Nella Roccuzzo

The University of Sheffield, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Graduate Student

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PhD candidate at Sheffield Uni. Background in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, working now at the interface between Biology, Ecology and Engineering for the development of bio-flocculation tools for efficient harvesting of micro-algae.
Address: Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

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Matthijs Vos

Universitaet Potsdam

Ozan Bekmezci

University of Bitlis Eren

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Ghent University

Wetsus

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Papers by Nella Roccuzzo

The use of natural infochemicals for sustainable and efficient harvesting of the microalgae Scenedesmus spp. for biotechnology: insights from a meta- analysis

by Nella Roccuzzo and Jagroop Pandhal

Open raceway ponds are regarded as the most economically viable option for large-scale cultivatio... more Open raceway ponds are regarded as the most economically viable option for large-scale cultivation of microalgae for low to mid-value bio-products, such as biodiesel. However, improvements are required including reducing the costs associated with harvesting biomass. Recently, there has been growing interest in exploiting natural ecological processes within biotechnology. We review how chemical cues produced by algal grazers induce colony formation in algal cells, which subsequently leads to their sedimentation. A statistical meta-analysis of more than 80 studies reveals that Daphnia grazers can induce high levels of colony formation and sedimentation in Scenedesmus obliquus and that these natural, infochemical induced sedimentation rates are comparable to using commercial chemical equivalents. These data suggest that natural ecological interactions can be co-opted in biotechnology as part of a promising, low energy and clean harvesting method for use in large raceway systems.

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