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Advances in cultivation and processing techniques for microalgal biodiesel: A review

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Abstract

The key technologies for producing microalgal biodiesel include microalgae screening, economical cultivation, and efficient methods in lipid extraction and conversion. Recent advances in microalgae cultivation, lipid extraction, and biodiesel preparation are reviewed in this work, with emphasis on photosynthetic metabolisms, separation efficiency and catalytic kinetics. The mutual exclusion between lipid accumulation and fast growth limits total lipid productivity, while only triglycerides in neutral lipids are converted to biodiesel through transesterification. The hurdles in large scale culture and low neural lipids yield are discussed, as well as the relationship between high unsaturation and fuel properties. This review aims to provide technical information to guide strain screening and lipid conversion for microalgal biodiesel industry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, 501-759, Korea

    Mizhang Xiao & Hyun-Jae Shin

  2. School of Life Science & Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China

    Mizhang Xiao & Qiuhua Dong

Authors
  1. Mizhang Xiao
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  2. Hyun-Jae Shin
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  3. Qiuhua Dong
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Correspondence to Hyun-Jae Shin.

Additional information

This paper is dedicated to commemorate Prof. Ji-Won Yang (KAIST) for his retirement.

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Xiao, M., Shin, HJ. & Dong, Q. Advances in cultivation and processing techniques for microalgal biodiesel: A review. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 30, 2119–2126 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-013-0161-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-013-0161-1

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