Lipid Extraction Methods from Wet Microalgal Biomass

The energy crisis has become a serious matter globally since 85% of the energy is retrieved from fossil fuels. Biomass, as an energy source, has posed a new approach. Comparing microalgae with plants for its production has several benefits in terms of the non-requirement of agricultural land, simple cultivation techniques, and survival in harsh conditions. However, disrupting the cell wall of microalgae is challenging as it is thick and robust, which proposes the idea of using wet microalgal biomass. The utilization of wet microalgal biomass for oil extraction has become more advantageous as it shows rapid growth in ponds/wastewater/seawater, with no requirement for further drying and lipid production. Lipid extraction involves damaging and disrupting the algal cell walls for efficient use in biofuel production. This chapter covers the various methods employed for lipid extraction, which includes mechanical procedures, solvent-free and solvent-based approaches, their advantages and disadvantages, and some new technologies that are utilized for biofuel production.