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Enhancing microalgae disruption and anaerobic fermentation performance through combined radio frequency and thermal pretreatment

Author

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  • Zhou, Yumiao
  • Zeng, Bizhen
  • Chen, Kai
  • Zhi, Xiaohan
  • Chen, Long
  • Li, Huaihao
  • Hu, Zunfang
  • Zhu, Hongtao

Abstract

Microalgae play a crucial role in global carbon sequestration by converting inorganic carbon into organic carbon. The production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) through anaerobic fermentation (AF) enables efficient recovery of intracellular organics. However, rigid cell walls and extracellular polymers hinder hydrolysis, limiting AF efficiency. In this study, a hybrid radio-frequency-thermal (RH) pretreatment combining radio frequency (RF) and thermal (TH) methods was developed to enhance microalgal biorefinery performance. RH pretreatment markedly reduced microalgal particle size, improved cell disruption, and increased organic solubility, achieving a chemical oxygen demand (COD) disruption rate of 81.3 %, higher than TH (71.4 %) or RF (73.3 %) alone. Following AF, VFAs production in the RH sample reached 666 mg/L, 2.8 times higher than the control group (CG, 236 mg/L). This work presents a novel strategy for microalgae valorization with potential applications in carbon-neutral biorefineries.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Yumiao & Zeng, Bizhen & Chen, Kai & Zhi, Xiaohan & Chen, Long & Li, Huaihao & Hu, Zunfang & Zhu, Hongtao, 2026. "Enhancing microalgae disruption and anaerobic fermentation performance through combined radio frequency and thermal pretreatment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PG).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:256:y:2026:i:pg:s0960148125021809
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124516
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