purification, as well as researching their potential utility in the treatment of various health disorders.[Figure: see text].

Brown algae exhibit a great diversity to offer a wide range of OSs bioactivities.Non-enzymatic extraction yields 30-58% OSs more than enzymatic routes.Enzymatically derived OSs exhibit better bioactivity than non-enzymatic OSs.Nanofiltration/activated carbon can solve bottlenecks in large-scale purification.OSs health applications are proven at in vitro stage, clinical studies yet to be done.

A circular biorefinery approach for the production of xylooligosaccharides by using mild acid hydrothermal pretreatment of pineapple leaves waste.

A hydrothermal process is a sustainable approach for biorefinery leading to conversion of lignocellulosic (LC) biomass into value-added products. This study is based on the production of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) from pineapple leaves (PL) waste by using mild acid like gluconic acid (GA). GA, when used as catalyst in hydrothermal process to produce XOS the yield improved. The above process can be integrated with bacterial cellulose (BC) production bioprocess via Komagataeibacter europaeus 14,148 where gluconic acid is produced as by-product. Maximum XOS (2-5 degree of polymerisation) yield of 67.79 % in the liquid fraction was obtained via hydrothermal treatment at 160 °C for 60 min with 5% gluconic acid concentration. It is based on the selective solubilization of hemicellulose fraction. Enzymatic hydrolysis of GA hydrothermally pretreated solid fraction of PL biomass gave 14.5 g/L glucose with 5% solid loading and 10 FPU/gds enzyme loading which was employed for Bacterial cellulose production.

Enhanced copper (II) bioremediation from wastewater using nano magnetite (Fe3O4) modified biochar of Ascophyllum nodosum.

Despite the remarkable Cu(II) sorption biochar potential, it is challenging to desorb them for repeated biochar usage. The present study aims to develop engineered biochar by polarizing Ascophyllum nodosum (seaweed) biomass and magnetizing it with Fe3O4 nanoparticles coating. SEM, EDX, XRD, BET, and FT-IR helped to characterize engineered biochar. Unlike conventional, magnetite biochar exhibited a significant Cu(II) removal potential from an aqueous solution at pH 5. The native and magnetic biochar removal efficiency was 75.2 % (36.99 mgg-1) and 90.27% (45.13 mgg-1), respectively. No significant change in temperature effect was observed. Adsorption study showed that magnetic biochar followed the Langmuir isotherm model with Qmax 53.19 mgg-1. Adsorption kinetics study indicates that magnetic biochar chemisorption dominates over physisorption. Thus, this study shows that seaweed-derived modified biochar could be the best alternative bioresource for removing heavy metals from wastewater. It can be reused to reduce the overall treatment cost of the process.

Sustainable mixotrophic microalgae refinery of astaxanthin and lipid from Chlorella zofingiensis.

Microalgal astaxanthin possesses numerous bioactivities and has several health applications. The current research focuses on designing and optimizing the two-stage mixotrophic bioprocess by Chlorella zofingiensis for astaxanthin production. Gradual increase in light intensity (4-8k-lux) and 3x micronutrient concentration were the key parameters for maximizing biomass yield of 2.5 g/L during 15 days of stage I. Furthermore, stress conditions (excessive CO2, light, salinity, etc.) enhanced astaxanthin yield at stage II. 20k lux light, 3x nutrients, and 5% CO2 were the best ranges for maximum astaxanthin production. Maximum biomass yield and astaxanthin content were 3.3 g/L and 16.7 mg/g, respectively, after 29 days of bioprocess. Astaxanthin biosynthesis was also affected by salinity, but less than other parameters. Astaxanthin bioprocess resulted in enhanced lipid yields of 35-37%, which could be used for biodiesel. This study shows promising scale-up potential with attractive sustainability features of Chlorella zofingiensis model for commercial astaxanthin-lipid biorefinery.

Advances in Algomics technology: Application in wastewater treatment and biofuel production.

Advanced sustainable bioremediation is gaining importance with rising global pollution. This review examines microalgae's potential for sustainable bioremediation and process enhancement using multi-omics approaches. Recently, microalgae-bacterial consortia have emerged for synergistic nutrient removal, allowing complex metabolite exchanges. Advanced bioremediation requires effective consortium design or pure culture based on the treatment stage and specific roles. The strain potential must be screened using modern omics approaches aligning wastewater composition. The review highlights crucial research gaps in microalgal bioremediation. It discusses multi-omics advantages for understanding microalgal fitness concerning wastewater composition and facilitating the design of microalgal consortia based on bioremediation skills. Metagenomics enables strain identification, thereby monitoring microbial dynamics during the treatment process. Transcriptomics and metabolomics encourage the algal cell response toward nutrients and pollutants in wastewater. Multi-omics role is also summarized for product enhancement to make algal treatment sustainable and fit for sustainable development goals and growing circular bioeconomy scenario.

Exploring the Anti-Cancer Effects of Fish Bone Fermented Using Monascus purpureus: Induction of Apoptosis and Autophagy in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Fish bone fermented using Monascus purpureus (FBF) has total phenols and functional amino acids that contribute to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Colorectal cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers and the third largest cause of death worldwide, has become a serious threat to global health. This study investigates the anti-cancer effects of FBF (1, 2.5 or 5 mg/mL) on the cell growth and molecular mechanism of HCT-116 cells. The HCT-116 cell treatment with 2.5 or 5 mg/mL of FBF for 24 h significantly decreased cell viability (p < 0.05). The S and G2/M phases significantly increased by 88-105% and 25-43%, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, FBF increased the mRNA expression of caspase 8 (38-77%), protein expression of caspase 3 (34-94%), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) (31-34%) and induced apoptosis (236-773%) of HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05). FBF also increased microtubule-associated protein 1B light chain 3 (LC3) (38-48%) and phosphoinositide 3 kinase class III (PI3K III) (32-53%) protein expression, thereby inducing autophagy (26-52%) of HCT-116 cells (p < 0.05). These results showed that FBF could inhibit HCT-116 cell growth by inducing S and G2/M phase arrest of the cell cycle, apoptosis and autophagy. Thus, FBF has the potential to treat colorectal cancer.

Enhanced mixotrophic production of lutein and lipid from potential microalgae isolate Chlorella sorokiniana C16.

The current work aims to isolate high lutein-producing microalgae and maximize lutein production under a sustainable lutein-lipid biorefinery scheme. Lutein reduces retinitis, macular degeneration risk and improves eye health. An effective bioprocess design optimized nutrients, temperature, light, and salinity for biomass and lutein yield enhancement. 3X macro/micronutrients maximally enhanced biomass and lutein yields, 5.2 g/Land 71.13 mg/L. Temperature 32 °C exhibited maximum 17.4 mg/g lutein content and 10 k lux was most favorable for growth and lutein yield (15.47 mg/g). A 25% seawater addition led maximum of 21-27% lipid that could be used for biodiesel. Isolate was identified as Chlorella sorokiniana C16, which exhibited one of the highest lutein yields reported among recent studies, positioning it as a promising candidate for commercial lutein production. This study provides valuable insights into an effective bioprocess design and highlights the C16 strain potential as a sustainable platform for high-value lutein production under a biorefinery scheme.

Depolymerization of lignin: Recent progress towards value-added chemicals and biohydrogen production.

The need for alternative sources of energy became increasingly urgent as demand for energy and the use of fossil fuels both soared. When processed into aromatic compounds, lignin can be utilized as an alternative to fossil fuels, however, lignin's complex structure and recalcitrance make depolymerization impractical. This article presented an overview of the most recent advances in lignin conversion, including process technology, catalyst advancement, and case study-based end products. In addition to the three established methods (thermochemical, biochemical, and catalytic depolymerization), a lignin-first strategy was presented. Depolymerizing different forms of lignin into smaller phenolic molecules has been suggested using homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation or reduction. Limitations and future prospects of lignin depolymerization have been discussed which suggests that solar-driven catalytic depolymerization through photocatalysts including quantum dots offers a unique pathway to obtain the highly catalytic conversion of lignin.

A critical review on valorization of food processing wastes and by-products for pullulan production.

Pullulan is a commercially available exopolymer biosynthesized by Aureobasidium pullulans supplemented with nitrogen, carbon and other vital components through submerged and solid-state fermentation. These nutrients are very expensive and it raises the cost for the production of pullulan. Hence, the need of alternative cost-effective raw materials for its production is a prerequisite. Owing to its unique physicochemical features, pullulan has various applications in the food, pharmacological, and biomedical domains. Food industrial wastes generate a considerable number of by-products which accumulates and has a negative influence on the environment. These by-products are made up of proteins, carbohydrates, and other components, can be employed as substrates for the production of pullulan. The present review briefs on the pullulan production using food processing waste and by-products and the elements that impact it. It provides an insight into versatile applications of pullulan in food industries. Various challenges and future prospects in the field of research on pullulan production have been uncovered.

Environment friendly emerging techniques for the treatment of waste biomass: a focus on microwave and ultrasonication processes.

In the recent past, an increasing interest is mostly observed in using microwave and ultrasonic irradiation to aid the biological conversion of waste materials into value-added products. This study is focused on various individual impacts of microwaves and ultrasonic waves for the treatment of biomass before the synthesis of value-added products. Following, a comprehensive review of the mechanisms governing microwaves and ultrasonication as the treatment methods, their effects on biomass disruption, solubilization of organic matter, modification of the crystalline structure, enzymatic hydrolysis and production of reducing sugars was performed. However, based on the lab-scale experiments evaluated, microwaves and ultrasonication were studied to be economically and energetically ineffective despite their beneficial effects on the waste biomass. This article reviews some of the difficulties associated with using microwaves and ultrasonic irradiation for the efficient processing of waste biomasses and identified some potential directions for future study.