Potential of Algal Biomass and Their Cultivation for Biofuels Production as Plausible Bio-resource for Economic Sustainability

Depletion of conventional energy resources necessitates the exploration of new alternative raw materials for sustainable biofuel production to improve socio-economic development. This research focuses on the cultivation of specific algae varieties, biomass quantification, fatty acid profiling, and their potential application in biodiesel production. The study examines diverse emerging algal species, including Ulothrix, Stigeoclonium, Chlorella vulgaris, Cladophora, Oedogonium, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra, and H. reticulatum. Over a 4-week cultivation period, all species demonstrated increased dry biomass, with Ulothrix exhibiting the maximum growth (19 g) and Stigeoclonium the minimum (5 g). Lipid composition analysis by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) indicated varying percentages (