**2.1 Role of microalgae**

Microalgae have been making its waves in the scientific community over the last few decades for the multitude of derivatives that can be obtained from them and the potential they hold in a vast number of fields. Microalgae have a massive biodiversity and are an essentially unexplored resource. It is believed that there are between 200,000 and 800,000 species in various genera, with approximately 50,000 species described [4]. Over 15,000 new chemicals derived from algal biomass have been chemically identified [5]. The various types of products include carotenoids, antioxidants, fatty acids, enzymes, polymers, peptides, toxins, sterols, etc. [6].

