- The physiological and technological parameters for mass production of microalgae (Branch Standard: 4075950-83) as well as their processing to an aqueous extract (Branch Standard: 0278792-85), alcoholic extract (Branch Standard: 02811448-88) and protein hydrolyzate (Industry Standard: 0278793-85) have been established. These main products are used in pharmacology and medicine in various commercial products.
- A technology for the cultivation of algae with mechanical stirring and periodic CO2 supply was developed. This technology reduces the possibility of infecting the cultures with undesirable algal species.
- Technology for the utilization of agricultural waste products for the cultivation of microalgae has been developed, thereby reducing the cost of biomass production and reducing the amount of wastewater from biogas production.
- Cheap, fast and effective methods for the isolation and purification of C-phycocyanin and ß-phycoerythrin have been developed.
- An algal collection of physio-biochemically characterized strains is maintained and enriched (incl. strains from extreme habitats) with high biotechnological potential for the production of biomass and biologically active substances.
- Mechanisms used by microalgae to overcome stress have been identified. The optimal conditions for the growth and accumulation of target metabolites (phycobiliproteins, carotenoids, polysaccharides, fatty acids, etc.) have been determined.
- The composition of products of microalgae with high biological activity was determined, incl. by applying new harmless extraction techniques.
- A contribution to the chemotaxonomy of cyanoprokaryotes and green algae of genus Chlorella has been obtained by determining the composition of fatty acids.
- The antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor potential of a large number of microalgae products has been revealed. For some of them, a comparable effect was found with traditionally used medicines. Mechanisms of action of some of the obtained products are disclosed.
- For the first time it was established high and selective in vitro activity of B-phycoerythrin from Porphyridium cruentum and exopolysaccharides from Dixoniella grisea and Porphyridium cruentum against tumor cells, revealing the great capabilities of these red microalgae as producers of potential antitumor agents.
- The newly found possibility to increase significantly the biological activity of intracellular (fatty acids, ethanol and water extract) and extracellular (polysaccharides, culture medium) substances of Gloeocapsa sp. and Synechocystis sp. only by applying appropriate cultivation conditions, emphasizes the biotechnological perspectives of the newly isolated Bulgarian microalgae.
- Double inoculation with microalgae and with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was shown to stimulate mycorrhizal function (the concentration of glomalin-like proteins), metabolism (anthocyanins content and nitrogen balance index) and antioxidant capacity (the content of total phenols, flavonoids and ascorbate) of the medicinal basil plant which is of economic importance.
