Sustainable production of eicosapentaenoic acid-rich oil from microalgae: Towards an algal biorefinery

Abstract

Utilization of sustainable natural resources such as microalgae has been considered for the production of biofuels, aquaculture feed, high‐value bioactives such as omega‐3 fatty acids, carotenoids, etc. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an omega‐3 fatty acid present in fish oil, which is of physiological importance to both humans and fish. Marine microalgae are sustainable sources of lipid rich in EPA, and different species have been explored for the production of EPA as a single product. There has been a rising interest in the concept of a multi‐product biorefinery, focusing on the maximum valorization of the algal biomass. Targeting one or more value‐added compounds in a biorefinery scenario can improve the commercial viability of low‐value products such as triglycerides for biofuel. This approach has been viewed by technologists and experts as a sustainable and economically feasible possibility for the large‐scale production of microalgae for its potential applications in biodiesel and jet fuel production, nutraceuticals, animal and aquaculture feeds, etc. In this review paper, we describe the recent developments in the production of high‐value EPA‐rich oil from microalgae, emphasizing the upstream and downstream bioprocess techniques, and the advantages of considering an EPA‐rich oil‐based biorefinery.

Highly Valuable Fish Oil: Formation Process, Enrichment, Subsequent Utilization, and Storage of Eicosapentaenoic Acid Ethyl Esters

“…Thus, high-purity PUFA enrichment can be achieved by selecting the right oil for enrichment, particularly the right fatty acid composition and ratio. For example, EPA-rich algal oil or specific microbial culture oils may be better choices for purification [ 100 , 101 ].…”

Microalgae as a Nutraceutical Tool to Antagonize the Impairment of Redox Status Induced by SNPs: Implications on Insulin Resistance

“…Microalgae have also been shown to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) including ω-3 fatty acids. The ability of microalgae to produce ω-3 fatty acids varies depending on the algal species, for examples: C18:3 ω-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA) is mainly produced in Dunaliella primolecta [ 157 ], C. vulgaris , Chlorococcum amblystomatis , Scenedesmus obliquus , and Tetraselmis chuii [ 158 ]; C20:5 ω-3 EPA can be produced by Nannochloropsis oceanica [ 164 ] and Phaeodactylum tricornutum [ 165 ]; C22:6 ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is produced by Schizochytrium sp. [ 166 ] and Isochrysis galbana [ 167 ]; C16:3 ω-3 hexadecatrienoic acid is mainly produced in C. vulgaris and C18:4 ω-3 stearidonic acid mainly in Chlorococcum amblystomatis , Scenedesmus obliquus , and Tetraselmis chuii [ 158 ] ( Table 2 ).…”

The Key to A Sustainable Future- Algal Biofuel

“…Under favorable circumstances where crude petroleum is priced at P$100 per barrel, algal oil is expected to become economically viable. This paper constitutes one of eight articles featured in this special edition (Sivakumar et al, 2022).…”