Microalgal Co-cultivation for Biofuel Production and Bioremediation: Current Status and Benefits

Microalgae have been reported to exhibit mutualistic interactions with other microorganisms like bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeast and help each other co-exist. The potential of microalgae to perform photosynthesis and accumulate lipids make them suitable candidates for lipid production. Biofuel production from various single oleaginous microorganisms is already in practice. However, the high cost of biomass harvesting, extraction of lipids, and contamination issues are significant challenges of biofuel bioprocess commercialization. Recent microalgal co-culture studies showed considerable potential for easy biomass harvesting and reduction in overall energy consumption cost. Therefore, microalgal co-culture could be an alternative to overcome these constraints and enhance biomass and lipid production. Additionally, the integration of the nutrient sequestration process from potential agro-industrial wastewater using microalgal co-culture can reduce the cost of the substrate requirement for cultivation as well as ecological load. The co-culture in wastewater has shown excellent total phosphate removal efficiencies by microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana and yeast Rhodotorula glutinis, nitrogen removal by microalgae C. sorokiniana with activated sludge, and ammonium-nitrogen removal by C. vulgaris and fungi Aspergillus sp. co-culture. This review summarized the current advances towards biofuel and its value-added production from various microalgae co-culture and compared it with monoculture fermentation. It also includes some critical challenges of co-culturing for the economically viable bioprocess development for biofuel production. Furthermore, techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment of co-culture technology were also discussed for biofuel production feasibility from microalgal co-culture.