Developing a nanocellulose-based reversible flocculant for harvesting microalgae through better understanding of the interaction between the flocculant and the microalgal cell surface KU Leuven
Microalgae are a promising new source of biomass that can be used for energy, feed, food or various high value applications. A challenge in microalgae production is the harvesting, which requires separating the microalgal cells from the liquid cultivation medium. Microalgae can be harvested by aggregating individual small cells into flocs that settle down spontaneously. Yet, this requires addition of a chemical flocculant that ends up in and ...