Microalgae extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are complex high-molecular-weight polymers and the physicochemical properties of EPS strongly affect the core features of microalgae cultivation and resource utilization. Revealing the key roles of EPS in microalgae life-cycle processes in an interesting and novelty topic to achieve energy-efficient practical application of microalgae. This review found that EPS showed positive effect in non-gas uptake, extracellular electron transfer, toxicity resistance and heterotrophic symbiosis, but negative impact in gas transfer and light utilization during microalgae cultivation. For biomass harvesting, EPS favored biomass flocculation and large-size cell self-flocculation, but unfavored small size microalgae self-flocculation, membrane filtration, charge neutralization and biomass dewatering. During bioproducts extraction, EPS exhibited positive impact in extractant uptake, but the opposite effect in cellular membrane permeability and cell rupture. Future research on microalgal EPS were also identified, which offer suggestions for comprehensive understanding of microalgal EPS roles in various scenarios.

中文翻译：

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微藻胞外聚合物（EPS）及其在培养、生物质收获和生物产品提取中的作用


微藻胞外聚合物（EPS）是复杂的高分子量聚合物，EPS的理化性质强烈影响微藻培养和资源利用的核心特征。以有趣新颖的主题揭示EPS在微藻生命周期过程中的关键作用，以实现微藻节能的实际应用。本综述发现，EPS在微藻培养过程中的非气体吸收、细胞外电子传递、毒性抗性和异养共生方面表现出积极的作用，但对气体转移和光利用产生负面影响。对于生物质收获，EPS有利于生物质絮凝和大尺寸细胞自絮凝，但不利于小尺寸微藻自絮凝、膜过滤、电荷中和和生物质脱水。在生物制品提取过程中，EPS 对提取剂的吸收表现出积极的影响，但对细胞膜通透性和细胞破裂产生相反的影响。还确定了微藻 EPS 的未来研究，为全面了解微藻 EPS 在各种情况下的作用提供了建议。