Recently, a team led by Associate Professor Jiajing Zhou and Researcher Wei Lin from the School of Light Industry Science and Engineering at Sichuan University, in collaboration with Professor Joseph J Richardson from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, published a research paper online in Advanced Materials. The team proposed a novel paradigm for solid-state cultivation of microalgae by integrating 3D printing technology with vertical farming concepts. They utilized 3D printing to construct custom-structured active algal-based hydrogels and developed a Biogenic Microalgae-laden Hydrogel (BMH) system for 3D solid cultivation of microalgae, achieving vertical solid-state cultivation and significantly reducing the land and water resources required for microalgae agriculture.
Microalgae, known for their rich protein and essential nutrient content, are considered a promising biomass resource due to their rapid growth, high photosynthetic efficiency, and strong environmental adaptability. They have the potential to serve as a new food source, playing a positive role in building sustainable food systems. However, challenges such as high water demand, self-shading effects, and difficulties in harvesting have hindered the efficient large-scale production and application of microalgae food products in photosynthetic autotrophic production processes.
The BMH proposed by the team effectively alleviates the engineering challenge of self-shading, enabling efficient utilization of light energy. As an active hydrogel material capable of responding to external environmental changes, BMH exhibits potential 4D printing capabilities. This BMH system can produce natural food ingredients such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, chlorophyll, and carotenoids, providing strong support for healthy food supply. The team has also expanded the scale of BMH preparation, demonstrating the feasibility of mass production for food production. BMH demonstrates significant potential in sustainable agriculture, contributing to addressing global food challenges and enhancing food security. This research further advances the interdisciplinary development of biomass materials at our university and offers new insights into the development of green food manufacturing for microalgae under the guidance of the "Big Food" concept.
Master's student Hai Liu from the School of Light Industry Science and Engineering at Sichuan University is the first author of the paper, with Jiajing Zhou, Wei Lin from Sichuan University, and Joseph J Richardson from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology as co-corresponding authors. The School of Light Industry Science and Engineering at Sichuan University is the first corresponding unit of this paper.
For more information on the paper, visit: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202401172
