Microalgae as renewable raw material for bioproducts: identification and biochemical composition of microalgae from a raceway pond in The Netherlands

Microalgae contain valuable lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates that can be used for food and nonfood applications. Here we describe the general aspects of the production, identification, and biorefinery of microalgae. In addition, as an illustrative example we present data obtained over the course of one year from two neighboring seminatural open raceway ponds located in Borculo in the eastern part of the Netherlands. A stable community developed in these ponds and the green microalgae species dynamics and lipid, protein, and carbohydrate profiles of the biomass were investigated. Throughout the year, Desmodesmus species were the most abundant green microalgae present. The biomass harvested from the raceway ponds showed a rather similar lipid, protein, and carbohydrate content over the year. Glucose and mannose were the dominant neutral sugars, and linolenic acid (C18:3) was the major fatty acid in the oil fraction.