Value-Added Products from Microalgae - Biotechnological Applications of Microalgae - page 137

10 Value-Added Products

from Microalgae

Terisha Naidoo, Nodumo Zulu,
Dheepak Maharajh, and Rajesh Lalloo
CSIR Biosciences
Pretoria, South Africa

CONTENTS
10.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 137
10.2 Commercially Exploited Microalgae, Products, and Applications .............. 138
10.2.1 Carotenoids ....................................................................................... 138
10.2.1.1 Commercial Applications .................................................. 140
10.2.1.2 Production Processes ......................................................... 142
10.2.1.3 Foresight ............................................................................. 143
10.2.2 Phycobiliproteins .............................................................................. 143
10.2.2.1 Commercial Applications of Phycobiliproteins ................. 14 4
10.2.2.2 Production Process ............................................................. 145
10.2.2.3 Future Potential .................................................................. 146
10.2.3 Lipids ................................................................................................ 146
10.2.3.1 Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic
Acid (DHA) ........................................................................ 147
10.2.3.2 DHA Production Process ................................................... 148
10.2.3.3 EPA Production Process .................................................... 149
10.2.4 Other Potential Applications of Algal Biomass ................................ 150
10.2.4.1 Cosmetic Extracts .............................................................. 150
10.2.4.2 Stable Isotope Biochemicals .............................................. 152
10.2.4.3 Human Nutrition ................................................................ 152
10.2.4.4 Biofertilizers ...................................................................... 153
10.2.4.5 Bioremediation/Phycoremediation .................................... 153
10.3 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 154
References .............................................................................................................. 156

10.1 INTRODUCTION
Microalgae represent a biodiverse resource (Metting, 1996; Pulz and Gross, 2004).
The complexity of their chemical composition and range of biochemical products make
these organisms exploitable resources for valuable and novel products in the food, feed,
pharmaceutical, and research industries (Pulz and Gross, 2004). The market for these

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