1. Different biomasses, target molecules and the general scheme of wet biorefining

Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms capable of fixing CO ₂ and producing biomass and various biomolecules. They are made up of a plasma membrane that circumscribes a semi-liquid substance, the cytosol, in which the various organelles bathe. Together, the organelles and the cytosol are called the cytoplasm. Note that the generic term "microalgae" can include cyanobacteria, which are prokaryotic microorganisms, and eukaryotic...