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- Antioxidant potential of extracts of Chromochloris zofingiensis cultivated in pilot-scale outdoor tubular photobioreactors under nitrogen limitationPublication . Corrêa, Priscila S.; M. Júnior, Wilson G. de; Caetano, NídiaChromochloris zofingiensis is known to be able to produce large amounts of astaxanthin and also to coproduce other molecules with antioxidant properties. Outdoor cultivation is the cheapest way for large-scale production; however, the unstable weather conditions can hinder the productivity of the biomass and the target product. The final biomass (0.92 g·L−1) and total carotenoids (0.55 mg·g−1) concentration achieved in outdoor cultivation (i.e., during autumn in Porto, Portugal) had no statistically significant difference compared to control cultivation (i.e., constant temperature, 18 °C, and light intensity, 4000 lx) (1.36 g·L−1 and 0.56 mg·g−1, respectively), however the biomass productivity was about threefold lower. Regarding the antioxidant potential, methanolic extracts from outdoor cultivation presented one of the highest values for radical scavenging ability (44.2 %) and ferrous-ion chelating ability (59.1 %), similarly to the results obtained by ethanolic extracts from indoor cultivation under nitrogen limitation. Highest total antioxidant capacities were observed in ethanolic extracts varying from 120.0 to 185.2 mg GAE·g−1.
- Microalgae for pigments and cosmeticsPublication . Caetano, Nídia S.; Corrêa, Priscila S.; Morais Júnior, Wilson G. de; Oliveira, Gisela M.; Martins, Antonio A.A.; Branco-Vieira, Monique; Mata, Teresa M.Microalgae are among the most promising cell factories of the near future. Their renewable nature, and ability to rely on photosynthesis to use CO2 or nutrients from wastewater to grow and multiply, make them an emergent source of valuable natural compounds. Although in the past, a few of these microalgae have been known for their value as a source of proteins, carbohydrates, exopolysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, recently they have also been found increasingly important sources of more valuable compounds such as carotenoids, of which astaxanthin, lutein and β-carotene are of extreme importance in food, feed and cosmeceutical industries, and phycobiliproteins, chlorophylls, that are finding their place in the commercial market. There are still various challenges to be addressed to make sustainable the production of some of these valuable bioproducts. However, the circular economy and the biorefinery approach are at the center of the whole process to make the microalgae-based industry one of the most dynamic, modern and profitable industries. In this chapter it will be presented the potential microalgae sources of these valuable compounds, existing industrial applications, as well as the major ongoing research projects, and their contribution driving the blue bioeconomy.