Potential use of microalga Dunaliella salina for bioproducts with industrial relevance

Using microalgal technology has been getting attention over the last decades, mainly for primary use but also for generating high-value compounds. Dunaliella salina is one of the most important microalgae, and its biomass can be used to yield carotenoids, lipids, glycerol, carbohydrates, and proteins for biofuel, pharmaceuticals, and food generation. Many factors affect bioproduct yields, such as light regime and intensity, salinity, harvesting period, and media composition, which directly impact the feasibility of biorefineries. Although it has been addressed over the past decades, there is still a lack of consensus regarding an effective method for biomass and bioproduct generation and recovery on an industrial scale. In this study, a bibliometric analysis over the five years is used to identify (I) the global distribution of research; (II) the bioproducts yielded by D. salina, and (III) the future perspective for the valorization of its biomass. China is the major contributor to research on D. salina, followed by India and the United States of America. Carotenoid production has been the major focus of the research, followed by protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and glycerol. The genetic engineering approach seems to carry out the future of D. salina to improve the generation of bioproducts, especially pigments and protein.

Automated summary

Using microalgal technology for high-value compound production has gained attention, but effective methods on an industrial scale are lacking. This study found that China is the major contributor to D. salina research, with a focus on carotenoid production, and genetic engineering is seen as the future direction.