A critical review on the application of membrane technology in microalgal harvesting and extraction of value-added products.

[Display omitted] • Factors influencing the membrane based dewatering phenomenon are addressed critically. • This review covers the use of Patterned and Fenton membranes to mitigate fouling. • Membrane utilization in microalgal biorefinery applications is examined. • Potential of HTL-AP valorization using membrane technology is proposed. • Perspectives and future prospects of downstream processing are pointed out. The future potential of microalgae as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels and other value-added products remain uncertain. While microalgae demonstrate higher environmental advantages and productivity compared to many other feedstocks, the production costs and downstream processing pose significant challenges that impede the adoption of this technology. This review discusses the primary strategies employed by the research community for microalgae harvesting, focusing on the innovative advancements made to enhance filtration performance and mitigate fouling issues. In addition, this contribution provides an overview of the benefits associated with membrane technologies in effectively extracting high-value compounds from microalgal cells, such as lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The review also highlights the significance of membrane-based processes in recovering nutrients, biofuel precursors, and other valuable compounds from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) aqueous phase, contributing to the overall sustainability and circular bioeconomy goals of biomass conversion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]