Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts最新文献

{"title":"A portable intelligent analysis platform for automated microalgae detection and recognition","authors":"Yanjuan Wang,&nbsp;Yi Liu,&nbsp;Yanxue Zhang,&nbsp;Ziyang Zhao,&nbsp;Wenjing Ren,&nbsp;Jiatong Li,&nbsp;Gege Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the limitations of conventional microalgae identification and detection methods, including difficulties in on-site analysis, reliance on manual microscopic examination, and limited performance of existing intelligent detection algorithms, this study proposes a portable intelligent prototype system for microalgae cell recognition and detection, enabling low-cost and high-precision automated analysis of microalgae cells. First, to overcome the limitations of laboratory-based microscopy, a portable and cost-effective microscopic imaging prototype was developed by integrating optical microscopy principles with CMOS sensing technology, enabling high-resolution imaging of micrometer-scale cells. Subsequently, to achieve accurate and intelligent microalgae cell detection, a novel detection framework, termed LMCF-AlgaeDet, was proposed based on YOLOv8n. To address the challenges associated with the small size, complex morphology, and significant scale variations of microalgae cells, a Global-Local Parallel Self-Attention (GPSA) module was introduced to enhance small-object feature representation and improve detection accuracy. To reduce computational complexity and facilitate deployment on resource-constrained edge devices, a Hybrid Adaptive Downsampling (HAD) module was designed, which effectively decreases the number of model parameters and memory consumption while accelerating inference. Furthermore, considering the low contrast and blurred details caused by turbid samples and microscopic cell structures, a Dual-path Cascaded Fusion Block (DCFNetBlock) was developed to strengthen multi-scale feature fusion and improve the capability of capturing discriminative details under low-contrast and tiny-object detection scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that LMCF-AlgaeDet achieves Precision, F1-score, [email protected], and [email protected]:0.95 values of 88.72%, 82.81%, 80.32%, and 46.43%, respectively, outperforming the state-of-the-art YOLO26n model by 3.47, 2.23, 1.49, and 2.89 percentage points. Meanwhile, the proposed model contains only 2.633 M parameters and achieves an inference speed of 109.77 FPS, demonstrating an effective trade-off between detection accuracy and computational efficiency. Moreover, to address the scarcity of publicly available microalgae cell datasets, a new dataset containing 4994 microscopic images covering seven microalgae categories was established using the self-developed imaging system and publicly released. Overall, this study provides a low-cost, high-precision, and lightweight prototype solution for portable intelligent microalgae cell detection, offering valuable support for microalgae research and water environment monitoring applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104969"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assisted adaptation of kelps for a warmer ocean: Thermal priming and induction of memory stress in Macrocystis pyrifera and Eisenia arborea","authors":"Mariana Sánchez-Barredo,&nbsp;Manuel Vivanco-Bercovich,&nbsp;Alejandra Ferreira-Arrieta,&nbsp;Jose Miguel Sandoval-Gil","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104986","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104986","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Kelp forests are under increasing threat from ocean warming and marine heatwaves. In this context, assisted adaptation techniques emerge as promising tools for optimizing conservation and restoration strategies. One such technique is the cross-generational induction of stress memory by thermal priming, which aims to stimulate the thermal tolerance of kelps in the face of warming. However, research into these processes is still in its infancy. Here, we evaluated whether sublethal warming (priming) applied to gametophytes (23 °C for 21 days) enhances the thermotolerance of the resulting juvenile sporophytes of <em>Macrocystis pyrifera</em> and <em>Eisenia arborea</em>. After the priming phase, we compared the biological performance of juvenile sporophytes derived from primed and non-primed gametophytes at two temperatures: a severe warming (25 °C for five days) that simulates regional marine heatwave conditions, and a control temperature of 17 °C. Under severe warming, sporophytes derived from non-primed gametophytes experienced complete mortality in both species, whereas sporophytes derived from primed gametophytes survived, maintained physiological function and grew. These sporophytes exhibited similar or even higher photosynthetic capacities than those at 17 °C and did not show evidence of oxidative damage. Overall, these findings indicated that applying thermal priming to gametophyte stage can increase thermotolerance in subsequent juvenile sporophyte generations, preventing mortality and improving physiological performance at temperatures that would otherwise be lethal. The present study provides initial evidence that thermal priming can induce cross-generational stress memory in <em>M. pyrifera</em> and <em>E. arborea</em>. These findings support further investigation of thermal priming as a potential assisted-adaptation strategy for kelp conservation, restoration, and cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104986"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microalgae as multifunctional platforms for medicinal plant bioactives: Composite design, delivery behavior, and biological effects","authors":"Yue Zhou,&nbsp;Wen Su,&nbsp;Ichiro Nishimura,&nbsp;Noriyoshi Nakatani,&nbsp;Peilun Xu,&nbsp;Huairong Luo,&nbsp;Wenguang Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104978","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104978","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Medicinal plant bioactives exert diverse biological effects, but their application is constrained by poor solubility and stability, inefficient gastrointestinal delivery, and limited in vivo exposure. Microalgae are rich in proteins, pigments and other bioactive components. Beyond their intrinsic bioactivity, microalgae can be used in the form of intact cells, microalgal proteins, extracellular vesicles, and living photosynthetic systems, to bind, protect, release, and locally deliver plant bioactives, thereby providing multiple options for their incorporation and delivery. The composite application of microalgae with medicinal plant bioactives has progressed from simple combinations toward multilevel platforms with defined delivery functions. Focusing on the functional roles of different microalgal forms, this review summarizes strategies for constructing composites with medicinal plant bioactives, analyzes changes in cargo state, stability, release, local retention, bioaccessibility, and in vivo exposure following formation, and assesses how these changes relate to biological effects. Existing studies indicate that certain microalgal composite systems can improve the stability and delivery of bioactives, but comprehensive evidence extending from formulation-level improvements to pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and biological effects remains limited. Future research should improve structural characterization, clarify the contribution of individual components, strengthen standardization, and distinguish pharmacological synergy from delivery-mediated enhancement, thereby providing insights into the development and engineering application of these systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104978"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing biomass productivity in Chlorella sorokiniana via electrostimulation and its optimization by algal-bacterial co-culture","authors":"Kang Yang,&nbsp;Jin-lan Xia,&nbsp;Rui-yu Zhao,&nbsp;Xu Xia,&nbsp;Jing-ru Sun,&nbsp;Xing-fu Zheng,&nbsp;Zhen-yuan Nie,&nbsp;Hong-chang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104992","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104992","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae have emerged as one of the most promising biological platforms for biomass production. However, their biomass productivity is largely constrained by insufficient energy supply. This study investigates electrostimulation-driven exogenous electron uptake (EEU) coupled with the modulation of EPS-mediated interfacial electron transfer to enhance microalgal biomass productivity. By using interdisciplinary methods including contact-blocking experiments, bioelectrochemistry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and chlorophyll fluorescence, it has been revealed that <em>Chlorella sorokiniana</em> (<em>C. sorokiniana</em>) can perform direct EEU, and electrons derived from EEU can flow into the photosynthetic electron transport chain and drive adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) syntheses. Moreover, by monitoring changes in cellular metabolism and structure under electrostimulation, it was found that besides supplying extracellular electrons, electrostimulation can induce cellular oxidative stress, significantly increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, lipid contents, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), while stimulating extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) synthesis and thickening the EPS layer, which increases the distance between the cell center and the cathode surface, thereby reducing electron transport efficiency. To dynamically regulate microalgal EPS thickness, a co-culture optimization strategy was explored by introducing <em>Shewanella putrefaciens</em>, a bacterium capable of utilizing algal EPS as nutrients, to mitigate excessive EPS accumulation, thereby relieving the interfacial electron transport barrier and further enhancing cell growth and biomass productivity of <em>C. sorokiniana</em>. This study provides a feasible strategy to alleviate the energy limitation on microalgal growth and biomass productivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104992"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of organic carbon source on mixotrophic growth and biomass composition in Auxenochlorella protothecoides: implications for sucrose-rich agroindustrial waste valorisation","authors":"Francesca Mazzolini,&nbsp;Chiara Dell'Aquila,&nbsp;Cristina Cavinato","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104970","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104970","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae are promising sustainable bioresources due to their rapid growth, metabolic flexibility, and capacity to valorise organic substrates under mixotrophic conditions. Comparing different carbon sources is crucial to evaluate algal metabolism and the potential of sucrose-rich industrial wastes as feedstocks. However, the nature of the organic carbon source strongly affects growth performance, carbon conversion efficiency, and biomass composition. This study primarily evaluates the mixotrophic cultivation of <em>Auxenochlorella protothecoides</em> on acetic acid, glucose, and sucrose using an iso‑carbon condition (0.48 gC/L); then, glucose and sucrose concentrations were increased to 1.44 and 2.88 gC/L, testing both balanced and unbalanced C: N ratios. Glucose allowed the highest specific growth rates (μ = 1.70 d⁻¹) and biomass productivity (2.07 g/(L·d)). High C: N ratios strongly favoured lipid accumulation to 38% DW, whereas C: N-balanced media restored the protein synthesis to 37% DW. Acetate favoured efficient carbon conversion (Y_X/S = 1.15 g·g⁻¹) and high ammonium removal (87%). By contrast, sucrose-supplemented cultures supported only low growth performance, due to metabolic constraints in disaccharide utilization. The comparison between experimental (DW_Exp) and a dual stoichiometric model (DW_{Cmax, Th} and DW_{Nmax, Th}) based on empirical biomass composition (CH_1.8O_0.5N_0.1) mathematically proved that sucrose underperformed by 90–95% in the unbalanced C: N ratio for the biomass yields due to sucrose metabolism limitations. These results suggest that while sucrose-rich substrates (such as molasses) can support mixotrophic growth, hydrolysis pretreatment can be highly beneficial for carbon use, biomass productivity, and process sustainability in microalgal bioprocesses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104970"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response surface optimization of plasma oxidation via Photo-Fenton-like oxidation using Fe-functionalized algae-derived biochar coupled with TiO2 for efficient degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater","authors":"Naparat Kasetsomboon,&nbsp;Jakkrapong Jitjamnong,&nbsp;Napaphat Kongrit,&nbsp;Xiaoxue Cheng,&nbsp;Ding Jiang,&nbsp;Shuang Wang,&nbsp;Hao Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104984","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104984","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Textile dye-containing wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge due to its high organic load and resistance to biological treatment. Conventional treatments suffer from high energy demand, sludge generation, and incomplete mineralization. This study investigates a Plasma-Photo-Fenton-like hybrid system employing Fe-functionalized algae-derived biochar coupled with TiO₂ (BC/Fe-TiO₂) optimized via Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A four-factor, five-level central composite design (CCD) evaluated the interactive effects of catalyst dosage, discharge power, temperature, and pH on methylene blue (MB) degradation efficiency. A quadratic regression model was established with excellent goodness-of-fit (R² = 0.9991; adjusted R² = 0.9986), confirming strong predictive capability. Under optimized conditions (catalyst dosage = 0.82 g·L⁻¹, discharge power = 47.94 W, temperature = 29.93 °C, and pH = 6.5), experimental degradation reached 99.87%, closely matching the predicted value (100%) with a 0.13% deviation, confirming high predictive reliability. This close correspondence confirms the high predictive accuracy and robustness of the developed regression model. Mechanistic analysis suggests that BC/Fe-TiO₂ significantly enhances Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, particularly hydroxyl radicals (·OH), through synergistic interactions involving plasma-induced in situ oxidant formation, photocatalytic electron transfer, and accelerated Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox cycling within the Fenton-like cycles. This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating plasma activation with a Plasma-Photo-Fenton-like hybrid system under statistically optimized conditions, providing a comprehensive multi-parameter framework for process intensification. The findings contribute to improved understanding of synergistic plasma-catalytic interactions and offer practical guidance for the design and scale-up of advanced oxidation technologies for dye-containing wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104984"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic and physiological insights into mechanisms underlying high-CO2 adaptation and stable EPA accumulation in the Eustigmatophyceae Alga Vacuoliviride crystalliferum","authors":"Baolin Xu,&nbsp;Qi Zhang,&nbsp;Jin Liu,&nbsp;Mingkun Yang,&nbsp;Lingling Zheng,&nbsp;Yanxia Zuo,&nbsp;Nanqin Gan,&nbsp;Jiao Zhan,&nbsp;Lirong Song","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae capable of producing high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) hold substantial promise for industrial applications. Harnessing EPA-rich strains for biological carbon sequestration could mitigate CO₂ emissions from point sources while enhancing the value of algal biomass, thereby offering both environmental and economic benefits. However, few algal species have been reported to maintain high EPA production under elevated CO₂ conditions, and the underlying adaptive mechanisms remain poorly understood. <em>Vacuoliviride crystalliferum</em> was previously identified by our group as a strain capable of sustaining high EPA production under 20% CO₂, reaching a maximum EPA content of 5.34% of dry weight and an EPA productivity of 18.51 mg/L/day. By integrating transcriptomic profiling with complementary physiological assays, we investigated the mechanisms enabling <em>V. crystalliferum</em> to thrive under 20% CO₂. Our results suggest that up-regulation of V-ATPase and activation of the ascorbate biosynthesis pathway contribute to high CO₂ tolerance by maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Concurrently, elevated CO₂ enhanced pathways associated with polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid turnover, potentially facilitating the accumulation and storage of EPA in the triacylglycerol (TAG) pool. Collectively, these findings provide a framework for understanding lipid metabolic responses and high-CO₂ adaptation mechanisms in EPA-rich microalgae and highlight potential genetic targets for developing strains with improved EPA production under high CO₂ conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104980"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conversion and upgrading of microalgal lipids as a potential feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel production","authors":"Jeremy Khai Jie Kou,&nbsp;Mun Yuen Chang,&nbsp;Wail Gourich,&nbsp;Sheau Chien Chee,&nbsp;Azima Syafaini Japar,&nbsp;Tg M Uzaini Tg Mat,&nbsp;M. Syazwan M. Shukor,&nbsp;Cher Pin Song,&nbsp;Eng-Seng Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104993","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104993","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae are widely recognised as a promising feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). However, their utilisation in hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathways is constrained by the compositional complexity and elevated impurity levels of crude microalgal lipid extracts, which are incompatible with hydrotreating requirements. This study presents a sequential acid-catalysed transesterification and vacuum distillation approach for producing fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from crude microalgal lipids and evaluating changes in product composition and impurity characteristics relevant to HEFA applications. Crude microalgal lipids were reacted with methanol in the presence of mineral acids, and the effects of catalyst type, acid loading, temperature, and water addition on conversion behaviour were systematically evaluated. Sulphuric acid delivered the highest FAME yield of 0.21 g/g crude microalgal lipid at 6 wt% acid loading, 10 wt% water, and 50 °C. The resulting FAME profiles were consistently dominated by C16–C20 fatty acids, indicating that product composition is primarily governed by the intrinsic characteristics of the microalgal feedstock. Subsequent vacuum distillation increased FAME content from 58.2 to 87.0 wt% and reduced impurity levels. Across the overall process, total metals and non-metals were reduced by approximately 95 and 91%, respectively, relative to the crude microalgal lipid feedstock. Overall, the combined conversion and upgrading approach can improve the quality of microalgal-derived FAME while significantly reducing impurities, strengthening its potential as a feedstock for HEFA-based SAF production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104993"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses of sugar kelp to higher light intensity: Growth, gene expression and content of iodine, bromine and vanadium","authors":"Å. Ergon,&nbsp;M.R. Kovi,&nbsp;F. Goecke,&nbsp;A.R. Pashapu,&nbsp;S.O.A. Haughom,&nbsp;D. Aldridge,&nbsp;S. Forbord","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104985","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104985","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While kelps hold significant potential as sustainable food and feed ingredients, their high iodine content remains a key regulatory and processing challenge for widespread commercial utilization and product inclusion. Selection of low-iodine kelps for cultivation might be possible but could lead to increased susceptibility to stresses as iodine has an antioxidant function in kelps. Bromine may also have such a function, and central to the function of both halogens are the vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases (vHPOs). Here, we exposed both the adult sporophyte stage and the microscopic gametophyte stage of sugar kelp (<em>Saccharina latissima</em> L.) to elevated light intensities and studied the physiological responses (growth and elemental composition in sporophytes) as well as the transcriptomic responses (both stages). Although not conclusive, these findings indicate that neither iodine, bromine, nor vHPOs are central to the high-light response in sugar kelp. Rather, a range of other antioxidant systems were upregulated; some of these in both sporophytes and gametophytes. Moreover, there were clear differences among sporophyte individuals both in their growth response to increased light as well as in the content of iodine, bromine and vanadium, indicating that it should be possible to select for these traits through breeding without compromising high light-stress tolerance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104985"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing the power of brown seaweed: The science and applications of alginate","authors":"Saptarshi Dutta,&nbsp;Rounak Bhattacharya,&nbsp;Soumik Patra,&nbsp;Ayan Dutta,&nbsp;Peus Das,&nbsp;Angira Jash","doi":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104989","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.algal.2026.104989","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alginate is a polysaccharide derived from the sea, with a tunable structure and mild ionic gelation property, which has allowed it to move from a conventional hydrocolloid to an advanced biomaterial platform. This review addresses progress in alginate development from brown seaweed, emphasising the relationship between feedstock, extraction, molecular framework, processing, and end performance. The main extraction methods, traditional acid-alkali extraction and novel ultrasound, microwave, enzyme, extrusion, pressure and subcritical-water-assisted methods, are analysed, focusing on the effect of processing conditions on molecular weight, mannuronic acid/guluronic acid (M/G) ratio, purity, viscosity and gel-forming behaviour. Alginate material architecture is linked to physicochemical properties such as water interaction, rheology, ionic gelation, swelling, film- and fibre-forming ability, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and chemical modifiability. Conventional beads, hydrogels, films, and fibres are discussed alongside microfluidic spinning, electrospinning, pressurised spinning, and 3D/4D bioprinting. The review critically discusses applications in drug delivery, wound care, tissue engineering, cell encapsulation, regenerative medicine, food and packaging, agriculture, and environmental remediation. It places special emphasis on sustainability, highlighting energy- and water-intensive processing, feedstock variability, scale-up constraints, and the need to evaluate alginate across its entire value chain. The review emphasizes green extraction, structure–property optimisation, multifunctional composites, scalable manufacturing, standardized characterization, life-cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, and integrated seaweed biorefineries as major directions for translation. Overall, the future of alginate lies not only in expanding its applications but also in developing predictable, application-specific, sustainably manufactured materials that can move from laboratory innovation to industrial and biomedical implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7855,"journal":{"name":"Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels and Bioproducts","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 104989"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149140692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}