Industrial exploitation of microalgae
Industrial valorisation of photosynthetic microalgae

The three most important classes of microalgae in terms of abundance are diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), green algae (Chlorophyceae) and golden algae (Chrysophyceae). All these microalgae are eukaryotes, distinguished by the presence of a nucleus and separate organelles for photosynthesis (chloroplasts) and respiration (mitochondria). This distinguishes them from cyanobacteria, such as spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), which are prokaryotes and therefore lack a nucleus. In this report, cyanobacteria (cyanophyceae or blue-green algae) are also referred to as microalgae.

There are hundreds of thousands of different species of microalgae and cyanobacteria. The result is great diversity, both biologically and...