Reactive oxygen species can bind protein, DNA, lipids, and carbohydrates and thus cause an oxidation reaction that induces various syndromes such as cardiovascular diseases, degenerative disease, and cancer types in the human body. Bioactive compounds, such as PUFA, EPA, DHA, and carotenoids in algae, have a chain ring and protect the tissue from chemical damage and reverse the symptoms of some diseases. Algal bioactives also have various biological properties such as anticoagulants, antiviral, antiangiogenic, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and immune modulation properties. This study aimed to show in vitro cytotoxic activity effect of Chlorella protothecoides and Nannochloropsis oculata microalgal extracts loaded nano–microparticles on A‐172 (Homo sapiens brain glioblastoma) and HCT‐116 (H. sapiens colon colorectal carcinoma) cell lines because of the increasing importance of algal biotechnology. MTT viability tests were performed on HUVEC, A172, and HCT 116 cells with particles obtained at optimum process parameters. The cell viability rates of encapsulated particles were also compared with pure algae extracts. Microalgal extracts loaded nano–micro particles showed very promising results for cytotoxic effect on cancer cells.

In this study, biodiesel production from microalgal oil by microwave-assisted transesterification was carried out to investigate its efficiency. Transesterification reactions were performed by using Chlorella protothecoides oil as feedstock, methanol, and potassium hydroxide as the catalyst. Methanol:oil ratio, reaction time and catalyst:oil ratio were investigated as process parameters affected methyl ester yield. 9:1 methanol/oil molar ratio, 1.5% KOH catalyst/oil ratio and 10 min were optimum values for the highest fatty acid methyl ester yield.

Although it depends on the raw material which is used, ethanol production have three main steps: to obtain fermentable sugars, conversion of sugars to ethanol via fermentation process and distillation and purification of produced ethanol. In this chapter, these steps are presented in detail with their alternatives. All literature studies on the subject are reviewed, discussed and also new approach to pre-treatment methods of raw materials to produce bioethanol is presented.

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Polymers are the most important materials we use in many areas of daily life. Without them humanity could not shape today’s world. However, major source of polymeric material is fossil fuels which decrease constantly. Therefore, alternative resources are needed to be discovered especially from biological source for sustainable polymer production. Biopolymers are polymers developed from renewable resources such as plant, animal, bacteria, fungi and algae. They can also be useful in material and many other applications. Algae are one of the most promising organisms in many aspects. Since they grow fast, contain variety of unique value added material and do not compete with food resources, and also they have high bioenergy feedstock potential. In this study, algae are considered as feedstock for biopolymer production and biopolymers derived from algae are investigated. Throughout this study algae derived biopolymers were classified as three types. First type of polymer obtained from algae are natural polymers (polysaccharides, lipids, extracellular polymeric substance). Especially polysaccharides from algae such as alginate and agar are well known for their biotechnological applications. Second type is polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) which accumulate in only cyanobacteria. And third type is bio-based polymers polymerized from algae derived monomer, they can have same characteristics with conventional synthetic polymer. This review study will give an idea especially about the algal biopolymers, their resources, properties, structures, application areas, production methods and their future potentials.