Sustainable development of microalgae-based ingredients

Land-based aquaculture and seafood industries consume large amounts of water and thus also generate a wide range of residual water streams of varying quantity and quality. Some are extremely rich in salt and nutrients, such as phosphate, nitrogen and organic carbon. Current methods for wastewater treatment are very expensive and energy-intensive. In addition, valuable nutrients are lost from the food chain, and in the best case are instead used for low-value purposes such as biogas. At the same time, the demand for new and sustainable resources for the production of food, materials and energy is increasing.

Cultivation of microalgae in wastewater streams could solve this dual problem. Microalgae are microscopic organisms that have a unique ability to carry out photosynthesis and efficiently convert dissolved nutrients into biomass in the form of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates and carotenoids.

The specific aims of SEAlgaePower are to optimize pilot-scale algae cultivation and wastewater cleaning; develop biorefinery protocols for protein, lipid, and carbohydrate recovery from the microalgal biomass; and to develop microalgae-based product prototypes and ingredients in a bioprospecting manner. RISE will here focus specifically on the development of fiber-based materials for wound healing and regenerative medicine using high molecular weight carbohydrates and proteins as well as on the encapsulation of bioactive lipids, pigments, and peptides.