Integrated Biomaterials Engineering of Oil Palm Fibres and Microalgae for Bioenergy, Environmental Remediation, and Conversion into Value-Added-Products

Abstract

The 2030's core agenda for 17 Sustainable Development Goals aims to bring systems thinking and holistic solution to ensure that progress for People and Profit do not side-line planet as the major stakeholder. Discussion on the Economics issues should bring in the Environment and Socio-cultural diversity dimension as equal components. This may necessitate a complete revamp of human activities such that efforts to tackle famine and poverty and the emerging infectious diseases are not divorced from addressing the problems brought about by climate change and the destruction of eco-systems and habitat for wildlife. The focus of this review article is to highlight research and development in integrated biomaterials engineering of oil palm fibres and microalgae for sustainable bioenergy production, environmental remediation and conversion into value added-products via integrated palm oil milling processes and algal biorefinery. Eco-friendly extraction of cellulose and the development of composite materials for different applications will be highlighted. The use of microalgae for bioenergy, effluent remediation and the utilization of microalgal extracts in anticancer agent formulation will be discussed. This hopefully could bring forth insights towards collaboration among the policymakers, government agencies, industries and academics to tackle the immediate and pressing problems facing the world today.