Production of the Biodiesel from Some Microalgal Species Using Nanotechnology

Abstract

Biodiesel is biodegradable, less CO2 and NOx emissions. Continuous use of petroleum sourced fuels is now widely recognized as unsustainable because of depleting supplies and the contribution of these fuels to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the environment. Renewable, carbon neutral, transport fuels are necessary for environmental and economic sustainability. Algae have emerged as one of the most promising sources for biodiesel production. It can be inferred that algae grown in CO2-enriched air can be converted to oily substances. Such an approach can contribute to solve major problems of air pollution resulting from CO2 evolution and future crisis due to a shortage of energy sources. The present study aimed to produce biodiesel which meets the standard specifications and is ecofriendly and economical from Botryococcus braunii and Scendesmus Dimorphus. This achieved by increasing the growth rate, biomass, lipids and oil production of the algal species by cultivating them in media which contain different concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). In addition, different concentrations of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) which are biologically synthesized by different algal extracts from different algal species (Spirulina platensis (Cyanophyta), Chlorella vulgaris, Ulva lactuca (chlorophyta) and Sargassum denticulatum (Phaeophyta) have to be added to the algal biomass as a trial to improve oil extraction.