Microalgal bioreactors: Challenges and opportunities

Cultivating and harvesting of products from microalgae has led to increasing commercial interest in their use for producing valuable substances for food, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biodiesel, as well as for mitigation of pollution and rising CO2 in the environment. This review outlines different bioreactors and their current status, and points out their advantages and disadvantages. Compared with open-air systems, there are distinct advantages to using closed systems, but technical challenges still remain. In view of potential applications, development of a more controllable, economical, and efficient closed culturing system is needed. Further developments still depend on continued research in the design of photobioreactors and break-throughs in microalgal culturing technologies.