The Research Group "Cultivation of microalgae and their biotechnological applications" of FURG is led by the teachers Paulo Cesar Oliveira Vergne de Abreu e Marcelo Gonçalves Montes D’Oca, and has developed, since 2003, studies on the mass production of these microorganisms for biofuels production and the isolation and characterization of metabolites for industrial use. We have a collection of more than 60 strains of microalgae, isolated from the Rio Grande do Sul coastal region and other locations in Brazil, that serve as the basis for research on production, chemical characterization and genetics of microalgae. Besides the production of scientific work and development of Theses and Dissertations, our group has obtained three (03) patents in Brazil and abroad (European Union and USA). More recently, we submitted a patent application for the development of a microalgae mass cultivation system of, which is cheap and easy to use and cleaning.

Figura 1 – Microalgae mass cultivation system established in the Marine Aquaculture Station of the IO-FURG - Cassino Beach, Rio Grande - RS.

Figura 2. Details of raceways and circular microalgae cultivation tanks.