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- In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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Received February 4, 2024
Accepted March 15, 2024
- This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Potential of Algal Biomass and Their Cultivation for Biofuels Production as Plausible Bio-resource for Economic Sustainability
Abstract
Depletion of conventional energy resources necessitates the exploration of new alternative raw materials for sustainable
biofuel production to improve socio-economic development. This research focuses on the cultivation of specifi c algae varieties,
biomass quantifi cation, fatty acid profi ling, and their potential application in biodiesel production. The study examines
diverse emerging algal species, including Ulothrix , Stigeoclonium , Chlorella vulgaris , Cladophora , Oedogonium , Oscillatoria
, Spirogyra , and H. reticulatum . Over a 4-week cultivation period, all species demonstrated increased dry biomass,
with Ulothrix exhibiting the maximum growth (19 g) and Stigeoclonium the minimum (5 g). Lipid composition analysis by
microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) indicated varying percentages (% DW) among strains, with Ulothrix sp. displaying
the highest lipid content (62.4%). Lipid yields, crucial for biodiesel, followed the order: Ulothrix > Stigeoclonium > C. vulgaris
> Cladophora sp. > Oedogonium > Oscillatoria > Spirogyra sp. > H. reticulatum . Further analysis of fatty acid methyl
esters (FAMEs) composition using GC–MS revealed 24 detected FAMEs, with percentage ranges for specifi c fatty acids.
The total FAMEs yield reached approximately 98% (w/w) from algal biodiesel, showcasing variations in saturated, monounsaturated,
and polyunsaturated FAMEs content among strains. Fatty acid profi les, emphasizing linoleic, stearic, and oleic
acids, were analyzed, identifying Cladophora sp., Chlorella vulgaris , and Stigeoclonium sp. as promising biodiesel candidates
based on growth rates and fuel properties. All algal strains met or exceeded specifi cations, except for H. reticulatum
in cetane number. Despite highlighting challenges in large-scale algal cultivation for cost-eff ective biomass production, this
study underscores the potential of expanding the algae biorefi nery value chain to include advanced biofuels and valuable
co-products, presenting a signifi cant global impact on the gross domestic product.