Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad

Part of Abu Dhabi International Virtual Research Institute for Food Security in the Drylands - ADEK grant: 2022-2027

(Sustainable food and feed production from microalgae with the integrated wastewater treatment system)

Microalgal biotechnology has emerged as a primary field in modern scientific society due to its wide range of applications in the areas of bioenergy, biomedicine, the environment, and food sciences. The benefits of microalgae use, which are related to their functional properties that are entirely diverse from any other organism, make them extremely attractive and give them massive potential. Algal biofuels are gaining consideration as a domestic source of renewable fuel. However, with recent technologies, scaling up the production of algal biofuels to meet the demand for transportation fuel could create unsustainable demands for energy, water, and nutrient resources. Continuous research and development in this area could yield improvements to address these challenges. The goal of producing biofuel has never been closer, with algae becoming a real possibility. After oil extraction from the algae, the biomass can be used to make biofuel for power generation sources. It is comparable to hydroelectric and geothermal energy sources. The development of biofuels from algae will help reduce the demand for coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy.

Microalgae are an active component when it comes to wastewater treatment. Microalgae for wastewater treatment are more effective than traditional wastewater treatment methods. It is an economical technique for the elimination of phosphorus, nitrogen, and pathogens as compared to sludge processes and other secondary treatment procedures. Microalgae are an attraction due to their capability to consume inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus for their growth. It is advantageous in terms of its common usage for different purposes as well as for environmental applications. Algal culture is presently being used as a tertiary biotreatment step for industrial wastewater treatment. Additionally, algal biomass can be used for a variety of manufacturing processes—several algal species have been discovered and reported for their potential applications in the food, dairy, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. For many years, most marine algae have been used as food and medicine. Algae can be utilized in the food industry for the production of food ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids or natural food colorants, beverages, vitamins, minerals, and dyes. In healthcare, the emerging type of bio-compound from algae has been used for extensive applications such as anti-acne, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, melanogenesis inhibition, UV photoprotective, anti-melanoma effects, and more. The therapeutic properties of microalgae are used for health promotion. Microalgae are potentially used as essential medical sources due to their antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties. The significance of exploring alternative opportunities presented by algae cultivation is inspired by the fact that algae are very competent at converting light, water, and carbon dioxide nto biomass in a system that does not necessarily need any vast land. Algae can also be used as a means of air pollution control.

Currently, researchers are considering biological drugs that are inexpensive compared to modern chemical medicines. Organic medications manufactured in mammalian cell culture or by bacteria or yeasts for treating diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer are costly. The alternative is green microalgae, which are plentiful, resilient, inexpensive to grow, and efficient at folding complex proteins. They can act as antibiotics, antihypertensive agents, cholesterol reducers in the blood, dilatory agents, anticoagulants, insecticides, and anti-tumorigenic agents. The applications of algae in cosmetics are water-binding, thickening agents, and antioxidants.

Microalgal biotechnology provides an exceptional opportunity to support the development of a bio-based economy and to present an innovative solution to critical problems. Despite substantial progress, algae biotechnology and engineering are still far from accomplishing their potential. How to unleash this massive potential is the task that the particular field is facing. Noval microalgal culturing technologies and bioprocessing engineering permit the optimization of the operational approaches for commercial-scale production as well as a reduction in overall costs. Novel molecular methods for the genetic and metabolic engineering of algae are rapidly emerging. Increasing the yields of specific metabolites can be achieved through the optimization of existing biochemical pathways or through the introduction of new pathway components. Furthermore, cost-effective production can be achieved through an integrated biorefinery that combines continuous processes with several algae as a feedstock to produce biofuel, bioenergy, and high-value biochemicals.