Exopolysaccharides from microalgae: Production in a biorefinery framework and potential applications

Microalgae have significant biotechnological importance, with great interest by the industries in the production of compounds of microalgal origin. Besides intracellular biomolecules, microalgae can excrete several substances, mainly exopolysaccharides (EPS). These compounds have been highlighted because of their bioactivities and potential applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic fields. However, microalgal EPS are underexplored compared to the competitive production of EPS by other organisms. The aim of this review was to address aspects of EPS production from microalgae, focusing on strategies to improve EPS production viability on a biorefinery framework and production of nanobased structures/compounds for applications in the wastewater treatment and stabilization of nanoemulsions and nanoparticles with antimicrobial, antioxidant and/or anticancer properties. Furthermore, this review will address the main challenges and future prospects for market investments in this field.