Unlocking the potential of microalgae as sustainable bioresources from up to downstream processing: A critical review

Microalgae hold tremendous potential as sustainable bioresources in carbon capture, climate change mitigation, and the development of net-zero lifestyles. However, scaling up microalgae cultivation necessitates overcoming obstacles in strain selection, bioreactor design, and cultivation strategies. While microalgae were initially viewed as a simple biomass feedstock for energy security, emerging applications such as wastewater bioremediation, carbon capture, and the production of valuable chemicals have reshaped the overall perspective of microalgae. Exciting advancements in microalgal genetic engineering, encompassing evolutionary approach, CRISPR technology, modular cloning toolkits, and bioinformatics, pave the way for optimizing productivity and minimizing environmental footprints. This review delves into crucial aspects of microalgae cultivation, including harvesting, cell disruption, and waste valorization. Additionally, new understandings of integrative design and life-cycle assessment are discussed alongside the promise of bioenergy production, providing the current stage of development and challenges to handle. Ultimately, this review offers new perspectives on microalgal biotechnology aiming to contribute to an eco-friendly green paradigm.