Abstract

From Capturing Carbon to Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy through Microalgal Biorefinery

Author(s): Bhullar Garcha Ruby*, Anjana Bhatia

Since mitigating carbon dioxide emissions from anthropogenic sources as well move from linear economy to sustainable circular bio-economy, it is essential to use a potentially viable biorefinery strategy towards carbon-capture using the carbon-neutral energy resources. The bio-fixation process of microalgae offers a sustainable alternative to capture and use excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere generated through various Industrial and thermal power sources. Microalgae have received extensive attention due to their tremendous potential of carbon dioxide tolerance, ability to recover finite nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, cascading use of microalgal biomass as a valuable organic carbon-based sustainable feedstock in a biorefinery. With the increased attention and emphasis of circular economy in the past half-decade, the economic, environmental, and social aspects of the industrial sector, biorefinery act as a strategic mechanism for the realization of circular bio-economy. The circular bio-economy is the extension of circular economy ideology to achieve economic and environmental sustainability through maximizing recirculation of resource flow and minimizing waste generation and end-of-life disposal. Microalgal-based biorefinery enhances the circular bio-economy towards the establishment of integrated sustainable approaches of an integrated biorefinery system to increase the environmental sustainability of third-generation (microalgae, seaweed and cyanobacteria) biofuel production and economic viability by reducing the production costs and adding value to their co-products.