Production of carbon-based biofuels by pyrolysis of exhausted Arthrospira platensis biomass after protein or lipid recovery

Thermal pyrolysis of Arthrospira platensis biomass was investigated at 450 °C before and after lipid or protein extractions with the aim to valorize the extraction residue. Compositions of biomass before pyrolysis and reaction products were analyzed by FT-IR, GC-MS, TG and SEM analyses. Thermal pyrolysis of biomass without any preliminary treatment led to the production of quite promising reaction products in terms of energetic potential, and the best results were obtained with biomass after protein recovery. In fact, contents of nitrogenous and oxygenated compounds significantly decreased in both liquid and gaseous reaction products. The solid residue after pyrolysis, which was mainly composed of carbon, may be usefully exploited to produce carbon-based biofuels. [Display omitted] •Arthrospira platensis pyrolysis leads to high production of combustible gases.•APPE pyrolysis led to products with less nitrogen content.•The pyrolysis residue corresponds to a relevant decrease of initial mass volume.•The calorific value of the solid residues was increased by >20%.