RESUMO: As microalgas são organismos cuja biomassa possui biomoléculas abundantes como carboidratos, lipídeos, proteínas, pigmentos, vitaminas, minerais e compostos antioxidantes, com inúmeras aplicações industriais com destaque para os segmentos de alimentos, nutricional, farmacológico, cosmético e de energia, na produção de biocombustíveis. Entretanto, o acesso de forma integra a essas biomoléculas pode ser dificultado pela rigidez estrutural de sua parede celular, sendo necessário a aplicação de um pré-tratamento que promova a lise celular. As diferentes técnicas de ruptura celular aplicáveis à biomassa microalgal descritas na literatura podem ser de natureza mecânica, com destaque para as técnicas de moagem em moinho de bolas e homogeneização à alta pressão (HAP) ou não mecânica (química, térmica e enzimática), cada uma com vantagens e desvantagens. Assim, o objetivo da presente revisão narrativa é descrever o uso de diferentes métodos para o rompimento de células de microalgas, com suas vantagens, desvantagens e seus desafios.

ABSTRACT: Microalgae are organisms whose biomass contains different biomolecules, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, pigments, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds, with numerous industrial applications, highlighting the food, nutritional, cosmetic, pharmacological, and biofuel segments. However, access to these biomolecules in an integrated manner is often hampered due to the structural rigidity of their cell wall, requiring the application of a pre-treatment that promotes cell lysis. Various cell rupture techniques applied to microalgae biomass have been reported. These methods can be mechanical, especially ball milling techniques and high-pressure homogenization (HPH), or non-mechanical, such as chemical, thermal, and enzymatic procedures, each with advantages and disadvantages. Thus, this review addressed the different methods of cell disruption, listing their advantages and disadvantages, applications in cell biomass, and challenges.

RESUMO As microalgas têm sido pesquisadas como fonte sustentável de compostos bioativos para as indústrias alimentícia e farmacêutica. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram extrair, caracterizar ácidos graxos de Scenedesmus obliquus e separar, quantificar e avaliar a capacidade antioxidante de carotenóides e compostos fenólicos desta microalga. As células de microalga foram rompidas usando ultra-som. Determinou-se a composição centesimal das células liofilizadas. Os ácidos graxos do óleo foram convertidos em ésteres metílicos e analisados por cromatografia gasosa (detector de ionização de chama) para obtenção do perfil de ácidos graxos. Acetona, éter de petróleo e hexano foram os solventes aplicados para extrair os carotenóides e o etanol foi utilizado para separar os compostos fenólicos. A atividade antioxidante dos extratos foi determinada pelo método DPPH. A quantidade de ácidos graxos poliinsaturados correspondeu a 47,31% do total para insaturados, com predomínio de ácido linolênico (16,74%) e aproximadamente 9,70% de ômega-6. O teor de carotenóides extraídos foi maior usando hexano. Concentração fenólica total de 1,12 g∙100 g-1 microalga foi encontrada. Altos percentuais de inibição da oxidação foram observados para os extratos de carotenóides (> 88%) e compostos fenólicos (> 72%). Portanto, Scenedesmus obliquus apresenta-se como uma fonte alternativa, natural e sustentável de compostos bioativos.

ABSTRACT Microalgae have been researched as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The objectives of this work were the extraction and the characterization of fatty acids of Scenedesmus obliquus and to separate, quantify, and evaluate the antioxidant capacity of carotenoids and phenolic compounds of this microalga. The microalga cells were disrupted by using ultrasound. The centesimal composition of lyophilized cells was determined. Fatty acids of the oil were converted into methyl esters and analyzed by gas chromatography (flame ionization detector) to obtain the fatty acid profile. Acetone, petroleum ether, and hexane were the solvents applied to extract the carotenoids and ethanol was used to separate the phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the DPPH method. The amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids corresponded to 47.31% of the total for unsaturated, with the predominance of linolenic acid (16.74%) and approximately 9.70% of omega-6. The content of extracted carotenoids was higher by using hexane. Total phenolics concentration of 1.12 g 100 g-1 microalga was found. High percentages of oxidation inhibition were observed for the extracts of carotenoids (>88%) and phenolic compounds (>72%). Therefore, Scenedesmus obliquus presents itself as an alternative, natural, and sustainable source of bioactive compounds.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and model the water absorption process by corn kernels with different levels of mechanical damage Corn kernels of AG 1510 variety with moisture content of 14.2 (% d.b.) were used. Different mechanical damage levels were indirectly evaluated by electrical conductivity measurements. The absorption process was based on the industrial corn wet milling process, in which the product was soaked with a 0.2% sulfur dioxide (SO2) solution and 0.55% lactic acid (C3H6O3) in distilled water, under controlled temperatures of 40, 50, 60, and 70 ºC and different mechanical damage levels. The Peleg model was used for the analysis and modeling of water absorption process. The conclusion is that the structural changes caused by the mechanical damage to the corn kernels influenced the initial rates of water absorption, which were higher for the most damaged kernels, and they also changed the equilibrium moisture contents of the kernels. The Peleg model was well adjusted to the experimental data presenting satisfactory values for the analyzed statistic parameters for all temperatures regardless of the damage level of the corn kernels.