A Review on the Potential of Algal Exopolysaccharides for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

The aviation industry’s increasing carbon footprint has intensified the search for sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil-based jet fuels. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has emerged as a promising solution and algal exopolysaccharides (EPS) have gained attention as a novel renewable feedstock owing to their diverse structural, physicochemical and functional properties. This review explores the potential of algal EPS for sustainable aviation fuel production, highlighting their sources, composition, biological significance and suitability as biofuel precursors. The diversity of EPS producing algal species and the influence of environmental and cultivation conditions on EPS yield and composition are discussed, emphasizing opportunities for feedstock optimization. The review comprehensively examines current extraction approaches, including physical, chemical and biological methods, along with their advantages, limitations and prospects for large-scale implementation. Purification strategies such as centrifugation, filtration, precipitation and chromatographic techniques are evaluated for their effectiveness in obtaining high-quality EPS. Furthermore, modification and functionalization approaches, including chemical derivatization, enzymatic treatment and oxidation, are reviewed as means of enhancing EPS properties for biofuel applications. Key characterization techniques used to determine molecular weight, structural features and physicochemical behavior are also discussed. Despite the promising attributes of algal EPS, challenges related to extraction efficiency, production costs, scalability, feedstock variability and limited fuel-performance data remain significant barriers to commercialization. The review identifies critical research gaps and proposes future directions, including standardized fuel testing, pilot scale validation, life cycle assessment and species specific optimization. Overall, algal EPS represent a versatile and environmentally sustainable resource with considerable potential for next-generation sustainable aviation fuels, contributing to the decarbonization of the aviation sector and the advancement of a circular bioeconomy.

@article{aqsa2026,
  author  = {Aqsa Majgaonkar, Sandra Cyriac and Vijaya Lobo*},
  title   = {{A Review on the Potential of Algal Exopolysaccharides for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production}},
  journal = {Journal of Bioresearch},
  year    = {2026},
}