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Water
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Smart Microalgal Biotechnology
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Smart Microalgal Biotechnology

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water-Energy Nexus".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 December 2023) | Viewed by 10361

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mostafa M. El-Sheekh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Botany Department, Faculty Of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta, Egypt
Interests: biodiesel of microalgae; bioethanol; biohydrogen; biotechnology of pharmaceutical products; microalgae and cancer treatment; microalgae and antioxidants; wastewater bioremdiation
Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Marine Resources, Conservation and Technology, Marine Algae Laboratory, Centre for Functional Ecology—Science for People & the Planet (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: marine biotechnology; phycology; biodiversity; nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgae have become important in the field of biotechnology. Microalgal biotechnology includes several techniques for producing many different bioproducts, such as food supplements, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and agricultural or industrial biochemicals. Nowadays, it is used in the production of bioplastics, biostimulants, and biopesticides. Microalgal biotechnology has gained attention in the bioremediation of industrial, agricultural, and domestic wastewater. Microalgae biotechnology has several advantages since microalgae can be cultivated in severe conditions and use wastewater as well as saline water.  Recent research activities in microalgal biotechnology are expanding to comprise different areas of industry, agriculture, and health.  The present Thematic Topic on “Smart Microalgal Biotechnology” aims to gather original research works and reviews and to integrate the current progress and recent research advances of basic and applied aspects of microalgal biotechnology.

We welcome submissions that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Microalgae cultivation and biomass production for food and feed;
  • Microalgae for wastewater treatment;
  • Cultivation of algae in wastewater and recycling;
  • Coupling microalgae bioremediation of wastewater and bioenergy;
  • Cultivation of microalgae to produce valuable products such as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, biostimulants, etc.;
  • Microalgal biotechnology for biofertilizer production;
  • Microalgal biotechnology for minimizing global changes and reduction in greenhouse gas emission;
  • Algae for CO2 sequestration into biomass for valuable products.

Prof. Dr. Mostafa M. El-Sheekh
Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wastewater bioremediation
  • microalgae biodiesel
  • microalgae
  • water quality

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 935 KiB  
Article
Antibacterial Activity of Bioactive Compounds Extracted from the Egyptian Untapped Green Alga Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum
by Hanaa H. Morsi, Sabha M. El-Sabbagh, Ahlam A. Mehesen, Ahmed D. Mohamed, Maha Al-Harbi, Amr Elkelish, Mostafa M. El-Sheekh and Abdullah A. Saber
Water 2023, 15(11), 2030; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15112030 - 26 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1353
Abstract
Finding alternative powerful antibacterial drugs of natural origins is, today, a crucial prerequisite due to the resistance of some bacterial strains to commercial and widely-used medications. Algae are characterized by their bioactive constituents and have a wide spectrum of biotechnological aspects, particularly antibacterial [...] Read more.
Finding alternative powerful antibacterial drugs of natural origins is, today, a crucial prerequisite due to the resistance of some bacterial strains to commercial and widely-used medications. Algae are characterized by their bioactive constituents and have a wide spectrum of biotechnological aspects, particularly antibacterial implications. During this study, four concentrations (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg mL–1) of the Egyptian untapped green microalga Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum (Chlorophyta) were prepared using the polar solvents ethanol, methanol, and acetone. The antibacterial activity of the above-mentioned extracts was assessed, using the agar disc diffusion technique against three pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, which was compared to standard antibiotics. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were also assessed and determined using a broth dilution assay. Our findings revealed that the R. hieroglyphicum ethanolic extract exhibited the most potent antibacterial effect and its MICs values were 0.533, 2.25, and 5.34 mg mL–1 against P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and S. aureus, respectively. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) approach to the crude R. hieroglyphicum ethanolic extract uncovered 30 different bioactive constituents, mainly including long-chain polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids such as myristic (C14:0), palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), α-linolenic (C18:3; ω–3), and oleic (C18:1, ω–9) acids, which synergistically make this potent antibacterial action. The mechanism of action of these fatty acids was also discussed. Conclusively, R. hieroglyphicum could be a good candidate for the production and development of promising antibacterial agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Microalgal Biotechnology)
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12 pages, 1613 KiB  
Article
Screening the Pollution-Tolerant Chlorococcum sp. (Chlorophyceae) Grown in Municipal Wastewater for Simultaneous Nutrient Removal and Biodiesel Production
by Hanaa H. Morsi, Mostafa M. El-Sheekh, Hamed Eladel, Majdah M. Al-Tuwaijri, Sabha M. El-Sabbagh, Ayah Maher and Abdullah A. Saber
Water 2023, 15(9), 1723; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15091723 - 28 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1680
Abstract
Over the last few years and with increasing global climatic change, the international energy crisis and shortage of freshwater resources have raised many inquiries about global water security and energy. Therefore, finding out alternative and sustainable energy sources has become an important universal [...] Read more.
Over the last few years and with increasing global climatic change, the international energy crisis and shortage of freshwater resources have raised many inquiries about global water security and energy. Therefore, finding out alternative and sustainable energy sources has become an important universal requirement. Here, we assessed the viability of exploiting municipal wastewater (WW) as a nutrient-rich growth medium for cultivating the pollution-tolerant coccoid green microalga Chlorococcum sp. (Chlorophyceae) to simultaneously remove nutrients and produce biodiesel. Chlorococcum sp. was isolated from municipal wastewater sampled from Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Under the standard growth conditions and until reaching the late exponential growth phase, it was cultivated at different concentrations (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) of the secondary treated WW, and the findings were compared to the control (grown in BBM). The study results revealed that the 50% WW treatment was the most suitable approach for removing NO3−, NH4+, and TP with percentages of 96.9%, 98.4%, and 90.1%, respectively. Moreover, the 50% WW treatment produced the highest algal biomass (1.97 g L−1) and productivity (82 mg L−1 day−1). In addition, it showed the highest lipid production (600 mg L−1), with 25 mg L−1 day−1 lipid productivity and lipid yield with 30.5% of the cell dry weight (CDW). The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was applied to characterize fatty acid profiling, and it was found that oleic (C18:1) and palmitic (C16:0) fatty acids were present in much higher concentrations in Chlorococcum sp. cells grown in 50% WW as compared to the control, i.e., 44.43% and 27.38% vs. 36.75% and 21.36%, respectively. No big difference was present in linoleic (C18:2) fatty acid concentrations. Importantly, the biodiesel properties of our Chlorococcum sp. grown in 50% WW were consistent with the international biodiesel standards. In light of our findings, Chlorococcum sp. has a great potential for utilization as a biodiesel feedstock and for bioremediation of wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Microalgal Biotechnology)
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15 pages, 2556 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Anticancer, Antibacterial, and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Activities from Oscillatoria sancta under Starvation Conditions
by Hussein E. Touliabah and Dina A. Refaay
Water 2023, 15(4), 664; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15040664 - 08 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1676
Abstract
The growth response and biological activity of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sancta were investigated in starvation conditions. Oscillatoria sancta growth potential was examined on BG11 and Zarrouk’s media. Zarrouk’s medium supported the maximum growth of the test cyanobacterium. Zarrouk’s medium composition was modified by [...] Read more.
The growth response and biological activity of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sancta were investigated in starvation conditions. Oscillatoria sancta growth potential was examined on BG11 and Zarrouk’s media. Zarrouk’s medium supported the maximum growth of the test cyanobacterium. Zarrouk’s medium composition was modified by excluding CaCl2·2H2O, NaCl, EDTA (Na), micronutrients, and replacing sodium nitrate with urea. Using Zarrouk’s medium and three different concentrations of modified Zarrouk’s media (Treatments 1–3), the growth response of Oscillatoria sancta (MZ366482) was examined and compared. Zarrouk’s medium and modified Zarrouk’s medium at 12.5% nutrient concentration had non-significant differences in both the dry weight biomass and total protein of Oscillatoria sancta. Oscillatoria sancta crude biomass extracts grown on Zarrouk’s and modified Zarrouk’s media (T3) inhibited human breast cancer, pathogenic bacteria, and acetylcholinesterase activity. Oscillatoria sancta grown on T3 showed the most potency against MDA-MB-231 cells with an IC50 of 165.2 µg mL−1, antibacterial activity only against Bacillus cereus (17.2 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (15.3 mm), and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity by 60.7%. Thus, it is advisable to use the 12.5% nutrient concentration of modified Zarrouk’s medium as a reduced-cost medium for mass cultivation of Oscillatoria sancta with potential anticancer, antibacterial diseases, and anti-Alzheimer purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Microalgal Biotechnology)
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Review

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24 pages, 1027 KiB  
Review
A Review of the Harvesting Techniques of Microalgae
by Ponnuvel Deepa, Kandhasamy Sowndhararajan and Songmun Kim
Water 2023, 15(17), 3074; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15173074 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3411
Abstract
Algae are an important group of photosynthetic autotrophs and are commonly found in different types of water bodies, including paddy fields. The algal group possesses distinctive characteristics and ranges from prokaryotic cyanobacteria to eukaryotic algae. Within these, microalgae are unicellular microorganisms widely distributed [...] Read more.
Algae are an important group of photosynthetic autotrophs and are commonly found in different types of water bodies, including paddy fields. The algal group possesses distinctive characteristics and ranges from prokaryotic cyanobacteria to eukaryotic algae. Within these, microalgae are unicellular microorganisms widely distributed in saltwater as well as freshwater environments. Microalgae species have been utilized in different fields, especially animal and human nutrition, medicine, bioremediation, and bio-fertilizers. Recently, numerous studies have reported the importance of microalgae in the production of biofuel. Further, microalgae have great carbon dioxide fixation efficiency during growth, so farmable land is not required for cultivating microalgae. Microalgae biomass production is a three-step process: cultivation, harvesting, and processing. Of these, the harvesting process is considered challenging due to its high cost, and it directly affects the processing step. In addition, several factors influence the harvesting process, including the size of microalgae cells (<30 µm), cultural conditions of microalgae, electronegative property of cell membrane, growth rate, etc. The harvesting of microalgae is an elaborate process that involves different chemical or mechanical approaches. A number of harvesting techniques have been utilized to recover algal biomass, such as membrane filtration, chemical and bio-flocculation, flotation centrifugation, sedimentation, and coagulation. In this context, this review aims to discuss various types of techniques used for harvesting microalgae. This review could be useful for selecting appropriate harvesting technology for enhancing the yield of microalgae biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Microalgal Biotechnology)
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30 pages, 4800 KiB  
Review
Reviewing the Potential of Algae Species as a Green Alternative to Produce Nanoparticles: Findings from a Database Analysis
by Laura Lamilla-Tamayo, Felipe Escobar-Calderón and Milan Skalický
Water 2023, 15(12), 2208; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122208 - 12 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1576
Abstract
Nanotechnology has seen increased research and implementation in recent decades in numerous applications. Based on the information in the papers, we built a database that included algae species used, biomass pre-processing, main precursors, solvents, production approaches, final size, and possible uses. An analysis [...] Read more.
Nanotechnology has seen increased research and implementation in recent decades in numerous applications. Based on the information in the papers, we built a database that included algae species used, biomass pre-processing, main precursors, solvents, production approaches, final size, and possible uses. An analysis of this data revealed a great diversity of algae species investigated for this purpose (68 species of algae and 45 families). The analysis of the strategy plot shows that there are four clusters of themes that are different from each other. Still, some patterns are recognizable, e.g., the general cluster with general methodologies and concepts is in the intersection zone. The second cluster is related to the use of macroalgae, which has had a strong development in the past, but now seems to be less attractive, and the third cluster is on the use of nanoparticles to control bacteria, which seems to be a topic that, although not currently driving the field, could become a major driver if current trends continue. New technological developments should be expected in the near future as NPs synthesis from green renewable sources such as algae poses an alternative to the traditional means in the coming years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Microalgal Biotechnology)
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