Harnessing solar energy using phototrophic microorganisms: A sustainable pathway to bioenergy, biomaterials, and environmental solutions

Phototrophic microorganisms (microbial phototrophs) use light as an energy source to carry out various metabolic processes producing biomaterials and bioenergy and supporting their own growth. Among them, microalgae and cyanobacteria have been utilized extensively for bioenergy, biomaterials, and environmental applications. Their superior photosynthetic efficiency, lipid content, and shorter cultivation time compared to terrestrial biomass make them more suitable for efficient production of bioenergy and biomaterials. Other phototrophic microorganisms, especially anoxygenic phototrophs, demonstrated the ability to survive and flourish while producing renewable energy and high-value products under harsh environmental conditions. This review presents a comprehensive overview of microbial phototrophs on their (i) production of bioenergy and biomaterials, (ii) emerging and innovative applications for environmental conservation, mitigation, and remediation, and (iii) physical, genetic, and metabolic pathways to improve light harvesting and biomass/biofuel/biomaterial production. Both physical (e.g., incremental irradiation) and genetic approaches (e.g., truncated antenna) are implemented to increase the light-harvesting efficiency. Increases in biomass yield and metabolic products are possible through the manipulation of metabolic pathways and selection of a proper strain under optimal cultivation conditions and downstream processing, including harvesting, extraction, and purification. Finally, the current barriers in harnessing solar energy using phototrophic microorganisms are presented, and future research perspectives are discussed, such as integrating phototrophic microorganisms with emerging technologies.