Abstract
Microalgae cultivation is still limited to small-scale systems with relatively high production costs. To overcome these limitations and to improve microalgae competitiveness, one alternative that has been explored is the submission of microalgae cells to stress conditions, promoting an increase of the biomass concentration and the production of internal compounds. In this context, the novel technologies of ultrasound (US), pulsed electric field (PEF), moderated electric field (MEF), and static electric field (SEF) may be used for this purpose. However, the application of these technologies to microalgae growth is still incipient, and their effects on cells are not yet fully understood. Therefore, it is still necessary to better understand and compile the influence of different process parameters on cell metabolism. The aim of this review is to contribute for elucidation of the mechanisms involved when novel technologies are applied to microalgae cells. Positive results obtained by different authors were correlated to process parameters, providing a concise comprehension of US and PEF applications for microalgae growth.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from CNPQ (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico), as a scholarship for the first author, CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), for the scholarship conceded to the first author, and FAPERGS (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul).
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Pereira, R.N., Jaeschke, D.P., Mercali, G. et al. Impact of ultrasound and electric fields on microalgae growth: a comprehensive review. Braz. J. Chem. Eng. 40, 607–622 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-022-00281-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-022-00281-z