Page 520 - Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

474 Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

21.5.7 Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is elucidated as the manipulation of matter on atomic molecular and
supramolecular levels. This technology is extensively used in marine life to formulate
useful drugs for mankind (Singh et al., 2015). However, poor stability and solubility
issues are the major difficulties encountered during the extraction process. To counter-
act these issues, nanobased formulations were used. Nano-based formulations enhanced
the solubility, bioavailability, and efficacy of lipophilic/hydrophobic drug compounds.
The nanoparticles can be synthesized using microorganisms-derived marine plant,
coastal marshes, and dune marine algae and marine animals (Singh et al., 2015).
Nanoparticles-loaded therapeutic compound acts as a disease inhibitor. Nanoparticles
can be fabricated using organic (polymer and lipids), inorganic (silicon, metals, and
metal oxides), or hybrid materials. The size, charge, surface, and functional group of
the nanoformulation play a major role based on its application. In the field of agricul-
tural biotechnology the marine nanoparticles find application for the production of pes-
ticides, insecticides, insect repellents, and fertilizers. Still, this infant field is to be
focused on the development of nanoparticles with controlling the parameter such as
size and shape and application in various fields.

21.5.8 Bioremediation
The “bioremediation” is universally known as the degradation of contaminants or pol-
lutants by the action of cultured microorganism. The term “bioremediation” differs
according to the organisms or sources used (i.e., algae-phycoremediation, fungi-
mycoremediation, and plant-phytoremediation). Microbial remediation techniques are
currently being utilized to treat the hydrocarbon-contaminated sites around the world,
which has the most promising solution. Marine habitat is biodiversity rich and fragile
environment, which often gets polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons. Such polluted
sites can be bioremediated with marine microorganisms because of its diverse resis-
tance and degradation mechanisms. Marine microalgae are being exploited for the
production of biofuels and wastewater remediation because of its tendency to assimi-
late the nutrients. Recent studies showed that sea lettuce (U. lactuca), commonly
used feed additive for white shrimps, exhibited high efficiency in treating inorganic
waste compounds in water effluents (Elizondo-Gonza ´lez et al., 2018). Heavy-metal
ions, such as chromium, mercury, cadmium, lead, and zinc, can be treated using
marine organisms were reported recently (Pradhan et al., 2019; Baltar et al., 2018;
Camacho-Chab et al., 2018; Gupta and Diwan, 2017; De et al., 2008).

21.6 Metabolic engineering approach for bioproducts
production

Several novel genes with unique properties and functions have been identified
through blue biotechnology approach. However, the level of expression of these
genes is low in wild strains. Genetic engineering approaches help in the modification