Hyperspectral imaging of snow algae and green algae from aeroterrestrial habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzinger, Andreas; Allen, Michael C; Deheyn, Dimitri D

2016-09-01

Snow algae and green algae living in aeroterrestrial habitats are ideal objects to study adaptation to high light irradiation. Here, we used a detailed description of the spectral properties as a proxy for photo-acclimation/protection in snow algae (Chlamydomonas nivalis, Chlainomonas sp. and Chloromonas sp.) and charophyte green algae (Zygnema sp., Zygogonium ericetorum and Klebsormidium crenulatum). The hyperspectral microscopic mapping and imaging technique allowed us to acquire total absorption spectra of these microalgae in the waveband of 400-900nm. Particularly in Chlamydomonas nivalis and Chlainomonas sp., a high absorbance between 400-550nm was observed, due to naturally occurring secondary carotenoids; in Chloromonas sp. and in the charopyhte algae this high absorbance was missing, the latter being close relatives to land plants. To investigate if cellular water loss has an influence on the spectral properties, the cells were plasmolysed in sorbitol or desiccated at ambient air. While in snow algae, these treatments did hardly change the spectral properties, in the charopyhte algae the condensation of the cytoplasm and plastids increased the absorbance in the lower waveband of 400-500nm. These changes might be ecologically relevant and photoprotective, as aeroterrestrial algae are naturally exposed to occasional water limitation, leading to desiccation, which are conditions usually occurring together with higher irradiation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arsenic speciation in edible alga samples by microwave-assisted extraction and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Salgado, S. [Departamento de Ingenieria Civil: Tecnologia Hidraulica y Energetica, Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieria Tecnica de Obras Publicas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII 3 y 5, 28014 Madrid (Spain); Quijano, M.A., E-mail: marian.quijano@upm.es [Departamento de Ingenieria Civil: Tecnologia Hidraulica y Energetica, Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieria Tecnica de Obras Publicas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII 3 y 5, 28014 Madrid (Spain); Bonilla, M.M. [Departamento de Ingenieria Civil: Tecnologia Hidraulica y Energetica, Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieria Tecnica de Obras Publicas, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Alfonso XII 3 y 5, 28014 Madrid (Spain)

2012-02-10

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Total As and As species were analyzed in edible marine algae. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A microwave-assisted extraction method with deionized water was applied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer As compounds identified comprised DMA, As(V) and four arsenosugars Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Considerably high As(V) concentrations were found in the most of the algae studied. - Abstract: Twelve commercially available edible marine algae from France, Japan and Spain and the certified reference material (CRM) NIES No. 9 Sargassum fulvellum were analyzed for total arsenic and arsenic species. Total arsenic concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after microwave digestion and ranged from 23 to 126 {mu}g g{sup -1}. Arsenic species in alga samples were extracted with deionized water by microwave-assisted extraction and showed extraction efficiencies from 49 to 98%, in terms of total arsenic. The presence of eleven arsenic species was studied by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet photo-oxidation-hydride generation atomic-fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC-(UV)-HG-AFS) developed methods, using both anion and cation exchange chromatography. Glycerol and phosphate sugars were found in all alga samples analyzed, at concentrations between 0.11 and 22 {mu}g g{sup -1}, whereas sulfonate and sulfate sugars were only detected in three of them (0.6-7.2 {mu}g g{sup -1}). Regarding arsenic toxic species, low concentration levels of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) (<0.9 {mu}g g{sup -1}) and generally high arsenate (As(V)) concentrations (up to 77 {mu}g g{sup -1}) were found in most of the algae studied. The results obtained are of interest to highlight the need to perform speciation analysis and to introduce appropriate legislation to limit toxic arsenic species content in these food products.

Arsenic speciation in edible alga samples by microwave-assisted extraction and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García-Salgado, S.; Quijano, M.A.; Bonilla, M.M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Total As and As species were analyzed in edible marine algae. ► A microwave-assisted extraction method with deionized water was applied. ► As compounds identified comprised DMA, As(V) and four arsenosugars ► Considerably high As(V) concentrations were found in the most of the algae studied. - Abstract: Twelve commercially available edible marine algae from France, Japan and Spain and the certified reference material (CRM) NIES No. 9 Sargassum fulvellum were analyzed for total arsenic and arsenic species. Total arsenic concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after microwave digestion and ranged from 23 to 126 μg g −1 . Arsenic species in alga samples were extracted with deionized water by microwave-assisted extraction and showed extraction efficiencies from 49 to 98%, in terms of total arsenic. The presence of eleven arsenic species was studied by high performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet photo-oxidation–hydride generation atomic–fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC–(UV)–HG–AFS) developed methods, using both anion and cation exchange chromatography. Glycerol and phosphate sugars were found in all alga samples analyzed, at concentrations between 0.11 and 22 μg g −1 , whereas sulfonate and sulfate sugars were only detected in three of them (0.6-7.2 μg g −1 ). Regarding arsenic toxic species, low concentration levels of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) ( −1 ) and generally high arsenate (As(V)) concentrations (up to 77 μg g −1 ) were found in most of the algae studied. The results obtained are of interest to highlight the need to perform speciation analysis and to introduce appropriate legislation to limit toxic arsenic species content in these food products.

Investigating the feasibility of growing algae for fuel in Southern nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Moazeni, Faegheh

Southern Nevada, where warm climate, non-arable land, and wastewater are available. In addition, this study examines the variations in lipid content of algae, which affects the overall oil productivity at biofuel plants. The results demonstrated that lipid content is a dynamic property, negatively correlated to growth rate. Under varied environmental conditions, where growth rate can vary, lipid content also varies, but in an opposite direction. Therefore, the conditions that support a high rate of growth may not necessarily cause lipid content to increase. As a result, the tradeoff between growth rate and lipid content becomes critical at biofuel plants where the overall oil productivity must be optimum. If the efficiency of a biodiesel production process is 100%, the total productivity is equivalent to the amount of lipids produced by each cell multiplied by the total number of cells in the culture. Consequently, the oil productivity would be directly influenced by the outcome of the interactions between lipid content and growth rate. This research presents a universal pattern that elaborates the relationship between lipid content and growth rate of algae under varied environmental conditions. Key words: native algae, algal biodiesel, municipal wastewater, algal biomass residue, lipid content, growth rate, mixotrophy

Algae as a Biofuel: Renewable Source for Liquid Fuel

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Vijay Kant Pandey

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Biofuels produced by algae may provide a feasible alternative to fossil fuels like petroleum sourced fuels. However, looking to limited fossil fuel associated with problems, intensive efforts have been given to search for alternative biofuels like biodiesel. Algae are ubiquitous on earth, have potential to produce biofuel. However, technology of biofuel from algae facing a number of hurdles before it can compete in the fuel market and be broadly organized. Different challenges include strain identification and improvement of algal biomass, both in terms of biofuel productivity and the production of other products to improve the economics of the entire system. Algal biofuels could be made more cost effective by extracting other valuable products from algae and algal strains. Algal oil can be prepared by culture of algae on municipal and industrial wastewaters. Photobioreactors methods provide a controlled environment that can be tailored to the specific demands of high production of algae to attain a consistently good yield of biofuel. The algal biomass has been reported to yield high oil contents and have good amount of the biodiesel production capacity. In this article, it has been attempted to review to elucidate the approaches for making algal biodiesel economically competitive with respect to petrodiesel. Consequently, R & D work has been carried out for the growth, harvesting, oil extraction and conversion to biodiesel from algal sources.

Algae-facilitated chemical phosphorus removal during high-density Chlorella emersonii cultivation in a membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Meng; Bernards, Matthew; Hu, Zhiqiang

2014-02-01

An algae-based membrane bioreactor (A-MBR) was evaluated for high-density algae cultivation and phosphorus (P) removal. The A-MBR was seeded with Chlorella emersonii and operated at a hydraulic retention time of 1day with minimal biomass wastage for about 150days. The algae concentration increased from initially 385mg/L (or 315mg biomass COD/L) to a final of 4840mg/L (or 1664mg COD/L), yielding an average solids (algae biomass+minerals) production rate of 32.5gm(-3)d(-1) or 6.2gm(-2)d(-1). The A-MBR was able to remove 66±9% of the total P from the water while the algal biomass had an average of 7.5±0.2% extracellular P and 0.4% of intracellular P. The results suggest that algae-induced phosphate precipitation by algae is key to P removal and high-density algae cultivation produces P-rich algal biomass with excellent settling properties. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Algae Age and Population on the Response to TiO₂ Nanoparticles.

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Metzler, David M; Erdem, Ayca; Huang, Chin Pao

2018-03-25

This work shows the influence of algae age (at the time of the exposure) and the initial algae population on the response of green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs). The different algae age was obtained by changes in flow rate of continually stirred tank reactors prior to NP exposure. Increased algae age led to a decreased growth, variations in chlorophyll content, and an increased lipid peroxidation. Increased initial algae population (0.3-4.2 × 10⁶ cells/mL) at a constant NP concentration (100 mg/L) caused a decline in the growth of algae. With increased initial algae population, the lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll both initially decreased and then increased. Lipid peroxidation had 4× the amount of the control at high and low initial population but, at mid-ranged initial population, had approximately half the control value. Chlorophyll a results also showed a similar trend. These results indicate that the physiological state of the algae is important for the toxicological effect of TiO₂ NPs. The condition of algae and exposure regime must be considered in detail when assessing the toxicological response of NPs to algae.

Selenium accumulation and metabolism in algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiavon, Michela; Ertani, Andrea; Parrasia, Sofia; Vecchia, Francesca Dalla

2017-08-01

Selenium (Se) is an intriguing element because it is metabolically required by a variety of organisms, but it may induce toxicity at high doses. Algae primarily absorb selenium in the form of selenate or selenite using mechanisms similar to those reported in plants. However, while Se is needed by several species of microalgae, the essentiality of this element for plants has not been established yet. The study of Se uptake and accumulation strategies in micro- and macro-algae is of pivotal importance, as they represent potential vectors for Se movement in aquatic environments and Se at high levels may affect their growth causing a reduction in primary production. Some microalgae exhibit the capacity of efficiently converting Se to less harmful volatile compounds as a strategy to cope with Se toxicity. Therefore, they play a crucial role in Se-cycling through the ecosystem. On the other side, micro- or macro-algae enriched in Se may be used in Se biofortification programs aimed to improve Se content in human diet via supplementation of valuable food. Indeed, some organic forms of selenium (selenomethionine and methylselenocysteine) are known to act as anticarcinogenic compounds and exert a broad spectrum of beneficial effects in humans and other mammals. Here, we want to give an overview of the developments in the current understanding of Se uptake, accumulation and metabolism in algae, discussing potential ecotoxicological implications and nutritional aspects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Algae Age and Population on the Response to TiO2 Nanoparticles

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David M. Metzler

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This work shows the influence of algae age (at the time of the exposure and the initial algae population on the response of green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs. The different algae age was obtained by changes in flow rate of continually stirred tank reactors prior to NP exposure. Increased algae age led to a decreased growth, variations in chlorophyll content, and an increased lipid peroxidation. Increased initial algae population (0.3−4.2 × 106 cells/mL at a constant NP concentration (100 mg/L caused a decline in the growth of algae. With increased initial algae population, the lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll both initially decreased and then increased. Lipid peroxidation had 4× the amount of the control at high and low initial population but, at mid-ranged initial population, had approximately half the control value. Chlorophyll a results also showed a similar trend. These results indicate that the physiological state of the algae is important for the toxicological effect of TiO2 NPs. The condition of algae and exposure regime must be considered in detail when assessing the toxicological response of NPs to algae.

Influence of Algae Age and Population on the Response to TiO2 Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Metzler, David M.; Erdem, Ayca; Huang, Chin Pao

2018-01-01

This work shows the influence of algae age (at the time of the exposure) and the initial algae population on the response of green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). The different algae age was obtained by changes in flow rate of continually stirred tank reactors prior to NP exposure. Increased algae age led to a decreased growth, variations in chlorophyll content, and an increased lipid peroxidation. Increased initial algae population (0.3−4.2 × 106 cells/mL) at a constant NP concentration (100 mg/L) caused a decline in the growth of algae. With increased initial algae population, the lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll both initially decreased and then increased. Lipid peroxidation had 4× the amount of the control at high and low initial population but, at mid-ranged initial population, had approximately half the control value. Chlorophyll a results also showed a similar trend. These results indicate that the physiological state of the algae is important for the toxicological effect of TiO2 NPs. The condition of algae and exposure regime must be considered in detail when assessing the toxicological response of NPs to algae. PMID:29587381

Can stormwater be detected by algae in an urban reef in Hawai‘i?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erin Cox, T.; Smith, Celia M.; Popp, Brian N.; Foster, Michael S.; Abbott, Isabella A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Invasive and native algae are a part of a reef assemblage located in an urban area. • Algal nitrogen (N) composition tested if N was enriched from storm-drain outlets. • Elevated N values indicated a mixed, high nutrient environment. • Storm-drains as plausible nitrogenous source was not supported. • Temporal and spatial values indicate algae incorporated terrestrial derived N. -- Abstract: Nitrogen (N) enrichment of tropical reefs can result in the dominance of invasive algae. The invasive alga Acanthophora spicifera and the native alga Laurencia nidifica are part of a diverse reef assemblage in ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu. Their N contents and δ 15 N values were investigated to determine if N was enriched and to evaluate potential nitrogenous sources near and removed from storm-drain outlets. δ 15 N values of algae (3.8–17.7‰) were within and above the range for algae around the island (1.9–11.9‰). Elevated algae N isotope values (δ 15 N > +7‰, [N] > 1.6%) and seawater nitrate + nitrite levels (0.59–7.93 μM) indicated a mixed, high nutrient environment. The overlap in δ 15 N values with multiple nitrogenous sources precluded identification. However, spatial and temporal patterns did not support stormwater as the dominant, nitrogenous source. Patterns were congruent with algal incorporation of terrestrial derived N, subjected to a high degree of biogeochemical cycling

Biogas performance from co-digestion of Taihu algae and kitchen wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Ming-Xing; Ruan, Wen-Quan

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Co-digestion mode improves the biogas yield of Taihu algae and kitchen wastes. • Neutral protease enzyme reached maximum in algae only group. • The activity of dehydrogenase enzyme in mixed substrate groups was higher than that of algae and kitchen wastes only group. - Abstract: Co-digestion of Taihu algae with high carbon content substrate can balance the nutrients in the fermentation process. In this study, optimal mixing ratio for co-digestion of Taihu algae and kitchen wastes were investigated in order to improve biogas production potential. The results indicated that the biogas yield reached 388.6 mL/gTS at C/N15:1 group, which was 1.29 and 1.18 times of algae and kitchen wastes only. The maximum concentration of VFA reached 4239 mg/L on 8th day in kitchen wastes group, which was 1.21 times of algae group. Neutral protease enzyme activity in algae group reached maximum of 904.2 μg/(gTS h), while dehydrogenase enzyme at C/N 15:1 group reached maximum of 3402.2 μgTF/(gTS h). The feasibility of adjusting the C/N with co-digestion of Taihu algae and kitchen wastes to increase biogas production was demonstrated. Remarkably, the C/N of 15:1 was found to be the most appropriate ratio

Screening of proteins based on macro-algae from West Java coast in Indonesian marine as a potential anti-aging agent

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Putri, Arlina Prima; Dewi, Rizna Triana; Handayani, Aniek Sri; Harjanto, Sri; Chalid, Mochamad

2018-02-01

Algae has been known as one of the potential marine bio-resources that have been used in many fields such as bio-energy, food, pharmaceutical and medical applications. Study of macro-algae or seaweed for medicine application, in particular, highlights to empower their ingredients as a promising antioxidant like anti-aging agent due to their diversity in biological activity. The tropical climate of Indonesia with the highest marine biodiversity puts this country an auspicious source of numerous alga species as a novel antioxidant source. A Sample of 29 species of macroalgae has been collected from Coast of Pari Island as a part of Seribu Islands, Indonesia. Screening and extracting of aqueous tropical marine alga protein as a potential source for an antioxidant agent has been done by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging method, and protein contents have been determined by Lowry method. Sample number 26 of the phylum Rhodophyta have 9.00±0.03 % protein content, which is potential for nutritional food in form of nutraceutical. That sample demonstrated the maximum DPPH scavenging activity 79.27±1.81 %. Moreover, crude extract from another species from phylum Rhodophyta had the very lower IC50 (3.4333±0.29 mg/ml) followed by Chlorophyta species (7.1069±1.78 mg/ml). In general, this study found that algae from phylum Rhodophyta possess a high content of protein, high activity towards free radical. Nevertheless, algae acquire the lowest IC50 value not only dominated by Rhodophyta but also from phylum Chlorophyta. The conclusion of this study leads to empowering high antioxidant activity algae as an anti-aging agent, which can be used in pharmaceutical applications. Therefore, the next study should be concerned on the properties of the algae which has been known to be suitable for pharmaceutical fields.

Hydrothermal liquefaction pathways for low-nitrogen biocrude from wet algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanzella, Francis [SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States); Lim, Jin-Ping [SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

2016-12-13

Our SRI International (SRI) team has developed a new two-step hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process to convert wet algal biomass into biocrude oil. The first step in the process (low-temperature HTL or HTL1) yields crude oil but, most importantly, it selectively dissolves nitrogen-containing compounds in the aqueous phase. Once the oil and the aqueous phase are separated, the low-nitrogen soft solids left behind can be taken to the second step (high-temperature HTL or HTL2) for full conversion to biocrude. HTL2 will hence yield low-nitrogen biocrude, which can be hydro-processed to yield transportation fuels. The expected high carbon yield and low nitrogen content can lead to a transportation fuel from algae that avoids two problems common to existing algae-to-fuel processes: (1) poisoning of the hydro-processing catalyst; and (2) inefficient conversion of algae-to-liquid fuels. The process we studied would yield a new route to strategic energy production from domestic sources.

Antibacterial and anti-hyperlipidemic activities of the green alga Cladophora koeiei

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Neveen Abdel-Raouf

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In the present investigation, an antihyperlipidemic activity of Cladophora koeiei ethanol extract against six pathogenic bacteria was conducted. Also, we evaluate the activity of the alga extract against hyperlipedemia in the administrated albino rates through measuring the blood lipid profiles [triglycerides (TG, total cholesterol (TC, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, cholesterol] and induced hepatic damage by measuring the contents of creatinine, total proteins, blood urea nitrogen (BUN, albumin and globulin and diagnostic marker enzymes such as aspartate aminotransaminase (AST and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT. Alga extract proved efficient activity against the tested bacteria ranged between medium and high suppression action. Results revealed also, the efficiency of C. koeiei extract in the decreasing the triglycerides (TG, total cholesterol (TC, low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C, blood urea nitrogen (BUN and creatinine caused by alcohol. However, the treatment by alga extract exhibits high-density of lipoproteins (HDL-C (beneficial, total protein, albumin, and globulins. Also, the algal treatments masking the lethal effects caused by harmful alcohol from raising the rate of enzymes ALT, AST, which returned to the normal state in the groups treated with alga extract. Our findings provide the evidence that new natural antioxidant substances can be present in the C. koeiei extract and hence this alga proves to be effective as a source for therapeutic agents.

Accumulation of 210Po by benthic marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouvea, R.C.; Branco, M.E.C.; Santos, P.L.

1988-01-01

The accumulation of polonium 210 Po by various species of benthic marine seaweeds collected from 4 different points on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, showed variations by species and algal groups. The highest value found was in red alga, Plocamium brasiliensis followed by other organisms of the same group. In the group of the brown alga, the specie Sargassum stenophylum was outstanding. The Chlorophyta presented the lowest content of 210 Po. The algae collected in open sea, revealed greater concentration factors of 210 Po than the same species living in bays. The siliceous residue remaining after mineralization of the algae did not interfere with the detection of polonium. (author)

Study on the effect of irradiation on algae by proteomics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jong Il; Yoon, Yo Han; Kim, Jae Hun

2010-06-01

Algae has been utilized as food material from long time ago, and recently newly recognized as functional materials and the source of bio-fuel. But, the study on the algae is just beginning and the study on protein expression and growth by the change of condition was not reported. In this study, the effect of radiation on the protein expression was investigated for the protection mechanisms and new genome source and furthermore, isolation of new mutant strains. To monitor the growth of algae, absorbance and FDA staining methods were developed and the content of lipid of algae species were measured. With these methods, the radiation sensitivity of algae species was determined. To investigate the proteome of algae, 2D-electrophoresis methods was applied. From the comparison of proteomes, the radiation specific expressed protein was identified as thioredoxin-h and its nucleotide sequences was defined. The expression of thioredoxin-h was further defined on the mRNA level. Also, the extract of algae species was analyzed for its antioxidant activity and polyphenolic content. The changes in antioxidant activity of extract by radiation was investigated. From the radiation experiments, mutant Spirogyra species having higher resistant against radical stress was obtained. The mutant strain has higher antioxidant activity. This results can provide the proteome date and mutation technology of algae and further contribute in the activation of fishery industry and national health enhancement

Biodiesel Production From Algae to Overcome the Energy Crisis

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Suliman Khan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The use of energy sources has reached at the level that whole world is relying on it. Being the major source of energy, fuels are considered the most important. The fear of diminishing the available sources thirst towards biofuel production has increased during last decades. Considering the food problems, algae gain the most attention to be used as biofuel producers. The use of crop and food-producing plants will never be a best fit into the priorities for biofuel production as they will disturb the food needs. Different types of algae having the different production abilities. Normally algae have 20%–80% oil contents that could be converted into different types of fuels such as kerosene oil and biodiesel. The diesel production from algae is economical and easy. Different species such as tribonema, ulothrix and euglena have good potential for biodiesel production. Gene technology can be used to enhance the production of oil and biodiesel contents and stability of algae. By increasing the genetic expressions, we can find the ways to achieve the required biofuel amounts easily and continuously to overcome the fuels deficiency. The present review article focusses on the role of algae as a possible substitute for fossil fuel as an ideal biofuel reactant.

Cultivation Strategy for Freshwater Macro- and Micro-Algae as Biomass Stock for Lipid Production

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Marieska Verawaty

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this research, an algae cultivation strategy was studied. Integrating algae cultivation with wastewater treatment is currently seen as one of the most economical ways of producing algae biomass. A combination of an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR and a constructed wetland (CW was applied for treating domestic wastewater with an additional collection tank for improving effluent quality. The effluent produced from the three stages was used as algae cultivation media and suplemented with 10% bold basal medium (BBM. The results showed both micro- and macro-algae growth and their lipid contents were higher when they were grown in effluent-BBM (9:1 v/v media. The lipid content of the micro-algae mixed culture was 16.5% while for macro-algae Oedogonium sp and Cladophora sp it was 6.90% and 6.75% respectively.

Economic evaluation of algae biodiesel based on meta-analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yongli; Liu, Xiaowei; White, Mark A.; Colosi, Lisa M.

2017-08-01

The objective of this study is to elucidate the economic viability of algae-to-energy systems at a large scale, by developing a meta-analysis of five previously published economic evaluations of systems producing algae biodiesel. Data from original studies were harmonised into a standardised framework using financial and technical assumptions. Results suggest that the selling price of algae biodiesel under the base case would be 5.00-10.31/gal, higher than the selected benchmarks: 3.77/gal for petroleum diesel, and 4.21/gal for commercial biodiesel (B100) from conventional vegetable oil or animal fat. However, the projected selling price of algal biodiesel (2.76-4.92/gal), following anticipated improvements, would be competitive. A scenario-based sensitivity analysis reveals that the price of algae biodiesel is most sensitive to algae biomass productivity, algae oil content, and algae cultivation cost. This indicates that the improvements in the yield, quality, and cost of algae feedstock could be the key factors to make algae-derived biodiesel economically viable.

Enhancement of carotenoid and chlorophyll content of an edible freshwater alga (Kai: Cladophora sp. by supplementary inorganic phosphate and investigation of its biomass production

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Siripen Traichaiyaporn

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Enhancement of the carotenoid and chlorophyll content of an edible freshwater alga (Kai:Cladophora sp. by supplementary inorganic phosphate in canteen wastewater was investigated. Themass cultivation of the alga was conducted at ambient temperature and light intensity in dilutedcanteen wastewater enhanced with dipotassium hydrogen phosphate at 5-20 mg L-1. An increase intotal carotenoid and chlorophyll was observed. However, it had no effect on biomass production. Asa result of the algal cultivation, there was a dramatic improvement in the quality of canteen wastewater.

Photoproduction of hydroxyl radicals in aqueous solution with algae under high-pressure mercury lamp.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xianli; Wu, Feng; Deng, Nansheng

2004-01-01

Photoproduction of hydroxyl radicals (*OH) could be induced in aqueous solution with algae (Nitzschia hantzschiana, etc.) and (or not) Fe3+ under high-pressure mercury lamp with an exposure time of 4 h. *OH was determined by HPLC using benzene as a probe. The photoproduction of *OH increased with increasing algae concentration. Fe3+ could enhance the photoproduction of *OH in aqueous solution with algae. The results showed that the photoproduction of *OH in algal solution with Fe3+ was greater than that in algal solution without Fe3+. The light intensity and pH affected the photoproduction of *OH in aqueous solution with algae with/without Fe3+. The photoproduction of *OH in aqueous solution with algae and Fe3+ under 250 W was greater than that under 125 W HPML. The photoproduction of *OH in algal solution (pH ranged from 4.0 to 7.0) with (or not) Fe3+ at pH 4 was the greatest.

Simultaneous effects of light intensity and phosphorus supply on the sterol content of phytoplankton.

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Maike Piepho

Full Text Available Sterol profiles of microalgae and their change with environmental conditions are of great interest in ecological food web research and taxonomic studies alike. Here, we investigated effects of light intensity and phosphorus supply on the sterol content of phytoplankton and assessed potential interactive effects of these important environmental factors on the sterol composition of algae. We identified sterol contents of four common phytoplankton genera, Scenedesmus, Chlamydomonas, Cryptomonas and Cyclotella, and analysed the change in sterol content with varying light intensities in both a high-phosphorus and a low-phosphorus approach. Sterol contents increased significantly with increasing light in three out of four species. Phosphorus-limitation reversed the change of sterol content with light intensity, i.e., sterol content decreased with increasing light at low phosphorus supply. Generally sterol contents were lower in low-phosphorus cultures. In conclusion, both light and phosphorus conditions strongly affect the sterol composition of algae and hence should be considered in ecological and taxonomic studies investigating the biochemical composition of algae. Data suggest a possible sterol limitation of growth and reproduction of herbivorous crustacean zooplankton during summer when high light intensities and low phosphorus supply decrease sterol contents of algae.

The physiological responses of Vallisneria natans to epiphytic algae with the increase of N and P concentrations in water bodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yu-Zhi; Wang, Jin-Qi; Gao, Yong-Xia; Xie, Xue-Jian

2015-06-01

To reveal the mechanism of submerged plants decline in progressively eutrophicated freshwaters, physiological responses of Vallisneria natans to epiphytic algae were studied in simulation lab by measuring plant physiological indexes of chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity based on a 2 × 4 factorial design with two epiphytic conditions (with epiphytic algae and without) and four levels of N and P concentrations in water (N-P[mg.L(-1)]: 0.5, 0.05; 2.5, 0.25; 4.5, 0.45; 12.5, 1.25). Compared with control (non-presence of epiphytic algae), chlorophyll contents of V. natans were significantly decreased (p algae under any concentrations of N and P in water bodies. While the presence of epiphytic algae induced peroxidation of membrane lipids, MDA contents of V. natans had significantly increased (p algae in the treatments of T2 and T3 in the whole culture process by comparing with control, sometimes reaching an extremely significant level (p algae (p algae on chlorophyll content and SOD activity in the leaves of V. natans were increased at first and then decreased with the concentrations of N and P in water, and MDA content became higher with the increase of N and P. concentrations. Repeated measurement data testing showed that the effects of epiphytic algae on the chlorophyll content and MDA content and SOD activity were significant, respectively (p algae were combining with effects of concentrations of N and P (p algae directly produced adverse effects on physiology of V. natans and epiphytic algal biomass were positively correlated with nutrient available in the water column.

Cellulose powder from Cladophora sp. algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Ek, R; Gustafsson, C; Nutt, A; Iversen, T; Nyström, C

1998-01-01

The surface are and crystallinity was measured on a cellulose powder made from Cladophora sp. algae. The algae cellulose powder was found to have a very high surface area (63.4 m2/g, N2 gas adsorption) and build up of cellulose with a high crystallinity (approximately 100%, solid state NMR). The high surface area was confirmed by calculations from atomic force microscope imaging of microfibrils from Cladophora sp. algae.

In Silico Analysis of Correlations between Protein Disorder and Post-Translational Modifications in Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurotani, Atsushi; Sakurai, Tetsuya

2015-08-20

Recent proteome analyses have reported that intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins play important roles in biological processes. In higher plants whose genomes have been sequenced, the correlation between IDRs and post-translational modifications (PTMs) has been reported. The genomes of various eukaryotic algae as common ancestors of plants have also been sequenced. However, no analysis of the relationship to protein properties such as structure and PTMs in algae has been reported. Here, we describe correlations between IDR content and the number of PTM sites for phosphorylation, glycosylation, and ubiquitination, and between IDR content and regions rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine (PEST) and transmembrane helices in the sequences of 20 algae proteomes. Phosphorylation, O-glycosylation, ubiquitination, and PEST preferentially occurred in disordered regions. In contrast, transmembrane helices were favored in ordered regions. N-glycosylation tended to occur in ordered regions in most of the studied algae; however, it correlated positively with disordered protein content in diatoms. Additionally, we observed that disordered protein content and the number of PTM sites were significantly increased in the species-specific protein clusters compared to common protein clusters among the algae. Moreover, there were specific relationships between IDRs and PTMs among the algae from different groups.

In Silico Analysis of Correlations between Protein Disorder and Post-Translational Modifications in Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Kurotani

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Recent proteome analyses have reported that intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs of proteins play important roles in biological processes. In higher plants whose genomes have been sequenced, the correlation between IDRs and post-translational modifications (PTMs has been reported. The genomes of various eukaryotic algae as common ancestors of plants have also been sequenced. However, no analysis of the relationship to protein properties such as structure and PTMs in algae has been reported. Here, we describe correlations between IDR content and the number of PTM sites for phosphorylation, glycosylation, and ubiquitination, and between IDR content and regions rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine (PEST and transmembrane helices in the sequences of 20 algae proteomes. Phosphorylation, O-glycosylation, ubiquitination, and PEST preferentially occurred in disordered regions. In contrast, transmembrane helices were favored in ordered regions. N-glycosylation tended to occur in ordered regions in most of the studied algae; however, it correlated positively with disordered protein content in diatoms. Additionally, we observed that disordered protein content and the number of PTM sites were significantly increased in the species-specific protein clusters compared to common protein clusters among the algae. Moreover, there were specific relationships between IDRs and PTMs among the algae from different groups.

Bioethanol Production from Indigenous Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhuka Roy

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Enhanced rate of fossil fuel extraction is likely to deplete limited natural resources over short period of time. So search for alternative fuel is only the way to overcome this problem of upcoming energy crisis. In this aspect biofuel is a sustainable option. Agricultural lands cannot be compromised for biofuel production due to the requirement of food for the increasing population. Certain species of algae can produce ethanol during anaerobic fermentation and thus serve as a direct source for bioethanol production. The high content of complex carbohydrates entrapped in the cell wall of the microalgae makes it essential to incorporate a pre-treatment stage to release and convert these complex carbohydrates into simple sugars prior to the fermentation process. There have been researches on production of bioethanol from a particular species of algae, but this work was an attempt to produce bioethanol from easily available indigenous algae. Acid hydrolysis was carried out as pre-treatment. Gas Chromatographic analysis showed that 5 days’ fermentation by baker’s yeast had yielded 93% pure bioethanol. The fuel characterization of the bioethanol with respect to gasoline showed comparable and quite satisfactory results for its use as an alternative fuel.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i1.12182International Journal of Environment Volume-4, Issue-1, Dec-Feb 2014/15, page: 112-120  

Influence of Algae Age and Population on the Response to TiO2 Nanoparticles

OpenAIRE

David M. Metzler; Ayca Erdem; Chin Pao Huang

2018-01-01

This work shows the influence of algae age (at the time of the exposure) and the initial algae population on the response of green algae Raphidocelis subcapitata to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). The different algae age was obtained by changes in flow rate of continually stirred tank reactors prior to NP exposure. Increased algae age led to a decreased growth, variations in chlorophyll content, and an increased lipid peroxidation. Increased initial algae population (0.3−4.2 × 106 ...

Radiation effects on algae and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwivedi, Rakesh Kumar

2013-01-01

The effects of radiation on algae have been summarized in this article. Today, algae are being considered to have the great potential to fulfill the demand of food, fodder, fuel and various pharmaceutical products. Red algae are particularly rich in the content of polysaccharides present in their cell wall. For isolation of these polysaccharides, separation of cells cemented together by middle lamella is essential. The gamma rays are known to bring about biochemical changes in the cell wall and cause the breakdown of the middle lamella. These rays ate also known to speed up the starch sugar inter-conversion in the cells which is very useful for the tapping the potential of algae to be used as biofuel as well as in pharmaceutical industries. Cyanobacteria, among algae and other plants are more resistant to the radiation. In some cyanobacteria the radiation treatment is known to enhance the resistance against the antibiotics. Radiation treatment is also known to enhance the diameter of cell and size of the nitrogen fixing heterocyst. (author)

A Photobioreactor System for Precision Cultivation of Photoautotrophic Microorganisms and for High-Content Analysis of Suspension Dynamics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nedbal, Ladislav; Trtílek, M.; Červený, Jan; Komárek, Ondřej; Pakrasi, Himadri B.

2008-01-01

Roč. 100, č. 5 (2008), s. 902-910 ISSN 0006-3592 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/05/0894 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : algae * cyanobacteria * high-content monitoring * microbial growth * photosynthesis * systems biology Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 2.936, year: 2008

Algae separation from urban landscape water using a high density microbubble layer enhanced by micro-flocculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuwen; Xu, Jingcheng; Liu, Jia; Wei, Qiaoling; Li, Guangming; Huang, Xiangfeng

2014-01-01

Eutrophication of raw water results in outbreaks of algae, which hinders conventional water treatment. In this study, high density microbubble layers combined with micro-flocculation was adopted to remove algae from urban landscape water, and the effects of pressure, hydraulic loading, microbubble layer height and flocculation dosage on the removal efficiency for algae were studied. The greatest removal efficiency for algae, chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus was obtained at 0.42 MPa with hydraulic loading at 5 m/h and a flocculation dosage of 4 mg/L using a microbubble layer with a height of 130 cm. Moreover, the size, clearance distance and concentration of microbubbles were found to be affected by pressure and the height of the microbubble layer. Based on the study, this method was an alternative for algae separation from urban landscape water and water purification.

Potential biomedical applications of marine algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui-Min David; Li, Xiao-Chun; Lee, Duu-Jong; Chang, Jo-Shu

2017-11-01

Functional components extracted from algal biomass are widely used as dietary and health supplements with a variety of applications in food science and technology. In contrast, the applications of algae in dermal-related products have received much less attention, despite that algae also possess high potential for the uses in anti-infection, anti-aging, skin-whitening, and skin tumor treatments. This review, therefore, focuses on integrating studies on algae pertinent to human skin care, health and therapy. The active compounds in algae related to human skin treatments are mentioned and the possible mechanisms involved are described. The main purpose of this review is to identify serviceable algae functions in skin treatments to facilitate practical applications in this high-potential area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced high energy efficient steam drying of algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziz, Muhammad; Oda, Takuya; Kashiwagi, Takao

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Brown algae drying processes based on heat circulation technology (HC) were proposed. • HC was developed on exergy recovery through exergy elevation and heat pairing. • The energy efficiency of the proposed drying processes was evaluated. • Significant reduction of energy input and CO 2 emission in drying is readily achieved. - Abstract: State-of-the-art brown algae drying processes based on heat circulation technology were proposed, and their performance with respect to energy consumption was evaluated. Heat circulation technology was developed using the principle of exergy recovery performed through exergy elevation and effective heat pairing for both sensible and latent heat. Two steam drying processes based on heat circulation technology for algae drying were proposed, involving heat circulation with or without steam recirculation. The proposed processes were compared with the conventional heat recovery system employing heat cascade technology. Brown algae Laminaria japonica was selected as the test sample. From the results, it is very clear that both proposed drying processes can reduce the required drying energy significantly by up to 90% of that required in conventional heat recovery drying. Furthermore, the temperature–enthalpy diagram for each process shows that in heat circulation technology based drying, the curves of both hot and cold streams are almost parallel, resulting in the minimization of exergy losses

Hydrothermal liquefaction of high- and low-lipid algae: Mass and energy balances.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Feng; Cui, Zheng; Mallick, Kwonit; Nirmalakhandan, Nagamany; Brewer, Catherine E

2018-06-01

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of high-lipid microalgae Nannochloropsis salina (N. salina) and low-lipid microalgae Galdieria sulphuraria (G. sulphuraria) were run under subcritical conditions (310-350 °C and 10-17 MPa) in a 1.8 L batch autoclave system. HTL mass and energy balances for both species were compared under different operating conditions to predict the optimum reaction conditions for new algae strains based on their feedstock composition. Bio-crude oils and chars were characterized by bomb calorimetry, elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Under the optimized conditions, 59 wt% and 31 wt% bio-crude oil yields were obtained from HTL of N. salina and G. sulphuraria, while 85% and 59% of the feedstock energy were partitioned into N. salina-derived and G. sulphuraria-derived bio-crude oils, respectively. More favorable energy balances were related to shorter reaction times and higher algal solid contents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Importance of algae oil as a source of biodiesel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirbas, Ayhan; Fatih Demirbas, M.

2011-01-01

Algae are the fastest-growing plants in the world. Industrial reactors for algal culture are open ponds, photobioreactors and closed systems. Algae are very important as a biomass source. Algae will some day be competitive as a source for biofuel. Different species of algae may be better suited for different types of fuel. Algae can be grown almost anywhere, even on sewage or salt water, and does not require fertile land or food crops, and processing requires less energy than the algae provides. Algae can be a replacement for oil based fuels, one that is more effective and has no disadvantages. Algae are among the fastest-growing plants in the world, and about 50% of their weight is oil. This lipid oil can be used to make biodiesel for cars, trucks, and airplanes. Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops. the per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from 20,000 to 80,000 l per acre, per year; this is 7-31 times greater than the next best crop, palm oil. The lipid and fatty acid contents of microalgae vary in accordance with culture conditions. Most current research on oil extraction is focused on microalgae to produce biodiesel from algal oil. Algal-oil processes into biodiesel as easily as oil derived from land-based crops.

Measuring sodium alginate content of brown algae species Padina sp. as the basic matter for making dental impression material (Irreversible hydrocolloid impression material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurlindah Hamrun

2016-08-01

Full Text Available One of the most important procedures in denture fabrication and orthodontic treatment is molding the patient’s detail oral cavity to determine the treatment planning. This procedure was done by using alginate impression material or irreversible hydrocolloid in which the basic material is sodium alginate imported from abroad because it is extracted from brown algae which its habitat is not in Indonesia so that it is causes the impression material is relatively expensive roomates is impact to high cost of dental treatment. Indonesia as the archipelago country has availability of abundant brown algae Padina sp. Especially in Puntondo-Punaga seashore, South Sulawesi, but it has not Cultivate yet by the local society because it is never discovered by alginate industry so it is just grow wild and its potency is useless. This experiment identified the purposes of how much sodium alginate is produced from Padina Sp. Extraction as the basic matter of irreversible hydrocolloid. The design of this study is experimental design with one shot case study method. In early stage research, extraction of alginate in the form of sodium alginate. After that, they are weighted by using analytical weight in milligrams (mg unit. Then, it is compare with the standard sodium alginate to observe the similarity of molecules by using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra Red device. Data were Analyzed using mean differences. Based on Padina extracted, produced 12.86 g of sodium alginate content or 28.4% from the cleaning algae was used roomates total weight is 45 g. Based on FTIR test, showed that sodium alginate is extracted similar to the standard sodium alginate with the found of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, ether group and the which is the composer of sodium alginate. In conclusion, from both of infra red spectrum pattern, it was observed unsignificant difference. Extracted sodium alginate Padina is same with the standard sodium alginate and it has 12.86 g content.

Measuring natrium alginate content of brown algae spesies Padina sp. as the basic matter for making dental impression material (Irreversible hydrocolloid impression material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurlindah Hamrun

2016-06-01

Full Text Available One of the most important procedure in denture fabrication and orthodontic treatment is molding the patient’s detail oral cavity to determine the treatment planning. This procedure does by using alginate impression material or irreversible hydrocolloid which is the basic material is natrium alginate which is imported from abroad because it is extracted from brown algae which habitat is not in Indonesia so it is causes the impression material is relative expensive which is impact to high cost of dental treatment. Indonesia as the archipelago country has availability of abundant brown algae Padina sp. especially in Puntondo-Punaga seashore, South Sulawesi, but it has not cultivate yet by the local society because it is never discover by alginate industry so it is just grow wild and it’s potency is useless. This experiment purposes to identified how much natrium alginate is producted from Padina Sp. extraction as the basic matter of irreversible hydrocolloid. The design of this study is conducted by experimental design with one shot case study method. Early stage research, extraction of alginate in form of natrium alginate. After that it is weighted by using analytical weight in milligram (mg unit. Then, it is compare with the standard natrium alginate to observe the similarity of molecule by using FTIR device. Data were analyzed using uji rerata. Based on extracted Padina sp, produced 12.86 g natrium alginate content or 28,4% from the alga dry weight total was used which is 45 g. Based on FTIR test, showed that extracted natrium alginate is similar with the standard natrium alginate with the found of hidroxyl, carboxylate, and eter group which is composer of natrium alginate. From both of infra red spectrum pattern, it was observed unsignificant difference. Extracted natrium alginate Padinasp is same with the standard natrium alginate and it has content 12.86 g.

The mitochondrial genome of Grateloupia taiwanensis (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) and comparative mitochondrial genomics of red algae.

Science.gov (United States)

DePriest, Michael S; Bhattacharya, Debashish; López-Bautista, Juan M

2014-10-01

Although red algae are economically highly valuable for their gelatinous cell wall compounds as well as being integral parts of marine benthic habitats, very little genome data are currently available. We present mitochondrial genome sequence data from the red alga Grateloupia taiwanensis S.-M. Lin & H.-Y. Liang. Comprising 28,906 nucleotide positions, the mitochondrial genome contig contains 25 protein-coding genes and 24 transfer RNA genes. It is highly similar to other red algal genomes in gene content as well as overall structure. An intron in the cox1 gene was found to be shared by G. taiwanensis and Grateloupia angusta (Okamura) S. Kawaguchi & H. W. Wang. We also used whole-genome alignments to compare G. taiwanensis to different groups of red algae, and these results are consistent with the currently accepted phylogeny of Rhodophyta. © 2014 Marine Biological Laboratory.

Production of Biodiesel from Marine Algae to Mitigate Environmental Pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A.M.; Obaid, M.; Sultana, R.

2015-01-01

This research article demonstrates the conversion of oily contents of marine macroalgae, namely Cystoseira indica and Scinia hatei to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) through alkaline transesterification. The algae were dried, crushed and grinded into the powder form, which were analyzed for physical appearance, water content and particle size profile. The oily contents from these powdered algae were extracted by using different non-polar solvents like n-hexane, n-heptane, dichloromethane, diethyl ether and n-hexane: diethyl ether (1:1) mixture at small scale. The efficiency index of the solvent was developed based on the yield of the oily content and boiling point of these solvents, which showed that n-hexane: diethyl ether (1:1) mixture is the best solvent system for the extraction of oils. The yield of oily contents with respect to the dried algal weight was found to be 2.81 ± 0.43 percentage w/w and 3.10 ± 0.27 percentage w/w for C. indica and S. hatei respectively. These oily contents were subjected to physical and chemical analysis. The oily contents were converted into biodiesel by alkaline transesterification using potassium methoxide as catalyst which is prepared by dissolving KOH in methanol (0.5g/12 ml, 4.2 percentage w/v) in a separate flask. All the reactions were carried out under completely anhydrous conditions using silica as desiccant and with continuous stirring so that the reactants in two immiscible phases of oily contents and methanol were remain in contact. The yield of biodiesel was found to be 89.0 ± 0.51 percentage w/w (2.50 percentage w/w of dried alga) and 90.6 ± 0.36 percentage w/w (2.81 percentage w/w of dried alga) of biodiesel from C. indica and S. hatei respectively. Finally, biodiesel was characterized by gas chromatography and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as well as by European (EN) standards which were found to be in agreement with the standard values of biodiesel. (author)

Algae-Based Carbon Sequestration

Science.gov (United States)

Haoyang, Cai

2018-03-01

Our civilization is facing a series of environmental problems, including global warming and climate change, which are caused by the accumulation of green house gases in the atmosphere. This article will briefly analyze the current global warming problem and propose a method that we apply algae cultivation to absorb carbon and use shellfish to sequestrate it. Despite the importance of decreasing CO2 emissions or developing carbon-free energy sources, carbon sequestration should be a key issue, since the amount of carbon dioxide that already exists in the atmosphere is great enough to cause global warming. Algae cultivation would be a good choice because they have high metabolism rates and provides shellfish with abundant food that contains carbon. Shellfish’s shells, which are difficult to be decomposed, are reliable storage of carbon, compared to dead organisms like trees and algae. The amount of carbon that can be sequestrated by shellfish is considerable. However, the sequestrating rate of algae and shellfish is not high enough to affect the global climate. Research on algae and shellfish cultivation, including gene technology that aims to create “super plants” and “super shellfish”, is decisive to the solution. Perhaps the baton of history will shift to gene technology, from nuclear physics that has lost appropriate international environment after the end of the Cold War. Gene technology is vital to human survival.

Lipid metabolism and potentials of biofuel and high added-value oil production in red algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Naoki; Moriyama, Takashi; Mori, Natsumi; Toyoshima, Masakazu

2017-04-01

Biomass production is currently explored in microalgae, macroalgae and land plants. Microalgal biofuel development has been performed mostly in green algae. In the Japanese tradition, macrophytic red algae such as Pyropia yezoensis and Gelidium crinale have been utilized as food and industrial materials. Researches on the utilization of unicellular red microalgae such as Cyanidioschyzon merolae and Porphyridium purpureum started only quite recently. Red algae have relatively large plastid genomes harboring more than 200 protein-coding genes that support the biosynthetic capacity of the plastid. Engineering the plastid genome is a unique potential of red microalgae. In addition, large-scale growth facilities of P. purpureum have been developed for industrial production of biofuels. C. merolae has been studied as a model alga for cell and molecular biological analyses with its completely determined genomes and transformation techniques. Its acidic and warm habitat makes it easy to grow this alga axenically in large scales. Its potential as a biofuel producer is recently documented under nitrogen-limited conditions. Metabolic pathways of the accumulation of starch and triacylglycerol and the enzymes involved therein are being elucidated. Engineering these regulatory mechanisms will open a possibility of exploiting the full capability of production of biofuel and high added-value oil. In the present review, we will describe the characteristics and potential of these algae as biotechnological seeds.

Algae Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-06-01

Algae are highly efficient at producing biomass, and they can be found all over the planet. Many use sunlight and nutrients to create biomass, which contain key components—including lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates— that can be converted and upgraded to a variety of biofuels and products. A functional algal biofuels production system requires resources such as suitable land and climate, sustainable management of water resources, a supplemental carbon dioxide (CO2) supply, and other nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus). Algae can be an attractive feedstock for many locations in the United States because their diversity allows for highpotential biomass yields in a variety of climates and environments. Depending on the strain, algae can grow by using fresh, saline, or brackish water from surface water sources, groundwater, or seawater. Additionally, they can grow in water from second-use sources such as treated industrial wastewater; municipal, agricultural, or aquaculture wastewater; or produced water generated from oil and gas drilling operations.

Application of Plackett–Burman design for the high production of some valuable metabolites in marine alga Nannochloropsis oculata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa M. El-Sheekh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Microalgae have efficient nutritional influence to obtain high survival growth and quality of fish larvae and to promote the growth of brine shrimp. In this work the Plackett–Burman statistical design was applied to specify which nutrient factor(s optimize the nutritional contents [protein, carbohydrate, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH] in the marine alga Nannochloropsis oculata used in aquaculture to maximize marine hatchery production. N. oculata was cultured on F/2 medium (as control to reach its maximum growth. The obtained results showed that the maximum growth, chlorophyll-a,b and carotenoid contents were attained after 10 days. The contents of all studied parameters in N. oculata grown on the optimized medium after10 days increased significantly (P ⩽ 0.1 than those on control with low concentration of PO4 (2.5 g l−1 and with high concentration of NO3 (112.5 g l−1 except for cell numbers and DPPH. Significant increases in the protein, carbohydrate, ascorbic acid, β-carotene and DPPH in Artemia franciscana enriched with N. oculata cultured on the newly optimized medium were observed.

Evaluating the potential of renewable diesel production from algae cultured on wastewater: techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ankita Juneja

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Algae, a renewable energy source, has an added advantage of consuming nutrients from wastewater and consequently aiding in wastewater treatment. The algae thus produced can be processed using alternative paths for conversion to fuels. However, due to high moisture content of algae, wet algae processing methods are being encouraged to avoid the dewatering cost and energy. Hydrothermal liquefaction is one such technology that converts the algae into high heating value bio-oil under high temperature and pressure. This bio-oil can be further upgraded to renewable diesel (RD which can be used in diesel powered vehicles without any modifications. The objective of this study is to evaluate the economic viability and to estimate the energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG emissions during life cycle of RD production from algae grown in wastewater using hydrothermal liquefaction. Economic analysis of RD production on commercial scale was performed using engineering process model of RD production plant with processing capacity of 60 Mgal wastewater/day, simulated in SuperPro designer. RD yields for algae were estimated as 10.18 MML/year with unit price of production as $1.75/RD. The GHG emissions during life cycle of RD production were found to be 6.2 times less than those produced for conventional diesel. Sensitivity analysis indicated a potential to reduce ethanol production cost either by using high lipid algae or increasing the plant size. The integrated economic and ecological assessment analyses are helpful in determining long-term sustainability of a product and can be used to drive energy policies in an environmentally sustainable direction.

Evaluation of Marine Algae Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida and Kombu (Laminaria digitata japonica as Food Supplements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Vallorani

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Crude proteins and their amino acid composition, -carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin and minerals were determined in two edible brown marine algae (Phaeophyceae, Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida and Kombu (Laminaria digitata japonica. The amino acid scores for five key essential amino acids, frequently deficient in mixed human diet, and essential amino acid index were calculated. The results have shown the presence of all essential amino acids. The values of essential amino acid ratios of analysed algae exceed the ratios of reference proteins suggested by FAO/WHO/UNU, except for tryptophan, the first limiting amino acid in both analysed algae. Iodine, the most important component of sea vegetables is present in high amounts as well as the vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin and β-carotene. The content of minerals was found high, while the presence of heavy metals was negligible.

Development of Bio-Oil Commodity Fuel as a Refinery Feedstock from High Impact Algae Biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kastner, James [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemical Engineering; Mani, Sudhagar [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemical Engineering; Das, K. C. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemical Engineering; Hilten, Roger [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Biochemical Engineering; Jena, Umakanta [Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Reno, NV (United States)

2014-11-30

A two-stage hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process was developed to 1) reduce nitrogen levels in algal oil, 2) generate a nitrogen rich stream with limited inhibitors for recycle and algae cultivation, and 3) improve downstream catalytic hydrodenitrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation of the algal oil to refinery intermediates. In the first stage, low temperature HTL was conducted at 125, 175, and 225°C at holding times ranging from 1 to 30 min (time at reaction temperature). A consortium of three algal strains, namely Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlorella minutissima, and Scenedesmus bijuga were used to grow and harvest biomass in a raceway system – this consortium is called the UGA Raceway strain throughout the report. Subsequent analysis of the final harvested product indicated that only two strains predominated in the final harvest - Chlorella sorokiniana and Scenedesmus bijuga. Two additional strains representing a high protein (Spirulina platensis) and high lipid algae (Nannochloropsis) strains were also used in this study. These strains were purchased from suppliers. S. platensis biomass was provided by Earthrise Nutritionals LLC (Calipatria, CA) in dry powder form with defined properties, and was stored in airtight packages at 4°C prior to use. A Nannochloropsis paste from Reed Mariculture was purchased and used in the two-stage HTL/HDO experiments. The solids and liquids from this low temperature HTL pretreatment step were separated and analyzed, leading to the following conclusions. Overall, these results indicate that low temperature HTL (200-250°C) at short residence times (5-15 min) can be used to lyse algae cells and remove/separate protein and nitrogen before subsequent higher temperature HTL (for lipid and other polymer hydrolysis) and HDO. The significant reduction in nitrogen when coupled with low protein/high lipid algae cultivation methods at scale could significantly improve downstream catalytic HDO results. However, significant barriers and

The carbon footprint and non-renewable energy demand of algae-derived biodiesel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azadi, Pooya; Brownbridge, George; Mosbach, Sebastian; Smallbone, Andrew; Bhave, Amit; Inderwildi, Oliver; Kraft, Markus

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Global sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the environmental impact of algal biodiesel. • GHG emission of algal biodiesel ranges from 40 to 125 g e-CO 2 /MJ. • Biodiesel from dried algae may prove sustainable if a low carbon solution e.g. solar drying is used. - Abstract: We determine the environmental impact of different biodiesel production strategies from algae feedstock in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and non-renewable energy consumption, we then benchmark the results against those of conventional and synthetic diesel obtained from fossil resources. The algae cultivation in open pond raceways and the transesterification process for the conversion of algae oil into biodiesel constitute the common elements among all considered scenarios. Anaerobic digestion and hydrothermal gasification are considered for the conversion of the residues from the wet oil extraction route; while integrated gasification–heat and power generation and gasification–Fischer–Tropsch processes are considered for the conversion of the residues from the dry oil extraction route. The GHG emissions per unit energy of the biodiesel are calculated as follows: 41 g e-CO 2 /MJ b for hydrothermal gasification, 86 g e-CO 2 /MJ b for anaerobic digestion, 109 g e-CO 2 /MJ b for gasification–power generation, and 124 g e-CO 2 /MJ b for gasification–Fischer–Tropsch. As expected, non-renewable energy consumptions are closely correlated to the GHG values. Also, using the High Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR) method, a global sensitivity analysis over the entire space of input parameters is performed to rank them with respect to their influence on key sustainability metrics. Considering reasonable ranges over which each parameter can vary, the most influential input parameters for the wet extraction route include extractor energy demand and methane yield generated from anaerobic digestion or hydrothermal gasification of the oil extracted-algae

Red algae and their use in papermaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Yung-Bum; Lee, Youn-Woo; Lee, Chun-Han; You, Hack-Chul

2010-04-01

Gelidialian red algae, that contain rhizoidal filaments, except the family Gelidiellaceae were processed to make bleached pulps, which can be used as raw materials for papermaking. Red algae consist of rhizoidal filaments, cortical cells usually reddish in color, and medullary cells filled with mucilaginous carbohydrates. Red algae pulp consists of mostly rhizoidal filaments. Red algae pulp of high brightness can be produced by extracting mucilaginous carbohydrates after heating the algae in an aqueous medium and subsequently treating the extracted with bleaching chemicals. In this study, we prepared paper samples from bleached pulps obtained from two red algae species (Gelidium amansii and Gelidium corneum) and compared their properties to those of bleached wood chemical pulps. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Allelopathic effects of Alexandrium tamarense on other algae: evidence from mixed growth experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tillmann, Urban; Hansen, Per Juel

2009-01-01

period, even though cell concentrations of Alex5 became very high (2 × 104 cells ml-1). As both strains contained comparable amounts of PST, this confirmed previous suggestions that so far unidentified compounds are causing the negative effects on other algae. Sensitivity of the tested algae to Alex2......The effect of 2 strains (Alex2 and Alex5) of the marine red tide dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense on 10 other planktonic algal target species common in temperate waters was studied in mixed growth experiments under nutrient-rich conditions. In a comparative approach, the 2 strains of A....... tamarense, similar in their cellular paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) content, were selected because of their fundamentally different lytic potencies. The Alex2 strain clearly affected all target algae while the Alex5 strain had no negative effect on the growth of any of the target species during the study...

Brown algae overproduce cell wall polysaccharides as a protection mechanism against the heavy metal toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Leonardo R.; Leal, Raquel N.; Noseda, Miguel; Duarte, Maria Eugenia R.; Pereira, Mariana S.; Mourao, Paulo A.S.; Farina, Marcos; Amado Filho, Gilberto M.

2010-01-01

Brown algae are often used as heavy metal biomonitors and biosorbents because they can accumulate high concentrations of metals. Cation-exchange performed by cell wall polysaccharides is pointed out as the main chemical mechanism for the metal sequestration. Here, we biochemically investigated if the brown alga Padina gymnospora living in a heavy metal contaminated area would modify their polysaccharidic content. We exposed non-living biomass to Cd and Pb and studied the metals adsorption and localization. We found that raw dried polysaccharides, sulfate groups, uronic acids, fucose, mannose, and galactose were significantly higher in contaminated algae compared with the control ones. Metal concentrations adsorbed by non-living biomass were rising comparatively to the tested concentrations. Electron microscopy showed numerous granules in the cell walls and X-ray microanalysis revealed Cd as the main element. We concluded that P. gymnospora overproduces cell wall polysaccharides when exposed to high metal concentrations as a defense mechanism.

Algae in fish feed: performances and fatty acid metabolism in juvenile Atlantic Salmon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Norambuena

Full Text Available Algae are at the base of the aquatic food chain, producing the food resources that fish are adapted to consume. Previous studies have proven that the inclusion of small amounts (<10% of the diet of algae in fish feed (aquafeed resulted in positive effects in growth performance and feed utilisation efficiency. Marine algae have also been shown to possess functional activities, helping in the mediation of lipid metabolism, and therefore are increasingly studied in human and animal nutrition. The aim of this study was to assess the potentials of two commercially available algae derived products (dry algae meal, Verdemin (derived from Ulva ohnoi and Rosamin (derived from diatom Entomoneis spp. for their possible inclusion into diet of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar. Fish performances, feed efficiency, lipid metabolism and final product quality were assessed to investigated the potential of the two algae products (in isolation at two inclusion levels, 2.5% and 5%, or in combination, in experimental diets specifically formulated with low fish meal and fish oil content. The results indicate that inclusion of algae product Verdemin and Rosamin at level of 2.5 and 5.0% did not cause any major positive, nor negative, effect in Atlantic Salmon growth and feed efficiency. An increase in the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA content in whole body of fish fed 5% Rosamin was observed.

The Study of Algae

Science.gov (United States)

Rushforth, Samuel R.

1977-01-01

Included in this introduction to the study of algae are drawings of commonly encountered freshwater algae, a summary of the importance of algae, descriptions of the seven major groups of algae, and techniques for collection and study of algae. (CS)

Thermal algae in certain radioactive springs in Japan, (3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mifune, Masaaki; Hirose, Hiroyuki.

1982-01-01

Shikano Hot Springs are located at five km to the south of Hamamura Station on the Sanin Line in Tottori Prefecture. The water temperature and the pH of the springs are 40.2 - 61.2 0 C, and 7.5 - 7.8, respectively. They belong to simple thermals. Hamamura Hot Springs are located in the neighbourhood of Hamamura Station. The highest radon content of the hot springs is 175.1 x 10 -10 Ci/l, and the great part of the springs belong to radioactive ones. From the viewpoint of the major ionic constituents, they are also classified under weak salt springs, sulfated salt springs, and simple thermals. Regarding the habitates of the algal flora, the water temperature and the pH of the springs are 28.0 - 68.0 0 C, and 6.8 - 7.4, respectively. The thermal algae found by Ikoma and Doi at Hamamura Hot Springs were two species of Cyanophyceae. By the authors, nine species and one variety of Cyanophyceae including Ikoma and Doi's two species were newly found at Shikano and Hamamura Hot Springs. Chlorophyceous alga was not found. The dominant thermal algae of these hot springs were Mastigocladus laminosus, and the other algae which mainly consist of Oscillatoriaceous algae. From these points, it seems that the thermal algae of Shikano and Hamamura Hot Springs belong to the normal type of thermal algae, and they are different from the thermal algae of Ikeda Mineral Springs and Masutomi Hot Springs which belong to strongly radioactive springs. (author)

Structural characterization and Biological Activity of Sulfolipids from selected Marine Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Baz, F. K.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The sulfolipid classes (SLs in the total lipids of five species of marine algae, two species of Rhodophyta (Laurencia popillose, Galaxoura cylindriea, one species of Chlorophyta (Ulva fasciata, and two species of Phaeophyta (Dilophys fasciola, Taonia atomaria were separated and purified on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The SLs component was identified by IR, gas chromatography MS/MS and liquid chromatography MS/MS. The level of SLs contents va ried from 1.25% (in L. papillose to 11.82% (in D. fasciola of the total lipid contents. However, no significant differences in sulfate content (0.13 – 0.21% were observed among all these algae species. All SLs were characterized by high contents of palmitic acid (C 16:0, which ranged from 30.91% in G. cylindriea to 63.11% in T. atomatia. The main constitutes of algal sulfolipids were identified as sulfoquinovosyl-di-acylglycerol and sulfoquinovosyl acylglycerol. The sulfolipids of different algal species exhibited remarkable antiviral activity against herps simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 with an IC50 ranging from 18.75 to 70. 2 μg mL–1. Moreover, algal sulfolipid inhibited the growth of the tumor cells of breast and liver human cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 0.40 to 0.67 μg mL–1 for human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF7.Se separaron diferentes clases sulfolípidos (SL a partir de los lípidos totales de cinco especies de algas marinas: una especie de Chlorophyta (Ulva fasciata, dos especies de Phaeophyta (Dilophys fasciola, Taonia atomaria y dos especies de Rhodophyta (Laurencia popillose, Galaxoura cylindriea que se purificaron mediante cromatografía en columna de DEAE-celulosa. Los components de SLs fueron identificados por IR, cromatografía de gases MS/MS y cromatografía líquida MS/ MS. Los contenidos de SL en relación al total de lípidos varió de 1,25% (en L. papilosa al 11,82% (en D. fasciola. Sin embargo, no hay diferencias significativas en el contenido de sulfato

Algae in fish feed: performances and fatty acid metabolism in juvenile Atlantic Salmon.

Science.gov (United States)

Norambuena, Fernando; Hermon, Karen; Skrzypczyk, Vanessa; Emery, James A; Sharon, Yoni; Beard, Alastair; Turchini, Giovanni M

2015-01-01

Algae are at the base of the aquatic food chain, producing the food resources that fish are adapted to consume. Previous studies have proven that the inclusion of small amounts (fish feed (aquafeed) resulted in positive effects in growth performance and feed utilisation efficiency. Marine algae have also been shown to possess functional activities, helping in the mediation of lipid metabolism, and therefore are increasingly studied in human and animal nutrition. The aim of this study was to assess the potentials of two commercially available algae derived products (dry algae meal), Verdemin (derived from Ulva ohnoi) and Rosamin (derived from diatom Entomoneis spp.) for their possible inclusion into diet of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Fish performances, feed efficiency, lipid metabolism and final product quality were assessed to investigated the potential of the two algae products (in isolation at two inclusion levels, 2.5% and 5%, or in combination), in experimental diets specifically formulated with low fish meal and fish oil content. The results indicate that inclusion of algae product Verdemin and Rosamin at level of 2.5 and 5.0% did not cause any major positive, nor negative, effect in Atlantic Salmon growth and feed efficiency. An increase in the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) content in whole body of fish fed 5% Rosamin was observed.

Selenium Accumulation in Unicellular Green Alga Chlorella vulgaris and Its Effects on Antioxidant Enzymes and Content of Photosynthetic Pigments

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xian; Zhong, Yu; Huang, Zhi; Yang, Yufeng

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate selenite effects in the unicellular green algae Chlorella vulgaris as a primary producer and the relationship with intracellular bioaccumulation. The effects of selenite were evaluated by measuring the effect of different selenite concentrations on algal growth during a 144 h exposure period. It was found that lower Se concentrations (≤75 mg L−1) positively promoted C. vulgaris growth and acted as antioxidant by inhibiting lipid peroxidation (LPO) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidative effect was associated with an increase in guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and photosynthetic pigments. Meanwhile, significant increase in the cell growth rate and organic Se content was also detected in the algae. In contrast, these changes were opposite in C. vulgaris exposed to Se higher than 100 mg L−1. The antioxidation and toxicity appeared to be correlated to Se bioaccumulation, which suggests the appropriate concentration of Se in the media accumulation of C. vulgaris should be 75 mg L−1. Taken together, C. vulgaris possesses tolerance to Se, and Se-Chlorella could be developed as antioxidative food for aquaculture and human health. PMID:25375113

FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND PROSTAGLANDIN CONTENT OF THE RED SEAWEED Gracilaria sp. FROM INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ikbal Illijas

2012-06-01

Full Text Available High content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs such as arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids are typical for the red alga. Analysis of fatty acid composition and prostaglandin content was conducted in the red alga Gracilaria sp. from Indonesia. Total lipid of the alga was extracted with CHCl3-MeOH (2:1, v/v. Analysis of the fatty acids composition was performed on gas chromatography (GC equipped with omega wax column (30 m x 0,32 mm i.d., Supelco, PA, USA and analysis of prostaglandins were carried out by HPLC on ODS column (Mightysil RP-18 GP, 250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm. The content of fatty acids high for were palmitic acid (50% and arachidonic acid (26.9%, whereas prostaglandin E2 was identified and found lower concentration (44.2 μg/gram total lipid.

Calcium availability but not its content modulates metal toxicity in Scenedesmus quadricauda.

Science.gov (United States)

Kováčik, Jozef; Dresler, Sławomir

2018-01-01

Impact of calcium nutrition (pre-culture on solid medium with standard or elevated Ca dose, i. e. 0.17 and 4.40mM marked as low and high Ca) on acute metal toxicity (Cd, Mn and Pb, 24h of exposure to 10µM) in freshwater green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda was studied. Surprisingly, Ca content differed only slightly between low and high Ca samples and applied metals rather suppressed its amount. Na content was higher in metal-exposed high Ca samples, indicating that Ca/Na ratio may affect accumulation of metals. Content of heavy metals increased in order Cd < Mn < Pb and high Ca samples contained less metal than low Ca samples at least in absorbed fraction. Accumulation of ascorbic acid and thiols (GSH - glutathione and PC2 - phytochelatin 2) was affected mainly by Cd, GSH also by Mn and PC2 by Pb with often significant differences between low Ca and high Ca samples. Calcium nutrition also affected responses of algae to metals at the level of antioxidative enzyme activities (SOD, APX, and CAT) and elevated values were typically found in high Ca samples while ROS (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical) were mainly depleted in Mn treatment. These data confirm that Ca nutrition affects accumulation of metals in algae and metabolic parameters as observed in vascular plants but, unlike them, rather Ca/Na ratio than absolute Ca content seems to regulate the uptake of metals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of Anion Exchange Resins for One-Step Processing of Algae from Harvest to Biofuel

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Martin Poenie

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Some microalgae are particularly attractive as a renewable feedstock for biodiesel production due to their rapid growth, high content of triacylglycerols, and ability to be grown on non-arable land. Unfortunately, obtaining oil from algae is currently cost prohibitive in part due to the need to pump and process large volumes of dilute algal suspensions. In an effort to circumvent this problem, we have explored the use of anion exchange resins for simplifying the processing of algae to biofuel. Anion exchange resins can bind and accumulate the algal cells out of suspension to form a dewatered concentrate. Treatment of the resin-bound algae with sulfuric acid/methanol elutes the algae and regenerates the resin while converting algal lipids to biodiesel. Hydrophobic polymers can remove biodiesel from the sulfuric acid/methanol, allowing the transesterification reagent to be reused. We show that in situ transesterification of algal lipids can efficiently convert algal lipids to fatty acid methyl esters while allowing the resin and transesterification reagent to be recycled numerous times without loss of effectiveness.

Modeling and optimization of algae growth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thornton, Anthony Richard; Weinhart, Thomas; Bokhove, Onno; Zhang, Bowen; van der Sar, Dick M.; Kumar, Kundan; Pisarenco, Maxim; Rudnaya, Maria; Savcenco, Valeriu; Rademacher, Jens; Zijlstra, Julia; Szabelska, Alicja; Zyprych, Joanna; van der Schans, Martin; Timperio, Vincent; Veerman, Frits

2010-01-01

The wastewater from greenhouses has a high amount of mineral contamination and an environmentally-friendly method of removal is to use algae to clean this runoff water. The algae consume the minerals as part of their growth process. In addition to cleaning the water, the created algal bio-mass has a

THE EFFECT OF BIOMASS FROM GREEN ALGAE OF CHLORELLA GENUS ON THE BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TABLE EGGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SVETLANA GRIGOROVA

2006-10-01

Full Text Available An analysis was made of the fatty-acid content of the dry biomass from green algae of Chlorella genus cultivated in Bulgaria, with the aim of establishing its effect on the content of total lipids, cholesterol, phospholipids and the fattyacid content of the table eggs. The fatty-acid composition of the dry biomass from green microalgae of Chlorella genus was characterized by its high content of α linolenic acid – 36,5 %, palmitic acid – 20,4 %, linoleic acid – 15 % and oleic acid – 10,3 % of the total amount of fatty acids in the product. Omega-3/Omega-6 fatty acids ratio in the biomass was 0,4. When adding 2 % and 10 % of alga biomass to the forage for the laying hens the total cholesterol content in 100 g of yolk decreased in the experimental groups compared to the control one, however, the differences were statistically insignifi cant. The supplement of 2 % and 10 % of the studied product exerted an effect on the fatty-acid content of the egg yolk and it led to the increase of the amount of palmitic and linoleic acids and to the decrease of the docosatetraenic acid.

Natural vitamin B12 and fucose supplementation of green smoothies with edible algae and related quality changes during their shelf life.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillejo, Noelia; Martínez-Hernández, Ginés Benito; Goffi, Valentina; Gómez, Perla A; Aguayo, Encarna; Artés, Francisco; Artés-Hernández, Francisco

2018-04-01

Some algae are an excellent sources of vitamin B12, of special interest for vegetarian/vegan consumers, and of fucose to supplement fruit and vegetable beverages such as smoothies. Nevertheless, supplementation of smoothies with algae may lead to possible quality changes during smoothie shelf life that need to be studied. Therefore, the quality changes in fresh green smoothies supplemented (2.2%) with nine edible algae (sea lettuce, kombu, wakame, thongweed, dulse, Irish moss, nori, Spirulina and Chlorella) were studied throughout 24 days at 5 °C. The initial vitamin C content - 238.7-326.0 mg kg -1 fresh weight (FW) - of a 200 g portion of any of the smoothies ensured full coverage of its recommended daily intake, and still supplying 50-60% of the recommended intake after 7 days. Chlorella and Spirulina smoothies showed the highest vitamin B12 content (33.3 and 15.3 µg kg -1 FW, respectively), while brown algae showed fucose content of 141.1-571.3 mg kg -1 FW. These vitamin B12 and fucose contents were highly maintained during shelf life. The Spirulina supplementation of a 200 g smoothie portion ensured full coverage of the recommended vitamin B12 intake, with lower vitamin C degradation, during a shelf life of 17 days. Furthermore, thongweed and kombu are also considered as excellent fucose sources with similar shelf life. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Arsenic content in certain marine brown algae and mangroves from Goa coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rao, Ch.K.; Chinnaraj, S.; Inamdar, S.N.; Untawale, A.G.

(CF less than 1). In brown algae organic As is accounted for about 75-90% of total, but in S. Cinereum and Sphacelaria furcigera about 50-60% inorganic As is noted. Basal thallus and reproductive organs of S. cinereum have higher concentration of total...

Differential response to an algae supplement high in DHA mediated by maternal periconceptional diet: intergenerational effects of n-6 fatty acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Clayton, Edward H; Lamb, Tracy A; Refshauge, Gordon; Kerr, Matthew J; Bailes, Kristy L; Ponnampalam, Eric N; Friend, Michael A; Hopkins, David L

2014-08-01

Algae high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may provide a source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA) for inclusion in the diet of lambs to improve the LCn-3PUFA status of meat. The effect of background LCn-3PUFA status on the metabolism of high DHA algae is, however, unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine whether the response to a high in DHA algae supplement fed to lambs for six weeks prior to slaughter was mediated by a maternal periconceptional diet. Forty Poll Dorset × Border Leicester × Merino weaner lambs were allocated to receive either a ration based on oat grain, lupin grain, and chopped lucerne (control) or the control ration with DHA-Gold™ algae included at 1.92 % DM (Algae) based on whether the dams of lambs had previously been fed a diet high in n-3 or n-6 around conception. LCn-3PUFA concentration was determined in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) prior to and following feeding. The concentrations of EPA and DHA in the plasma and RBC of lambs receiving the control ration were significantly (p DHA were also significantly (p DHA was, however, significantly (p DHA.

Algae Derived Biofuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahan, Kauser [Rowan Univ., Glassboro, NJ (United States)

2015-03-31

One of the most promising fuel alternatives is algae biodiesel. Algae reproduce quickly, produce oils more efficiently than crop plants, and require relatively few nutrients for growth. These nutrients can potentially be derived from inexpensive waste sources such as flue gas and wastewater, providing a mutual benefit of helping to mitigate carbon dioxide waste. Algae can also be grown on land unsuitable for agricultural purposes, eliminating competition with food sources. This project focused on cultivating select algae species under various environmental conditions to optimize oil yield. Membrane studies were also conducted to transfer carbon di-oxide more efficiently. An LCA study was also conducted to investigate the energy intensive steps in algae cultivation.

Sorption kinetics and equilibrium of the herbicide diuron to carbon nanotubes or soot in absence and presence of algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwab, Fabienne; Camenzuli, Louise; Knauer, Katja; Nowack, Bernd; Magrez, Arnaud; Sigg, Laura; Bucheli, Thomas D

2014-09-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are strong sorbents for organic micropollutants, but changing environmental conditions may alter the distribution and bioavailability of the sorbed substances. Therefore, we investigated the effect of green algae (Chlorella vulgaris) on sorption of a model pollutant (diuron, synonyms: 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, DCMU) to CNT (multi-walled purified, industrial grade, pristine, and oxidized; reference material: Diesel soot). In absence of algae, diuron sorption to CNT was fast, strong, and nonlinear (Freundlich coefficients: 10(5.79)-10(6.24) μg/kgCNT·(μg/L)(-n) and 0.62-0.70 for KF and n, respectively). Adding algae to equilibrated diuron-CNT mixtures led to 15-20% (median) diuron re-dissolution. The relatively high amorphous carbon content slowed down ad-/desorption to/from the high energy sorption sites for both industrial grade CNT and soot. The results suggest that diuron binds readily, but - particularly in presence of algae - partially reversibly to CNT, which is of relevance for environmental exposure and risk assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Main nutritional contents of 30 Dalian coastal microalgae species

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Xiurong; Liu, Huihui; Chen, Kwan Paul

2004-12-01

This paper reports results of study on the contents of proteins, amino acids, polysaccharose and uronic acids in 30 species of macroalgae from Shicao, Heishijiao, Shimiao, and Xiaofujiazhuang in the vicinity of Dalian City, N.E.China. The results showed that the protein contents of the 30 algae from highest (112.55 μ g/ml) to the lowest (0.24 μg/ml) was in the descending order of Dictyopteris ndalata, Gelidium vagum, Gymnogongrus japonican, Ectocarpus confervoides, Tinocladia crassa, Sargassum thunberii. In general, the protein content in red algae was higher than that in brown algae. The content of free amino acids showed no significent differences from 7.44 μg/ml4.96 μg/ml in all these algae, in the descending order of Gymnogongrus japonican, Sargassum confusum, Undoria pinnatifida, Laminaria japonica and Ectocarpus confervoides. The content of polysaccharose varied from 168.2 μ/ml-22.15 μg/ml in the descending order of Symphocladia latiuscula, Scytosiphon lomentarius, Desmarestia viridis., Tinocladia crassa, Gracilaria asiatica and Porphyra yezoensis. The content of uronic acids is from 196.24μg/ml-20.77 μg/ml in the descending order of Ulva lactuca, Symphyoclaldia latiuscula, Scytosiphon lomentarius, Ceramimum kodoi, Gracilaria vemucosa and Porphyra yezoensis. The fatty acids in 30 species of algae belong to Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta and Phaeophyta. Most phaeophytes have many (4 12) types of fatty acids.

Insights into the red algae and eukaryotic evolution from the genome of Porphyra umbilicalis (Bangiophyceae, Rhodophyta).

Science.gov (United States)

Brawley, Susan H; Blouin, Nicolas A; Ficko-Blean, Elizabeth; Wheeler, Glen L; Lohr, Martin; Goodson, Holly V; Jenkins, Jerry W; Blaby-Haas, Crysten E; Helliwell, Katherine E; Chan, Cheong Xin; Marriage, Tara N; Bhattacharya, Debashish; Klein, Anita S; Badis, Yacine; Brodie, Juliet; Cao, Yuanyu; Collén, Jonas; Dittami, Simon M; Gachon, Claire M M; Green, Beverley R; Karpowicz, Steven J; Kim, Jay W; Kudahl, Ulrich Johan; Lin, Senjie; Michel, Gurvan; Mittag, Maria; Olson, Bradley J S C; Pangilinan, Jasmyn L; Peng, Yi; Qiu, Huan; Shu, Shengqiang; Singer, John T; Smith, Alison G; Sprecher, Brittany N; Wagner, Volker; Wang, Wenfei; Wang, Zhi-Yong; Yan, Juying; Yarish, Charles; Zäuner-Riek, Simone; Zhuang, Yunyun; Zou, Yong; Lindquist, Erika A; Grimwood, Jane; Barry, Kerrie W; Rokhsar, Daniel S; Schmutz, Jeremy; Stiller, John W; Grossman, Arthur R; Prochnik, Simon E

2017-08-01

Porphyra umbilicalis (laver) belongs to an ancient group of red algae (Bangiophyceae), is harvested for human food, and thrives in the harsh conditions of the upper intertidal zone. Here we present the 87.7-Mbp haploid Porphyra genome (65.8% G + C content, 13,125 gene loci) and elucidate traits that inform our understanding of the biology of red algae as one of the few multicellular eukaryotic lineages. Novel features of the Porphyra genome shared by other red algae relate to the cytoskeleton, calcium signaling, the cell cycle, and stress-tolerance mechanisms including photoprotection. Cytoskeletal motor proteins in Porphyra are restricted to a small set of kinesins that appear to be the only universal cytoskeletal motors within the red algae. Dynein motors are absent, and most red algae, including Porphyra , lack myosin. This surprisingly minimal cytoskeleton offers a potential explanation for why red algal cells and multicellular structures are more limited in size than in most multicellular lineages. Additional discoveries further relating to the stress tolerance of bangiophytes include ancestral enzymes for sulfation of the hydrophilic galactan-rich cell wall, evidence for mannan synthesis that originated before the divergence of green and red algae, and a high capacity for nutrient uptake. Our analyses provide a comprehensive understanding of the red algae, which are both commercially important and have played a major role in the evolution of other algal groups through secondary endosymbioses.

Enhanced growth of the red alga Porphyra-Yezoensis Ueda in high CO sub 2 concentrations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, K.; Aruga, Y.; Asada, K.; Ishihara, T.; Akano, T.; Kiyohara, M. (Kansai Environmental Engineering Centre, Osaka (Japan))

1991-12-01

Leafy thalli of the red alga Porphyra yezoensis Ueda, initiated from conchospores released from free-living conchocelis, were cultured using aeration with high CO{sub 2}. It was found that the higher the CO{sub 2} concentration, the faster the growth of the thalli. Aeration with elevated CO{sub 2} lowered pH in dark, but raised pH remarkably in light with the thalli, because the photosynthetic conversion of HCO{sub 3} {sup -} to OH{sup -} and CO{sub 2} proceeded much faster than the dissociation of hydrated CO{sub 2} releasing H{sup +}. Photosynthesis of the alga was found to be enhanced in the seawater of elevated dissolved inorganic carbon DIC, CO{sub 2} + HCO{sub 3}{sup -} + CO{sub 3}{sup -}. It is concluded that the increased pH in the light resulted in the increase of DIC in the culture media, thus enhancing photosynthesis and growth. The relevance of the results to removal of atmospheric CO{sub 2} by marine algae is discussed.

Evaluation of the contamination of marine algae (seaweed) from the St. Lawrence River and likely to be consumed by humans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phaneuf, D.; Cote, I.; Dumas, P.; Ferron, L.A.; LeBlanc, A. [CHUQ, Sainte-Foy, Quebec (Canada). Centre de Toxicologie du Quebec

1999-02-01

The goal of the study was to assess the contamination of marine algae (seaweeds) growing in the St. Lawrence River estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence and to evaluate the risks to human health from the consumption of these algae. Algae were collected by hand at low tide. A total of 10 sites on the north and south shores of the St. Lawrence as well as in Baie des Chaleurs were sampled. The most frequently collected species of algae were Fucus vesiculosus, Ascophyllum nodosum, Laminaria Longicruris, Palmaria palmata, Ulva lactuca, and Fucus distichus. Alga samples were analyzed for metals iodine, and organochlorines. A risk assessment was performed using risk factors. In general, concentrations in St. Lawrence algae were not very high. Consequently, health risks associated with these compounds in St. Lawrence algae were very low. Iodine concentration, on the other hand, could be of concern with regard to human health. Regular consumption of algae, especially of Laminaria sp., could result in levels of iodine sufficient to cause thyroid problems. For regular consumers, it would be preferable to choose species with low iodine concentrations, such as U. lactuca and P. palmata, in order to prevent potential problems. Furthermore, it would also be important to assess whether preparation for consumption or cooking affects the iodine content of algae. Algae consumption may also have beneficial health effects. Scientific literature has shown that it is a good source of fiber and vitamins, especially vitamin B{sub 12}.

Characteristics of the digestive vacuole membrane of the alga-bearing ciliate Paramecium bursaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kodama, Yuuki; Fujishima, Masahiro

2012-07-01

Cells of the ciliate Paramecium bursaria harbor symbiotic Chlorella spp. in their cytoplasm. To establish endosymbiosis with alga-free P. bursaria, symbiotic algae must leave the digestive vacuole (DV) to appear in the cytoplasm by budding of the DV membrane. This budding was induced not only by intact algae but also by boiled or fixed algae. However, this budding was not induced when food bacteria or India ink were ingested into the DVs. These results raise the possibility that P. bursaria can recognize sizes of the contents in the DVs. To elucidate this possibility, microbeads with various diameters were mixed with alga-free P. bursaria and traced their fate. Microbeads with 0.20μm diameter did not induce budding of the DVs. Microbeads with 0.80μm diameter produced DVs of 5-10μm diameter at 3min after mixing; then the DVs fragmented and became vacuoles of 2-5μm diameter until 3h after mixing. Each microbead with a diameter larger than 3.00μm induced budding similarly to symbiotic Chlorella. These observations reveal that induction of DV budding depends on the size of the contents in the DVs. Dynasore, a dynamin inhibitor, greatly inhibited DV budding, suggesting that dynamin might be involved in DV budding. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Biofuels and algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2011-01-01

Bio-fuels based on micro-algae are promising, their licensing for being used in plane fuels in a mix containing 50% of fossil kerosene is expected in the coming months. In United-States research on bio-fuels has been made more important since 2006 when 2 policies were launched: 'Advanced energy initiative' and 'Twenty-in-ten', the latter aiming to develop alternative fuels. In Europe less investment has been made concerning micro-algae fuels but research programs were launched in Spain, United-Kingdom and France. In France 3 important projects were launched: SHAMASH (2006-2010) whose aim is to produce lipidic fuels from micro-algae, ALGOHUB (2008-2013) whose aim is to use micro-algae as a raw material for humane and animal food, medicine and cosmetics, SYMBIOSE (2009-2011) whose aim is the optimization of the production of methane through the anaerobic digestion of micro-algae, SALINALGUE (2010-2016) whose aim is to grow micro-algae for the production of bio-energies and bio-products. (A.C.)

Biomass and relative coverage of benthic algae in the fore-reef of Curacao (Netherlands Antilles) in relation to production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

de Ruyter van Stevenick, E.D.; Breeman, A.M.

1981-11-15

Biomass of benthic algae, expressed as chlorophyll a content (..mu..g cm/sup -2/) and as dry weight (mg cm/sup -2/) per substrate surface area in the coral reef of Curacao at 12 m and 25 m depth was measured from August 1978 to March 1979. To determine dry weights, substrates containing endolithic and epilithic algae were oxidized by means of wet combustion with hydrogen peroxide. Loss of weight caused by this process was regarded as algal dry weight. The crustose corallines Archaeolithothamnion dimotum Fosl. et Howe (25 m), Hydrolithon boergesenii (Fosl.) Fosl. (12 m and 25 m) and Lithophyllum cf. intermedium Fosl. (12 m), vegetations of endolithic algae dominated by Ostreobium quekettii Born. et Flah. (12 m and 25 m), and mixed turfs of epilithic filamentous algae and sometimes Lithophyllum cf. intermedium on substrates containing endolithic algae (12 m and 25 m) were examined. Chlorophyll a values ranged from 8.7 ..mu..g cm/sup -2/ for H. boergesenii at 12 m to 20.5 ..mu..g cm/sup -2/ for epilithic filamentous algae on substrates containing endolithic algae at 25 m. Dry weights varied from 12.7 mg cm/sup -2/ for L. cf. intermedium at 12 m to 25.7 mg cm/sup -2/ for epilithic filamentous algae on substrates containing endolithic algae at 25 m. Both at 12 m and 25 m, differences in chlorophyll a content and dry weights between substrates containing endolithic algae with and without epilithic filamentous algae were low. Biomass of endolithic algae is quantitatively more important than that of epilithic filamentous algae. It is concluded that, at 12 m, biomass of the algal vegetation as a whole is lowest while production is highest. This is attributed to maximum grazing pressure at this depth ('drop off' community), especially on epilithic filamentous algae.

Nannochloropsis algae pyrolysis with ceria-based catalysts for production of high-quality bio-oils.

Science.gov (United States)

Aysu, Tevfik; Sanna, Aimaro

2015-10-01

Pyrolysis of Nannochloropsis was carried out in a fixed-bed reactor with newly prepared ceria based catalysts. The effects of pyrolysis parameters such as temperature and catalysts on product yields were investigated. The amount of bio-char, bio-oil and gas products, as well as the compositions of the resulting bio-oils was determined. The results showed that both temperature and catalyst had significant effects on conversion of Nannochloropsis into solid, liquid and gas products. The highest bio-oil yield (23.28 wt%) and deoxygenation effect was obtained in the presence of Ni-Ce/Al2O3 as catalyst at 500°C. Ni-Ce/Al2O3 was able to retain 59% of the alga starting energy in the bio-oil, compared to only 41% in absence of catalyst. Lower content of acids and oxygen in the bio-oil, higher aliphatics (62%), combined with HHV show promise for production of high-quality bio-oil from Nannochloropsis via Ni-Ce/Al2O3 catalytic pyrolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Yields of Hydrogen Production Induced by Meta-Substituted Dichlorophenols Biodegradation from the Green Alga Scenedesmus obliquus

Science.gov (United States)

Papazi, Aikaterini; Andronis, Efthimios; Ioannidis, Nikolaos E.; Chaniotakis, Nikolaos; Kotzabasis, Kiriakos

2012-01-01

Hydrogen is a highly promising energy source with important social and economic implications. The ability of green algae to produce photosynthetic hydrogen under anaerobic conditions has been known for years. However, until today the yield of production has been very low, limiting an industrial scale use. In the present paper, 73 years after the first report on H2-production from green algae, we present a combinational biological system where the biodegradation procedure of one meta-substituted dichlorophenol (m-dcp) is the key element for maintaining continuous and high rate H2-production (>100 times higher than previously reported) in chloroplasts and mitochondria of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus. In particular, we report that reduced m-dcps (biodegradation intermediates) mimic endogenous electron and proton carriers in chloroplasts and mitochondria, inhibit Photosystem II (PSII) activity (and therefore O2 production) and enhance Photosystem I (PSI) and hydrogenase activity. In addition, we show that there are some indications for hydrogen production from sources other than chloroplasts in Scenedesmus obliquus. The regulation of these multistage and highly evolved redox pathways leads to high yields of hydrogen production and paves the way for an efficient application to industrial scale use, utilizing simple energy sources and one meta-substituted dichlorophenol as regulating elements. PMID:23145057

Uptake of americium-241 by algae and bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geisy, J P; Paine, D

1978-01-01

Algae and bacteria are important factors in the transport and mobilization of elements in the biosphere. These factors may be involved in trophic biomagnification, resulting in a potential human hazard or environmental degradation. Although americium, one of the most toxic elements known, is not required for plant growth, it may be concentrated by algae and bacteria. Therefore, the availability of americium-241 to algae and bacteria was studied to determine their role in the ultimate fate of this element released into the environment. Both algae and bacteria concentrated americium-241 to a high degree, making them important parts of the biomagnification process. The ability to concentrate americium-241 makes algae and bacteria potentially significant factors in cycling this element in the water column. (4 graphs, numerous references, 3 tables)

Sustainable Algae Biodiesel Production in Cold Climates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudras Baliga

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This life cycle assessment aims to determine the most suitable operating conditions for algae biodiesel production in cold climates to minimize energy consumption and environmental impacts. Two hypothetical photobioreactor algae production and biodiesel plants located in Upstate New York (USA are modeled. The photobioreactor is assumed to be housed within a greenhouse that is located adjacent to a fossil fuel or biomass power plant that can supply waste heat and flue gas containing CO2 as a primary source of carbon. Model results show that the biodiesel areal productivity is high (19 to 25 L of BD/m2/yr. The total life cycle energy consumption was between 15 and 23 MJ/L of algae BD and 20 MJ/L of soy BD. Energy consumption and air emissions for algae biodiesel are substantially lower than soy biodiesel when waste heat was utilized. Algae's most substantial contribution is a significant decrease in the petroleum consumed to make the fuel.

Effects of epiphytic algae on biomass and physiology of Myriophyllum spicatum L. with the increase of nitrogen and phosphorus availability in the water body.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yu-Zhi; Wang, Jin-Qi; Gao, Yong-Xia

2017-04-01

The disappearance of submerged vascular macrophytes in shallow eutrophic lakes is a common phenomenon in the world. To explore the mechanism of the decline in submerged macrophyte abundance due to the growth of epiphytic algae along a nutrient gradient in eutrophic water, a 2 × 3 factorial experiment was performed over 4 weeks with the submerged macrophyte (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) by determining the plant's biomass and some physiological indexes, such as chlorophyll (Chl) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the leaves of M. spicatum L. on days 7, 14, 21, and 28, which are based on three groups of nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water body (N-P [mg L -1 ]: NP1 0.5-0.05, NP2 2.5-0.25, NP3 4.5-0.45) and two levels of epiphytic algae (the epiphytic algae group and the control group). Epiphytic algal biomass was also assayed. The results indicated that epiphytic algal biomass remarkably enhanced in the course of the experiment with elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. Under the same level of nutrient condition, plants' biomass accumulation and Chl content were higher in the control group than that in the epiphytic algae group, respectively, while MDA content and SOD activity in the former were lower than that in the latter. The influences of epiphytic algae on the biomass accumulation and Chl content and MDA content became greater and greater with elevated levels of nutrients. In general, in this experiment, water nutrients promoted the growth of both epiphytic algae and submerged plants, while the growth of epiphytic algae hindered submerged macrophytes' growth by reducing Chl content and promoting peroxidation of membrane lipids in plants.

Endolithic algae of semi-desert sandstones: systematic, biogeographic and ecophysiologic investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, R.A.

1986-01-01

Investigations were conducted into the ecology of an unusual algal community in northern Arizona. These microorganisms are called endolithic algae because they occur beneath the surface of rocks. Eighteen taxa, including representatives of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic genera, were isolated from below the surface of eight sandstones in four semi-desert and cold temperate biomes of the Colorado Plateau. As the macroclimate of the area changes from cold temperature desert scrub to cold temperate forest the taxonomic composition of the endolithic algal communities shifts from domination by coccoid blue-green algae to domination by coccoid and sarcinoid green algae. The algal communities varied in generic composition, chlorophyll a content, and in their location within the different sandstones. Investigations into the microclimate of the endolithic algal zone in two adjacent but differently-colored sections (white and brown) of Coconino sandstone have demonstrated differences between the environment above the rock surface and that just beneath the surface. In seasonal samples of the Coconino sandstone, chlorophyll a content ranged from 50 to 100 mg x m -2 in the white rock and 8 to 45 mg x m -2 in the brown rock. Primary production (as measured by 14 CO 2 incorporation) displayed marked seasonal patterns that appear to be correlated to the environmental conditions within the rocks as opposed to those outside the rocks. The widespread distribution of certain algae in the endolithic habitats of the Colorado Plateau and their presence in rocks at quite distant locations suggests that the endolithic habitat may be utilized by algae whenever it provides more favorable conditions than the surrounding surfaces

Biodegradation of phenanthrene by the green alga scenedesmus obliquus ES-55

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Safonova, E.; Kvitko, K. [Biological Institute of St. Petersburg State University, Oranienbaum Chaussee 2, Old Peterhof, 198504 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Kuschk, P.; Moeder, M. [UFZ-Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle GmbH, Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig (Germany); Reisser, W. [Universitaet Leipzig, Botanisches Institut, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103 Leipzig (Germany)

2005-06-01

While the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by bacteria and fungi has been broadly investigated, less is known about the metabolism of these compounds by algae. The goal of the experiments was to test the degradability of phenanthrene by the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus ES-55 (Chlorophyceae) and to identify the metabolites. It was shown that S. obliquus ES-55 metabolized phenanthrene. Under light conditions, phenanthrene (14 mg/L) inhibits cell division by more than twice. However, the metabolic processes in the cells affected by phenanthrene continued because the content of chlorophyll increased. In the exponential phase under phototrophic conditions the alga degraded phenanthrene. Phenanthrene was removed by algae up to 42 % in BBM medium and up to 24 % in Kuhl medium. Dihydroxy-dihydro-phenanthrene, a degradation metabolite in fungi, bacteria and cyanobacteria, could also be detected as a transformation product of S. obliquus ES-55. Further detected common metabolites foster the assumption that both phototrophic and non-photothrophic organisms metabolize phenanthrene via a similar pathway. The present study is the first evidence of the ability of an axenic culture of the green alga S. obliquus to biotransform phenanthrene into other metabolites. (Abstract Copyright [2005], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Oxidative stability of fish and algae oils containing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in bulk and in oil-in-water emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frankel, E.N.; Satue-Gracia, T.; Meyer, Anne Boye Strunge

2002-01-01

from algae are unusually stable to oxidation, Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) prevented oxidation of both fish and algal oil emulsions without added iron and at low iron:EDTA molar concentrations. EDTA, however, promoted the oxidation of the corresponding emulsions that contained...... high iron:EDTA ratios. Therefore, to be effective as a metal chelator, EDTA must be added at molar concentrations higher than that of iron to inhibit oxidation of foods containing long-chain PUFA from either fish or algae and fortified with iron.......The oxidative stability of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-containing fish and algae oils varies widely according to their fatty acid composition, the physical and colloidal states of the lipids, the contents of tocopherols and other antioxidants...

[Ecological Effects of Algae Blooms Cluster: The Impact on Chlorophyll and Photosynthesis of the Water Hyacinth].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guo-feng; He, Jun; Yang, Yi-zhong; Han, Shi-qun

2015-08-01

The response of chlorophyll and photosynthesis of water hyacinth leaves in different concentrations of clustered algae cells was studied in the simulation experiment, and the aim was to reveal the mechanism of the death of aquatic plants during algae blooms occurred through studying the physiological changes of the macrophytes, so as to play the full function of the ecological restoration of the plants. And results showed the dissolved oxygen quickly consumed in root zone of aquatic plants after algae blooms gathered and showed the lack of oxygen (DO algae cell died and concentration of DTN in treatment 1 and 2 were 44.49 mg x L(-1) and 111.32 mg x L(-1), and the content of DTP were 2.57 mg x L(-1) and 9.10 mg x L(-1), respectively. The NH4+ -N concentrations were as high as 32.99 mg x L(-1) and 51.22 mg x L(-1), and the root zone with the anoxia, strong reducing, higher nutrients environment had a serious stress effects to the aquatic plants. The macrophytes photosynthesis reduced quickly and the plant body damaged with the intimidation of higher NH4+ -N concentration (average content was 45.6 mg x L(-1)) and hypoxia after algae cell decomposed. The average net photosynthesis rate, leaf transpiration rate of the treatment 2 reduced to 3.95 micromol (M2 x S)(-1), 0.088 micromol x (m2 x s)(-1), and only were 0.18 times, 0.11 times of the control group, respectively, at the end of the experiment, the control group were 22 micromol x (m2 x s)(-1), 0.78 micromol x (M2 x s)(-1). Results indicated the algae bloom together had the irreversible damage to the aquatic plants. Also it was found large amounts of new roots and the old roots were dead in the treatment 1, but roots were all died in the treatment 2, and leaves were yellow and withered. Experiment results manifested that the serious environment caused by the algae blooms together was the main reason of the death of aquatic plants during the summer. So in the practice of ecological restoration, it should avoid the

Effects of light quality on reproduction, growth and pigment content of Gracilaria birdiae (Rhodophyta: Gracilariales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Bonomi Barufi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Gracilaria species are the main source of agar worldwide. Since laboratory cultivation is an important means of sustaining such production, this study aimed to assess the influence of two fundamental strategies of physiological algae adjustment, photoacclimation and photomorphogenesis, on G. birdiae physiology. Specifically, the effects of different spectral light qualities on reproduction, growth, and pigment content in two distinct photoperiods (8 and 14 hours were examined. Tetrasporophytes and gametophytes were submitted to different light qualities: white, green, red, and blue over the course of nine weeks. At the end of this period, chlorophyll a, allophycocyanin, phycocyanin, and phycoerythrin contents were analysed. Gametophytes showed reproductive structures only under monochromatic radiation. A stimulatory effect on tetrasporangium differentiation was mainly observed under red light, but this high fertility was negatively correlated with growth rate, i.e. algae cultivated under red light showed the lowest growth rate. However, while growth rates were higher in algae exposed to white light, they were similar to those observed in algae subjected to green light and 14 hours of daylight. PE was the predominant pigment, irrespective of light quality. Phycocyanin and phycoerythrin concentration increased when algae were cultivated under green and blue light. Therefore, considering future management prospects for G. birdiae mariculture, we suggest that red light could be utilized as a reproductive inductor to produce tetraspores. Furthermore, if the aim is to achieve high phycoerythrin content, continuous blue light could be applied during a short photoperiod. Indeed, the combination of different wavelengths could allow better economic resource exploitation.

Bioaccumulation study of acrylate monomers in algae (Chlorella Kessleri) by PY-GC and PY-GC/MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halas, L.; Orinak, A.; Adamova, M.; Ladomersky, J.

2004-01-01

Acrylate monomers methylmethacrylate (MMA) and cyclohexylmethacrylate (CHMA) bioaccumulation has been determined in aquatic organism, algae (Chlorella kessleri). Algae were collected in amount of 0.4 mg and directly injected to the paralytic cell. In algae bodies accumulated monomers were analysed by pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC) and pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Traces of the accumulated monomers in algae body can be determined after 1-, 2 -, 3-weeks of incubation. Maximum content of MMA was determined after 3-week of experiment, contrariwise in the case of CHMA after 2-week exposition. Relationship with pyrolysis temperature has also been studied. (authors)

The freshwater alga Chroothece richteriana (Rhodophyta) as a potential source of lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboal, Marina; González-Silvera, Daniel; Roldán, Mónica; Hernández-Mariné, Mariona; López-Jiménez, José Ángel; Whitton, Brian A

2014-11-01

During an ecological study of Chroothece (Rhodophyta) in a small river in a semi-arid region of south-east Spain it became clear that most of these cells had a high lipid content. This suggested potential uses in biotechnology, which has been investigated further. The colonies, which occur in full sunlight, are typically orange-brown. Most, perhaps all, the yellow-orange colour is associated with their high carotenoid content, with the carotenoid to chlorophyll ratio up to 2.7. The polyunsaturated fatty acyl composition of the glycerides was 35.3% of the dry weight. This consisted mainly of omega-3 (5.9%) and omega-6 (29.4%) fats. The relatively high proportion of docosahexaenoyl (1.78%), eicosapentaenoyl (14.15%), arachidonoyl (0.92%) and γ-linolenoyl (0.78%) suggests use for medical and dietary purposes. All cells have a high phycocyanin content whilst phycoerythrin is absent. The alga has a wide distribution globally and hence provides scope for selecting strains with optimum properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibody Production in Plants and Green Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Yusibov, Vidadi; Kushnir, Natasha; Streatfield, Stephen J

2016-04-29

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have a wide range of modern applications, including research, diagnostic, therapeutic, and industrial uses. Market demand for mAbs is high and continues to grow. Although mammalian systems, which currently dominate the biomanufacturing industry, produce effective and safe recombinant mAbs, they have a limited manufacturing capacity and high costs. Bacteria, yeast, and insect cell systems are highly scalable and cost effective but vary in their ability to produce appropriate posttranslationally modified mAbs. Plants and green algae are emerging as promising production platforms because of their time and cost efficiencies, scalability, lack of mammalian pathogens, and eukaryotic posttranslational protein modification machinery. So far, plant- and algae-derived mAbs have been produced predominantly as candidate therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancer. These candidates have been extensively evaluated in animal models, and some have shown efficacy in clinical trials. Here, we review ongoing efforts to advance the production of mAbs in plants and algae.

Biochemical activity of di- and polyamines in the green alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck (Chlorophyceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romuald Czerpak

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study concerns on the influence of diamines (agmatine, putrescine and polyamines (spermine, spermidine upon the growth and the content of chlorophyll a and b, monosaccharides and proteins in the cells of alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck (Chlorophyceae. In the experiments agmatine, putrescine, spermine and spermidine in the range of concentrations 10-6-10-3 M were used. At the concentration 10-3 M and the 1st day of cultivation, they have a toxic effect on growth of the algae. It was found that di- and polyamines used within the range of concentration 10-6-10-4 M stimulate the growth and the contents of analysed biochemical parameters in the cells of C. vulgaris. The most stimulating influence on metabolism of the alga was demonstrated by spermidine and putrescine at concentration of 10-4 M. Agmatine and spermine were characterised by a lower biological activity than spermidine and putrescine demonstrated the most stimulating influence.

Blue-Green Algae

Science.gov (United States)

... that taking a specific blue-green algae product (Super Blue-Green Algae, Cell Tech, Klamath Falls, OR) ... system. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Depression. Digestion. Heart disease. Memory. Wound healing. Other conditions. More evidence is needed ...

The effect of zinc on the growth, content of the photosynthetic pigments, and thiol groups of the freshwater alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filova, A.; Molnarova, M.

2015-01-01

In these experiments were studied the effects of zinc chloride (Zn 2+ ) on the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak. The changes in the growth stimulation/inhibition, content of the photosynthetic pigments, and thiol groups were the aim of the article. The zinc concentration 0.036 mg.l -1 supported the algal growth. The first toxic effect of Zn on the growth was observed at the zinc concentration 0.072 mg.l -1 . However, the significant inhibitory effect on the growth was showed in the algal suspensions with 0.360 and 4.320 mg Zn.l -1 . Inhibition of the algal growth was in the range 65 - 70% compared to control (0% inhibition). The content of chlorophyll a was significant inhibited at the zinc concentration 0.0240 mg.l -1 , but at the higher used concentration was inhibited with the extremely significations. With increased zinc content in the algal medium the thiol (-SH) groups content increased and in the highest zinc concentrations (2.160 and 4.320 mg.l -1 ) overreached control three times. (authors)

Growth of filamentous blue-green algae at high temperatures: a source of biomass for renewable fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Timourian, H.; Ward, R.L.; Jeffries, T.W.

1977-08-17

The growth of filamentous blue-green algae (FBGA) at high temperatures in outdoor, shallow solar ponds is being investigated. The temperature of the 60-m/sup 2/ ponds can be controlled to an average temperature of 45/sup 0/C. The growth of FBGA at high temperatures offers an opportunity, not presently available from outdoor algal ponds or energy farms, to obtain large amounts of biomass. Growth of algae at high temperatures results in higher yields because of increased growth rate, the higher light intensity that can be used before saturating the photosynthetic process, easier maintenance of selected FBGA strains, and fewer predators to decimate culture. Additional advantages of growing FBGA as a source of biomass include: bypassing the limitations of nutrient sources, because FBGA fix their own nitrogen and require only CO/sub 2/ when inorganic nutrients are recycled; toleration of higher salinity and metal ion concentrations; and easier and less expensive harvesting procedures.

Evaluation of marine algae as a source of biogas in a two-stage anaerobic reactor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vergara-Fernandez, Alberto; Vargas, Gisela; Alarcon, Nelson; Velasco, Antonio

2008-01-01

The marine algae are considered an important biomass source; however, their utilization as energy source is still low around the world. The technical feasibility of marine algae utilization as a source of renewable energy was studied to laboratory scale. The anaerobic digestion of Macrocystis pyrifera, Durvillea antarctica and their blend 1:1 (w/w) was evaluated in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system, which consisted of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) and an upflow anaerobic filter (UAF). The results show that 70% of the total biogas produced in the system was generated in the UAF, and both algae species have similar biogas productions of 180.4(±1.5) mL g -1 dry algae d -1 , with a methane concentration around 65%. The same methane content was observed in biogas yield of algae blend; however, a lower biogas yield was obtained. In conclusion, either algae species or their blend can be utilized to produce methane gas in a two-phase digestion system

Evaluation of marine algae as a source of biogas in a two-stage anaerobic reactor system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vergara-Fernandez, Alberto; Vargas, Gisela [Escuela de Ingenieria Ambiental, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 56, Casilla 15-D, Temuco (Chile); Alarcon, Nelson [Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias Geologicas, Universidad Catolica del Norte (Chile); Velasco, Antonio [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Capacitacion Ambiental del Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (CENICA-INE), Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Vicentina, Del. Iztapalapa, 09340, Mexico, DF (Mexico)

2008-04-15

The marine algae are considered an important biomass source; however, their utilization as energy source is still low around the world. The technical feasibility of marine algae utilization as a source of renewable energy was studied to laboratory scale. The anaerobic digestion of Macrocystis pyrifera, Durvillea antarctica and their blend 1:1 (w/w) was evaluated in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system, which consisted of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) and an upflow anaerobic filter (UAF). The results show that 70% of the total biogas produced in the system was generated in the UAF, and both algae species have similar biogas productions of 180.4({+-}1.5) mL g{sup -1} dry algae d{sup -1}, with a methane concentration around 65%. The same methane content was observed in biogas yield of algae blend; however, a lower biogas yield was obtained. In conclusion, either algae species or their blend can be utilized to produce methane gas in a two-phase digestion system. (author)

Formation of algae growth constitutive relations for improved algae modeling.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gharagozloo, Patricia E.; Drewry, Jessica Louise.

2013-01-01

This SAND report summarizes research conducted as a part of a two year Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project to improve our abilities to model algal cultivation. Algae-based biofuels have generated much excitement due to their potentially large oil yield from relatively small land use and without interfering with the food or water supply. Algae mitigate atmospheric CO2 through metabolism. Efficient production of algal biofuels could reduce dependence on foreign oil by providing a domestic renewable energy source. Important factors controlling algal productivity include temperature, nutrient concentrations, salinity, pH, and the light-to-biomass conversion rate. Computational models allow for inexpensive predictions of algae growth kinetics in these non-ideal conditions for various bioreactor sizes and geometries without the need for multiple expensive measurement setups. However, these models need to be calibrated for each algal strain. In this work, we conduct a parametric study of key marine algae strains and apply the findings to a computational model.

Research for Developing Renewable Biofuels from Algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, Paul N. [Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)

2012-12-15

Task A. Expansion of knowledge related to lipid production and secretion in algae A.1 Lipid biosynthesis in target algal species; Systems biology approaches are being used in combination with recent advances in Chlorella and Chlamydomonas genomics to address lipid accumulation in response to defined nutrient regimes. The UNL Algal Group continues screening additional species of Chlorella and other naturally occurring algae for those with optimal triglyceride production; Of the strains examined by the DOE's Aquatic Species Program, green algae, several species of Chlorella represent the largest group from which oleaginous candidates have been identified; A.1.1. Lipid profiling; Neutral lipid accumulation is routinely monitored by Nile red and BODIPY staining using high throughput strategies to screen for naturally occurring algae that accumulate triglyceride. These strategies complement those using spectrofluorometry to quantify lipid accumulation; Neutral lipid accumulation is routinely monitored by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of lipid extracts in conjunction with; Carbon portioning experiments have been completed and the data currently are being analyzed and prepared for publication; Methods in the Black lab were developed to identify and quantify triacylglycerol (TAG), major membrane lipids [diacylglycerol trimethylhomoserine, phosphatidylethanolamine and chloroplast glycolipids], biosynthetic intermediates such as diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid and lysophospholipids and different species of acyl-coenzyme A (acyl CoA).

The effects of ProAlgaZyme novel algae infusion on metabolic syndrome and markers of cardiovascular health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hildreth DeWall J

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X, is characterized by a set of metabolic and lipid imbalances that greatly increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The syndrome is highly prevalent in the United States and worldwide, and treatments are in high demand. ProAlgaZyme, a novel and proprietary freshwater algae infusion in purified water, has been the subject of several animal studies and has demonstrated low toxicity even with chronic administration at elevated doses. The infusion has been used historically for the treatment of several inflammatory and immune disorders in humans and is considered well-tolerated. Here, the infusion is evaluated for its effects on the cardiovascular risk factors present in metabolic syndrome in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study involving 60 overweight and obese persons, ages 25–60. All participants received four daily oral doses (1 fl oz of ProAlgaZyme (N = 22 or water placebo (N = 30 for a total of 10 weeks, and were encouraged to maintain their normal levels of physical activity. Blood sampling and anthropometric measurements were taken at the beginning of the study period and after 4, 8 and 10 weeks of treatment. Eight participants did not complete the study. Results ProAlgaZyme brought about statistically significant (p Conclusion ProAlgaZyme (4 fl oz daily consumption resulted in significant reductions in weight and blood glucose levels, while significantly improving serum lipid profiles and reducing markers of inflammation, thus improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese subjects over a course of 10 weeks with an absence of adverse side effects. Trial Registration US ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00489333

Algae Bloom in a Lake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Sanabria

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to determine the likelihood of an algae bloom in a particular lake located in upstate New York. The growth of algae in this lake is caused by a high concentration of phosphorous that diffuses to the surface of the lake. Our calculations, based on Fick's Law, are used to create a mathematical model of the driving force of diffusion for phosphorous. Empirical observations are also used to predict whether the concentration of phosphorous will diffuse to the surface of this lake within a specified time and under specified conditions.

Biological toxicity of lanthanide elements on algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Peidong; Zhao, Qing; Su, Dan; Li, Peijun; Stagnitti, Frank

2010-08-01

The biological toxicity of lanthanides on marine monocellular algae was investigated. The specific objective of this research was to establish the relationship between the abundance in the seawater of lanthanides and their biological toxicities on marine monocellular algae. The results showed that all single lanthanides had similar toxic effects on Skeletonema costatum. High concentrations of lanthanides (29.04+/-0.61 micromol L(-1)) resulted in 50% reduction in growth of algae compared to the controls (0 micromol L(-1)) after 96 h (96 h-EC50). The biological toxicity of 13 lanthanides on marine monocellular algae was unrelated with the abundance of different lanthanide elements in nature, and the "Harkins rule" was not appropriate for the lanthanides. A mixed solution that contained equivalent concentrations of each lanthanide element had the same inhibition effect on algae cells as each individual lanthanide element at the same total concentration. This phenomenon is unique compared to the groups of other elements in the periodic table. Hence, we speculate that the monocellular organisms might not be able to sufficiently differentiate between the almost chemically identical lanthanide elements. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and radioactivity study of sea alga distribution along the Syrian coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Masri, M. S.; Mamish, S.; Budeir, Y.

2001-11-01

Three types of sea alga distributed along the Syrian coast have been studied from the chemical and radioactivity point of view. Results have shown the metals that red alga contains the highest levels of Ca and Mg while brown alga were found to contain relatively high concentrations of other elements and non metals such as Cl, I and Br. In addition, 137 Cs concentrations in all the analyzed sample were low while the levels of naturally occurring radionuclides such as 210 Po, 210 Pb and radium isotopes were found to be high in red alga which indicates their selectivity to these isotopes. On the other hand, brown alga and especially Cysteseira has shown a clear selectivity for some trace elements such as As, Cr, Cd, Cu and Co, this selectivity may encourage the use of brown alga as biological indicator for trace elements pollution. (author)

Biofuels from algae for sustainable development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirbas, M. Fatih

2011-01-01

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can produce lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in large amounts over short periods of time. These products can be processed into both biofuels and useful chemicals. Two algae samples (Cladophora fracta and Chlorella protothecoid) were studied for biofuel production. Microalgae appear to be the only source of renewable biodiesel that is capable of meeting the global demand for transport fuels. Microalgae can be converted to biodiesel, bioethanol, bio-oil, biohydrogen and biomethane via thermochemical and biochemical methods. Industrial reactors for algal culture are open ponds, photobioreactors and closed systems. Algae can be grown almost anywhere, even on sewage or salt water, and does not require fertile land or food crops, and processing requires less energy than the algae provides. Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops. the per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from 20,000 to 80,000 liters per acre, per year; this is 7-31 times greater than the next best crop, palm oil. Algal oil can be used to make biodiesel for cars, trucks, and airplanes. The lipid and fatty acid contents of microalgae vary in accordance with culture conditions. The effect of temperature on the yield of hydrogen from two algae (C. fracta and C. protothecoid) by pyrolysis and steam gasification were investigated in this study. In each run, the main components of the gas phase were CO 2 , CO, H 2 , and CH 4 .The yields of hydrogen by pyrolysis and steam gasification processes of the samples increased with temperature. The yields of gaseous products from the samples of C. fracta and C. protothecoides increased from 8.2% to 39.2% and 9.5% to 40.6% by volume, respectively, while the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 575 to 925 K. The percent of hydrogen in gaseous products from the samples of C. fracta and C. protothecoides increased from 25.8% to 44.4% and 27.6% to 48.7% by volume

Dose and time response of ruminally infused algae on rumen fermentation characteristics, biohydrogenation and Butyrivibrio group bacteria in goats.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Honglong; Fievez, Veerle; Mao, Shengyong; He, Wenbo; Zhu, Weiyun

2016-01-01

Micro-algae could inhibit the complete rumen BH of dietary 18-carbon unsaturated fatty acid (UFAs). This study aimed to examine dose and time responses of algae supplementation on rumen fermentation, biohydrogenation and Butyrivibrio group bacteria in goats. Six goats were used in a repeated 3 × 3 Latin square design, and offered a fixed diet. Algae were infused through rumen cannule with 0 (Control), 6.1 (L-Alg), or 18.3 g (H-Alg) per day. Rumen contents were sampled on d 0, 3, 7, 14 and 20. H-Alg reduced total volatile fatty acid concentration and acetate molar proportion (P Algae induced a dose-dependent decrease in 18:0 and increased trans-18:1 in the ruminal content (P Algae had no effect on the abundances of Butyrivibrio spp. and Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus (P > 0.10), while H-Alg reduced the total bacteria abundance (P algae were related to the supplementation level, but there was no evidence of shift in ruminal biohydrogenation pathways towards t10-18:1. L-Alg mainly induced a transient effect on rumen biohydrogenation of 18-carbon UFAs, while H-Alg showed an acute inhibition and these effects were not associated with the known hydrogenating bacteria.

The opportunities for obtaining of the biogas on methane fermentation from marine algae biomass and water plant biomass

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Jachniak Ewa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to try to obtain of the biogas on a laboratory scale from marine algae biomass and water plant biomass. The research was conducted in 2016 year and samples were taken from the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea. In laboratory work, algae and plant species were first identified. The next, in order to subject them to methane fermentation processes and to obtain biogas,partial mechanical treatment of the biomass was conducted. Dry matter content and dry organic matter content were also determined. The research has shown different production of the biogas depending on the various species of the algae and plants. The percentage composition of the biogas was also determined (% CO2 and % CH4. In this research some kinds and species of algae and aquatic plants were distinguished: Scytosiphon cf. S. tortilis, Fucus vesiculosus, Cladophora, Audouinella, Potamogeton perfoliatus. Production of biogas from selected algae and water plants oscillated between 0.023 dm3·g-1 and 0.303 dm3·g-1. The highest content of the methane in biogas was obtained from the mixture of Ectocarpus from spring and autumn harvest (values oscillated from 80.7 % to 81.2 %, while the highest percentage share of carbon dioxide in the biogas was characterized by the mixture Fucus vesiculosus and Audouinella (22 %. Due to a small amount of the research in this field, more research is needed.

PYROLYSIS OF ALGAL BIOMASS OBTAINED FROM HIGH RATE ALGAE PONDS APPLIED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT

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Fernanda eVargas E Silva

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This work presents the results of the pyrolysis of algal biomass obtained from high rate algae ponds treating sewage. The two high-rate algae ponds (HRAP were built and operated at the São João Navegantes Wastewater Treatment Plant. The HRAP A was fed with raw sewage while the HRAP B was fed with effluent from an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB reactor. The HRAP B provided higher productivity, presenting total solids concentration of 487.3mg/l and chlorophyll a of 7735mg/l. The algal productivity in the average depth was measured at 41,8 gm-2day-1 in pond A and at 47.1 gm-2day-1 in pond B. Algae obtained from the HRAP B were separated by the process of coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation. In the presence of alum, a separation efficiency in the range of 97% solids removal was obtained. After centrifugation the biomass was dried and comminuted. The biofuel production experiments were conducted via pyrolysis in a tubular quartz glass reactor which was inserted in a furnace for external heating. The tests were carried out in an inert nitrogen atmosphere at a flow rate of 60ml/min. The system was operated at 400°C, 500°C and 600°C in order to determine the influence of temperature on the obtained fractional yields. The studies showed that the pyrolysis product yield was influenced by temperature, with a maximum liquid phase (bio-oil and water production rate of 44% at 500°C, 45% for char and around 11% for gas.

Pyrolysis of Algal Biomass Obtained from High-Rate Algae Ponds Applied to Wastewater Treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vargas e Silva, Fernanda, E-mail: fervs@globo.com; Monteggia, Luiz Olinto [Institute of Hydraulic Research, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil)

2015-06-30

This work presents the results of the pyrolysis of algal biomass obtained from high-rate algae ponds treating sewage. The two high-rate algae ponds (HRAP) were built and operated at the São João Navegantes Wastewater Treatment Plant. The HRAP A was fed with raw sewage while the HRAP B was fed with effluent from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The HRAP B provided higher productivity, presenting total solids concentration of 487.3 mg/l and chlorophyll a of 7735 mg/l. The algal productivity in the average depth was measured at 41.8 g·m{sup −2} day{sup −1} in pond A and at 47.1 g·m{sup −2} day{sup −1} in pond B. Algae obtained from the HRAP B were separated by the process of coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation. In the presence of alum, a separation efficiency in the range of 97% solid removal was obtained. After centrifugation the biomass was dried and comminuted. The biofuel production experiments were conducted via pyrolysis in a tubular quartz glass reactor which was inserted in a furnace for external heating. The tests were carried out in an inert nitrogen atmosphere at a flow rate of 60 ml/min. The system was operated at 400, 500, and 600°C in order to determine the influence of temperature on the obtained fractional yields. The studies showed that the pyrolysis product yield was influenced by temperature, with a maximum liquid phase (bio-oil and water) production rate of 44% at 500°C, 45% for char and around 11% for gas.

Pyrolysis of Algal Biomass Obtained from High-Rate Algae Ponds Applied to Wastewater Treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas e Silva, Fernanda; Monteggia, Luiz Olinto

2015-01-01

This work presents the results of the pyrolysis of algal biomass obtained from high-rate algae ponds treating sewage. The two high-rate algae ponds (HRAP) were built and operated at the São João Navegantes Wastewater Treatment Plant. The HRAP A was fed with raw sewage while the HRAP B was fed with effluent from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The HRAP B provided higher productivity, presenting total solids concentration of 487.3 mg/l and chlorophyll a of 7735 mg/l. The algal productivity in the average depth was measured at 41.8 g·m −2 day −1 in pond A and at 47.1 g·m −2 day −1 in pond B. Algae obtained from the HRAP B were separated by the process of coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation. In the presence of alum, a separation efficiency in the range of 97% solid removal was obtained. After centrifugation the biomass was dried and comminuted. The biofuel production experiments were conducted via pyrolysis in a tubular quartz glass reactor which was inserted in a furnace for external heating. The tests were carried out in an inert nitrogen atmosphere at a flow rate of 60 ml/min. The system was operated at 400, 500, and 600°C in order to determine the influence of temperature on the obtained fractional yields. The studies showed that the pyrolysis product yield was influenced by temperature, with a maximum liquid phase (bio-oil and water) production rate of 44% at 500°C, 45% for char and around 11% for gas.

Evaluation of filamentous green algae as feedstocks for biofuel production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Zhao, Yonggang; Cui, Binjie; Wang, Hui; Liu, Tianzhong

2016-11-01

Compared with unicellular microalgae, filamentous algae have high resistance to grazer-predation and low-cost recovery in large-scale production. Green algae, as the most diverse group of algae, included numerous filamentous genera and species. In this study, records of filamentous genera and species in green algae were firstly censused and classified. Then, seven filamentous strains subordinated in different genera were cultivated in bubbled-column to investigate their growth rate and energy molecular (lipid and starch) capacity. Four strains including Stigeoclonium sp., Oedogonium nodulosum, Hormidium sp. and Zygnema extenue were screened out due to their robust growth. And they all could accumulate triacylglycerols and starch in their biomass, but with different capacity. After nitrogen starvation, Hormidium sp. and Oedogonium nodulosum respectively exhibited high capacity of lipid (45.38% in dry weight) and starch (46.19% in dry weight) accumulation, which could be of high potential as feedstocks for biodiesel and bioethanol production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radionuclides and trace metals in eastern Mediterranean Sea algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Masri, M.S.; Mamish, S.; Budier, Y.

2003-01-01

Three types of sea alga distributed along the Syrian coast have been collected and analyzed for radioactivity and trace elements. Results have shown that 137 Cs concentrations in all the analyzed sample were relatively low (less than 1.2 Bq kg -1 dry weight) while the levels of naturally occurring radionuclides, such as 210 Po and 210 Pb, were found to be high in most samples; the highest observed value (27.43 Bq kg -1 dry weight) for 210 Po being in the red Jania longifurca alga. In addition, most brown alga species were also found to accumulate 210 Po, which indicates their selectivity to this isotope. On the other hand, brown alga (Cystoseira and Sargassum Vulgare) have shown a clear selectivity for some trace metals such as Cr, As, Cu and Co, this selectivity may encourage their use as biomonitor for pollution by trace metals. Moreover, the red alga species were found to contain the highest levels of Mg while the brown alga species were found to concentrate Fe, Mn, Na and K and nonmetals such as Cl, I and Br

Hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal wastewater cultivated algae: Increasing overall sustainability and value streams of algal biofuels

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Griffin William

The forefront of the 21st century presents ongoing challenges in economics, energy, and environmental remediation, directly correlating with priorities for U.S. national security. Displacing petroleum-derived fuels with clean, affordable renewable fuels represents a solution to increase energy independence while stimulating economic growth and reducing carbon-based emissions. The U.S. government embodied this goal by passing the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) in 2007, mandating 36 billion gallons of annual biofuel production by 2022. Algae possess potential to support EISA goals and have been studied for the past 30-50 years as an energy source due to its fast growth rates, noncompetitive nature to food markets, and ability to grow using nutrient waste streams. Algae biofuels have been identified by the National Research Council to have significant sustainability concerns involving water, nutrient, and land use. Utilizing municipal wastewater to cultivate algae provides both water and nutrients needed for growth, partially alleviating these concerns. This dissertation demonstrates a pathway for algae biofuels which increases both sustainability and production of high-value products. Algae are cultivated in pilot-scale open ponds located at the Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Plant (Lawrence, KS) using solely effluent from the secondary clarifier, prior to disinfection and discharge, as both water and nutrient sources. Open ponds were self-inoculated by wastewater effluent and produced a mixed-species culture of various microalgae and macroalgae. Algae cultivation provided further wastewater treatment, removing both nitrogen and phosphorus, which have devastating pollution effects when discharged to natural watersheds, especially in large draining watersheds like the Gulf Coast. Algae demonstrated significant removal of other trace metals such as iron, manganese, barium, aluminum, and zinc. Calcium did not achieve high removal rate but did present a

Lead (Pb heavy metal impacts in the green Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyceae marine algae

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B. Saleh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Toxicity of different lead (Pb (0, 2, 4 and 8 mg/L concentrations in the green Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta marine algae at physiological level has been investigated 48 h after Pb treatment under laboratory conditions. Thalus algae damages followed Pb treatment as revealed by microscopy test showed that the 4 and 8 mg/L Pb caused morphological changes in cells viability; whereas, no effect observed at the lowest Pb applied concentration (2 mg/L. Data revealed that Pb stress caused reduction in most investigated physiological parameters i.e. Pigments content, osmotic potential and membrane stability index values. This decline in osmotic potential was significantly (p ≤ 0.001 different. Whereas, estimated electric conductivity (EC values increased significantly (p ≤ 0.001 as applied Pb concentration increased. The current study allowed somewhat to highlight and better understanding Pb impacts in U. lactuca algae. Thereby, the studied algae could be used as a useful bioindicator in Pb polluted ecosystems.

Lack of Physiological Depth Patterns in Conspecifics of Endemic Antarctic Brown Algae: A Trade-Off between UV Stress Tolerance and Shade Adaptation?

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Iván Gómez

Full Text Available A striking characteristic of endemic Antarctic brown algae is their broad vertical distribution. This feature is largely determined by the shade adaptation in order to cope with the seasonal variation in light availability. However, during spring-summer months, when light penetrates deep in the water column these organisms have to withstand high levels of solar radiation, including UV. In the present study we examine the light use characteristics in parallel to a potential for UV tolerance (measured as content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and maximum quantum yield of fluorescence in conspecific populations of four Antarctic brown algae (Ascoseira mirabilis, Desmarestia menziesii, D. anceps and Himantothallus grandifolius distributed over a depth gradient between 5 and 30 m. The main results indicated that a photosynthetic efficiency was uniform along the depth gradient in all the studied species, and b short-term (6 h exposure to UV radiation revealed a high tolerance measured as chlorophyll fluorescence, phlorotannin content and antioxidant capacity. Multivariate analysis of similarity indicated that light requirements for photosynthesis, soluble phlorotannins and antioxidant capacity are the variables determining the responses along the depth gradient in all the studied species. The suite of physiological responses of algae with a shallower distribution (A. mirabilis and D. menziesii differed from those with deeper vertical range (D. anceps and H. grandifolius. These patterns are consistent with the underwater light penetration that defines two zones: 0-15 m, with influence of UV radiation (1% of UV-B and UV-A at 9 m and 15 m respectively and a zone below 15 m marked by PAR incidence (1% up to 30 m. These results support the prediction that algae show a UV stress tolerance capacity along a broad depth range according to their marked shade adaptation. The high contents of phlorotannins and antioxidant potential appear to be

Effect of Different Light Qualities on Growth, Pigment Content, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in the Red Alga Pyropia haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta).

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Huanyang

2016-01-01

Spectral light changes evoke different morphogenetic and photosynthetic responses that can vary among different algae species. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic characteristics of the red macroalgae grown under different spectrum environments. In this study, Pyropia haitanensis were cultured under blue, red, and green LED and fluorescent tubes light. The growth rate, photopigment composition, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzymes activities in different light spectrums were investigated. The results revealed that growth rate was significantly higher in the thalli grown under blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light. Contents of Chl a and phycobiliprotein in red light were lower among all the growth conditions. Furthermore, a striking increase in SOD and CAT activity was observed in red light treatment along with the NPQ increase. The results revealed that the photosynthetic efficiency and increased growth rate of P. haitanensis benefitted from light spectrums such as blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light by pigment composition and photochemical efficiency manipulation, whereas red light has disadvantageous effects. Accordingly, the results for improving quality and the economic yield of algae species in some extent and the combination of different wavelengths could allow better economic resource exploitation.

Effect of Different Light Qualities on Growth, Pigment Content, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in the Red Alga Pyropia haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta

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Huanyang Wu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Spectral light changes evoke different morphogenetic and photosynthetic responses that can vary among different algae species. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic characteristics of the red macroalgae grown under different spectrum environments. In this study, Pyropia haitanensis were cultured under blue, red, and green LED and fluorescent tubes light. The growth rate, photopigment composition, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzymes activities in different light spectrums were investigated. The results revealed that growth rate was significantly higher in the thalli grown under blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light. Contents of Chl a and phycobiliprotein in red light were lower among all the growth conditions. Furthermore, a striking increase in SOD and CAT activity was observed in red light treatment along with the NPQ increase. The results revealed that the photosynthetic efficiency and increased growth rate of P. haitanensis benefitted from light spectrums such as blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light by pigment composition and photochemical efficiency manipulation, whereas red light has disadvantageous effects. Accordingly, the results for improving quality and the economic yield of algae species in some extent and the combination of different wavelengths could allow better economic resource exploitation.

Study of metal bioaccumulation by nuclear microprobe analysis of algae fossils and living algae cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, P.; Wang, J.; Li, X.; Zhu, J.; Reinert, T.; Heitmann, J.; Spemann, D.; Vogt, J.; Flagmeyer, R.-H.; Butz, T.

2000-01-01

Microscopic ion-beam analysis of palaeo-algae fossils and living green algae cells have been performed to study the metal bioaccumulation processes. The algae fossils, both single cellular and multicellular, are from the late Neoproterozonic (570 million years ago) ocean and perfectly preserved within a phosphorite formation. The biosorption of the rare earth element ions Nd 3+ by the green algae species euglena gracilis was investigated with a comparison between the normal cells and immobilized ones. The new Leipzig Nanoprobe, LIPSION, was used to produce a proton beam with 2 μm size and 0.5 nA beam current for this study. PIXE and RBS techniques were used for analysis and imaging. The observation of small metal rich spores (<10 μm) surrounding both of the fossils and the living cells proved the existence of some specific receptor sites which bind metal carrier ligands at the microbic surface. The bioaccumulation efficiency of neodymium by the algae cells was 10 times higher for immobilized algae cells. It confirms the fact that the algae immobilization is an useful technique to improve its metal bioaccumulation

Transgenic algae engineered for higher performance

Science.gov (United States)

Unkefer, Pat J; Anderson, Penelope S; Knight, Thomas J

2014-10-21

The present disclosure relates to transgenic algae having increased growth characteristics, and methods of increasing growth characteristics of algae. In particular, the disclosure relates to transgenic algae comprising a glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase transgene and to transgenic algae comprising a glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase transgene and a glutamine synthetase.

Bioavailability of mineral-bound iron to a snow algae-bacteria co-culture and implications for albedo-altering snow algae blooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrold, Z R; Hausrath, E M; Garcia, A H; Murray, A E; Tschauner, O; Raymond, J; Huang, S

2018-01-26

Snow algae can form large-scale blooms across the snowpack surface and near-surface environments. These pigmented blooms can decrease snow albedo, increase local melt rates, and may impact the global heat budget and water cycle. Yet, underlying causes for the geospatial occurrence of these blooms remain unconstrained. One possible factor contributing to snow algae blooms is the presence of mineral dust as a micronutrient source. We investigated the bioavailability of iron (Fe) -bearing minerals, including forsterite (Fo 90 , Mg 1.8 Fe 0.2 SiO 4 ), goethite, smectite and pyrite as Fe sources for a Chloromonas brevispina - bacteria co-culture through laboratory-based experimentation. Fo 90 was capable of stimulating snow algal growth and increased the algal growth rate in otherwise Fe-depleted co-cultures. Fo 90 -bearing systems also exhibited a decrease in bacteria:algae ratios compared to Fe-depleted conditions, suggesting a shift in microbial community structure. The C. brevispina co-culture also increased the rate of Fo 90 dissolution relative to an abiotic control. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes in the co-culture identified Gammaproteobacteria , Betaprotoeobacteria and Sphingobacteria , all of which are commonly found in snow and ice environments. Archaea were not detected. Collimonas and Pseudomonas , which are known to enhance mineral weathering rates, comprised two of the top eight (> 1 %) OTUs. These data provide unequivocal evidence that mineral dust can support elevated snow algae growth under otherwise Fe-depleted growth conditions, and that snow algae can enhance mineral dissolution under these conditions. IMPORTANCE Fe, a key micronutrient for photosynthetic growth, is necessary to support the formation of high-density snow algae blooms. The laboratory experiments described herein allow for a systematic investigation of snow algae-bacteria-mineral interactions and their ability to mobilize and uptake mineral-bound Fe. Results provide unequivocal and

Preliminary assessment of Malaysian micro-algae strains for the production of bio jet fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J. T.; Mustafa, E. M.; Vello, V.; Lim, P.; Nik Sulaiman, N. M.; Majid, N. Abdul; Phang, S.; Tahir, P. Md.; Liew, K.

2016-10-01

Malaysia is the main hub in South-East Asia and has one of the highest air traffic movements in the region. Being rich in biodiversity, Malaysia has long been touted as country rich in biodiversity and therefore, attracts great interests as a place to setup bio-refineries and produce bio-fuels such as biodiesel, bio-petrol, green diesel, and bio-jet fuel Kerosene Jet A-1. Micro-algae is poised to alleviate certain disadvantages seen in first generation and second generation feedstock. In this study, the objective is to seek out potential micro-algae species in Malaysia to determine which are suitable to be used as the feedstock to enable bio-jet fuel production in Malaysia. From 79 samples collected over 30 sites throughout Malaysia, six species were isolated and compared for their biomass productivity and lipid content. Their lipid contents were then used to derived the require amount of micro-algae biomass to yield 1 kg of certifiable jet fuel via the HEFA process, and to meet a scenario where Malaysia implements a 2% alternative (bio-) jet fuel requirement.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Trans-Himalayan Alga Spirogyra porticalis (Muell.) Cleve

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Jatinder; Dhar, Priyanka; Tayade, Amol B.; Gupta, Damodar; Chaurasia, Om P.; Upreti, Dalip K.; Toppo, Kiran; Arora, Rajesh; Suseela, M. R.; Srivastava, Ravi B.

2015-01-01

The freshwater alga Spirogyra porticalis (Muell.) Cleve, a filamentous charophyte, collected from the Indian trans-Himalayan cold desert, was identified on the basis of morpho-anatomical characters. Extracts of this alga were made using solvents of varying polarity viz. n-hexane, acetonitrile, methanol and water. The antioxidant capacities and phenolic profile of the extracts were estimated. The methanol extract showing highest antioxidant capacity and rich phenolic attributes was further investigated and phytochemical profiling was conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) hyphenated technique. The cytotoxic activity of methanol extract was evaluated on human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and colon carcinoma RKO cell lines. The anti-hypoxic effect of methanol extract of the alga was tested on in vivo animal system to confirm its potential to ameliorate oxidative stress. The antioxidant assays viz. ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging capacities, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching property and lipid peroxidation exhibited analogous results, wherein the algal extracts showed significantly high antioxidant potential. The extracts were also found to possess high content of total proanthocyanidin, flavonoid and polyphenol. GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of thirteen chemotypes in the methanol extract representing different phytochemical groups like fatty acid esters, sterols, unsaturated alcohols, alkynes etc. with substantial phyto-pharmaceutical importance. The methanol extract was observed to possess anticancer activity as revealed from studies on HepG2 and RKO cell lines. In the present study, S. porticalis methanol extract also provided protection from hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and accelerated the onset of adaptative changes in rats during exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The

[Characteristics of heavy metals enrichment in algae ano its application prospects].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Kaixing; Tang, Jian-jun; Jiang, De'an

2006-01-01

Using algae to bio-remedy heavy metals-contaminated waters has become an available and practical approach for environmental restoration. Because of its special cell wall structure, high capacity of heavy metal-enrichment, and easy to desorption, algae has been considered as an ideal biological adsorbent. This paper briefly introduced the structural and metabolic characteristics adapted for heavy metals enrichment of algae, including functional groups on cell wall, extracellular products, and intracellular heavy metals-chelating proteins, discussed the enrichment capability of living, dead and immobilized algae as well as the simple and convenient ways for desorption, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of using algae for bioremediation of polluted water, and its application prospects.

Cyanobacteria, algae and microfungi present in biofilm from Božana Cave (Serbia

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Slađana Popović

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Phototrophic microorganisms (cyanobacteria and algae and microfungi, were identified from biofilm on the walls of the entrance of BožanaCavein west Serbia. Temperature, relative humidity and light intensity were measured, and chlorophyll a content determined. Light intensity differed from the entrance inwards. However, Chl a content was not proportional to light intensity, instead it was positively correlated to biofilm weight. Biofilm samples from two sites were also observed using a scanning electron microscope. Coccoid forms of cyanobacteria were abundant at the sampling site with the lowest light intensity, while members of the order Nostocales were predominant at the sampling site with the highest light intensity measured. Cyanobacteria were the dominant group of phototrophs colonizing cave walls (29 taxa, with the order Chroococcales prevailing (21 taxa. The most frequently documented cyanobacteria were species from genera Gloeocapsa, Scytonema, Aphanocapsa and Chroococcus. Desmococcus olivaceus and Trentepohlia aurea were the only green algae documented on cave walls. Ascomycetes were common (e.g. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Penicillum and Trichoderma, while zygomycetes and oomycetes were less frequent. The different color of each biofilm sample was ascribed to the presence of various different species of cyanobacteria and algae.

Magnetic separation of algae

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, Pulak; Twary, Scott N.

2016-04-26

Described herein are methods and systems for harvesting, collecting, separating and/or dewatering algae using iron based salts combined with a magnetic field gradient to separate algae from an aqueous solution.

Time course transcriptome changes in Shewanella algae in response to salt stress.

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Xiuping Fu

Full Text Available Shewanella algae, which produces tetrodotoxin and exists in various seafoods, can cause human diseases, such as spondylodiscitis and bloody diarrhea. In the present study, we focused on the temporal, dynamic process in salt-stressed S. algae by monitoring the gene transcript levels at different time points after high salt exposure. Transcript changes in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, membrane transport, regulatory functions, and cellular signaling were found to be important for the high salt response in S. algae. The most common strategies used by bacteria to survive and grow in high salt environments, such as Na+ efflux, K+ uptake, glutamate transport and biosynthesis, and the accumulation of compatible solutes, were also observed in S. algae. In particular, genes involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and DNA repair were highly and steadily up-regulated, accompanied by rapid and instantaneous enhancement of the transcription of large- and small-ribosome subunits, which suggested that the structural changes in the cell wall and some stressful responses occurred in S. algae. Furthermore, the transcription of genes involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle and the glycolytic pathway was decreased, whereas the transcription of genes involved in anaerobic respiration was increased. These results, demonstrating the multi-pathway reactions of S. algae in response to salt stress, increase our understanding of the microbial stress response mechanisms.

The Messel oil shale - an algae laminate. [A]. Der Messeler Oelschiefer - ein Algenlaminit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goth, K. (Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main (Germany). Palaeontologische Sektion)

1990-12-31

The lacustrine sediment exposed at the former open cast mine 'Grube Messel', the Messel Oil Shale, consists of allochthonous, autochthonous and autigenous components. A low sedimentation rate (0,1-0,2 mm/a) and an increasing content of coarser clastic material towards the edges of the structure indicate that the Messel lake was small and deep, with a limited drainage basin. The high organic content of the oil shale is made up mainly by cell walls of the coccal green alga Tetraedron minimum. This alga bloomed once a year and caused the lamination of the sediment, which was achieved by sinking of the dead cells. Synsedimentary slumping and sliding of the uppermost sediment layers destroyed the varve pattern in several horizons. These turbidite-like layers often yield a higher amount of coarse grains than the laminations above and below. By counting the seasonal laminae, and taking into account of slumped sediments an age of one million years for the deposition of the Messel Oil Shale is suggested. In extant lakes varved sediments are usually deposited below a chemocline. Therefore a meromictic stratification of the Messel lake water column is suggested. Chemical analyses of Tetraedron minimum cell wall material revealed that it is composed of a highly aliphatic biopolymer. In the Messel Oil Shale this biopolymer forms the kerogen which is, in this case, a result of selective preservation, not of abiological random polymerization of monomers during diagnesis. (orig.) With 29 tabs., 27 figs.

Consolidated bioprocessing for production of polyhydroxyalkanotes from red algae Gelidium amansii.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawant, Shailesh S; Salunke, Bipinchandra K; Kim, Beom Soo

2018-04-01

Noncompetitive carbon sources such as algae are unconventional and promising raw material for sustainable biofuel production. The capability of one marine bacterium, Saccharophagus degradans 2-40 to degrade red seaweed Gelidium amansii for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was evaluated in this study. S. degradans can readily attach to algae, degrade algal carbohydrates, and utilize that material as main carbon source. Minimal media containing 8g/L G. amansii were used for the growth of S. degradans. The PHA content obtained was 17-27% of dry cell weight by pure culture of S. degradans and co-culture of S. degradans and Bacillus cereus, a contaminant found with S. degradans cultures. The PHA type was found to be poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by gas chromatography and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. This work demonstrates PHA production through consolidated bioprocessing of insoluble, untreated red algae by bacterial pure culture and co-culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of acid mine drainage using algae strains: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.K. Bwapwa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Acid mine drainage (AMD causes massive environmental concerns worldwide. It is highly acidic and contains high levels of heavy metals causing environmental damage. Conventional treatment methods may not be effective for AMD. The need for environmental remediation requires cost effective technologies for efficient removal of heavy metals. In this study, algae based systems were reviewed and analyzed to point out the potentials and gaps for future studies. Algae strains such as Spirulina sp., Chlorella, Scenedesmus, Cladophora, Oscillatoria, Anabaena, Phaeodactylum tricornutum have showed the capacity to remove a considerable volume of heavy metals from AMD. They act as “hyper-accumulators” and “hyper-adsorbents” with a high selectivity for different elements. In addition, they generate high alkalinity which is essential for precipitation of heavy metals during treatment. However, algae based methods of abating AMD are not the ultimate solution to the problem and there is room for more studies. : The bioremediation of acid mine drainage is achievable with the use of microalgae. Keywords: Acid mine drainage, Algae strains, Contamination, Heavy metals, Bioremediation

The Effect of DNA and Sodium Cholate Dispersed Single-Walled Carbon Nano tubes on the Green Algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.M.; Cox, Z.; Dolash, B.D.; Sooter, L.J.; Williams, R.M.; Taylor, H.K.; Thomas, J.

2014-01-01

Increasing use of single-walled carbon nano tubes (SWCNTs) will lead to their increased release into the environment. Previous work has shown negative effects of SWCNT on growth and survival of model organisms. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of SWCNT well-dispersed by either DNA or sodium cholate (SC) on the unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in stagnant water conditions. Growth measurements were taken up to ten days for algae treated with varied levels of DNA:SWCNT or SC:SWCNT or controls, and chlorophyll content after 10 days was determined. Results show no effect on either growth or chlorophyll content of algae at any concentration or duration. This is in contradiction to prior work showing toxicity of SWCNT to environmental model organisms.

Can algae-based technologies be an affordable green process for biofuel production and wastewater remediation?

Science.gov (United States)

Vo Hoang Nhat, P; Ngo, H H; Guo, W S; Chang, S W; Nguyen, D D; Nguyen, P D; Bui, X T; Zhang, X B; Guo, J B

2018-05-01

Algae is a well-known organism that its characteristic is prominent for biofuel production and wastewater remediation. This critical review aims to present the applicability of algae with in-depth discussion regarding three key aspects: (i) characterization of algae for its applications; (ii) the technical approaches and their strengths and drawbacks; and (iii) future perspectives of algae-based technologies. The process optimization and combinations with other chemical and biological processes have generated efficiency, in which bio-oil yield is up to 41.1%. Through life cycle assessment, algae bio-energy achieves high energy return than fossil fuel. Thus, the algae-based technologies can reasonably be considered as green approaches. Although selling price of algae bio-oil is still high (about $2 L -1 ) compared to fossil fuel's price of $1 L -1 , it is expected that the algae bio-oil's price will become acceptable in the next coming decades and potentially dominate 75% of the market. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of Heavy Metal by Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seema Dwivedi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Instead of using mainly bacteria, it is also possible to use mainly algae to clean wastewater because many of the pollutant sources in wastewater are also food sources for algae. Nitrates and phosphates are common components of plant fertilizers for plants. Like plants, algae need large quantities of nitrates and phosphates to support their fast cell cycles. Certain heavy metals are also important for the normal functioning of algae. These include iron (for photosynthesis, and chromium (for metabolism. Because marine environments are normally scarce in these metals, some marine algae especially have developed efficient mechanisms to gather these heavy metals from the environment and take them up. These natural processes can also be used to remove certain heavy metals from the environment. The use of algae has several advantages over normal bacteria-based bioremediation processes. One major advantage in the removal of pollutants is that this is a process that under light conditions does not need oxygen. Instead, as pollutants are taken up and digested, oxygen is added while carbon dioxide is removed. Hence, phytoremediation could potentially be coupled with carbon sequestration. Additionally, because phytoremediation does not rely on fouling processes, odors are much less a problem. Microalgae, in particular, have been recognized as suitable vectors for detoxification and have emerged as a potential low-cost alternative to physicochemical treatments. Uptake of metals by living microalgae occurs in two steps: one takes place rapidly and is essentially independent of cell metabolism – “adsorption” onto the cell surface. The other one is lengthy and relies on cell metabolism – “absorption” or “intracellular uptake.” Nonviable cells have also been successfully used in metal removal from contaminated sites. Some of the technologies in heavy metal removals, such as High Rate Algal Ponds and Algal Turf Scrubber, have been justified for

Mg-lattice associations in red coralline algae

Science.gov (United States)

Kamenos, N. A.; Cusack, M.; Huthwelker, T.; Lagarde, P.; Scheibling, R. E.

2009-04-01

Recent investigations have shown red coralline algae to record ambient temperature in their calcite skeletons. Temperature recorded by variation in Mg concentrations within algal growth bands has sub-annual resolution and high accuracy. The conversion of Mg concentration to temperature is based on the assumption of Ca replacement by Mg within the algal calcite skeleton at higher temperatures. While Mg-temperature relationships in coralline algae have been calibrated for some species, the location of Mg within the calcite lattice remains unknown. Critically, if Mg is not a lattice component but associated with organic components this could lead to erroneous temperature records. Before coralline algae are used in large scale climate reconstructions it is therefore important to determine the location of Mg. Synchrotron Mg-X-ray absorbance near edge structure (XANES) indicates that Mg is associated with the calcite lattice in Lithothamnion glaciale (contemporary free-living, contemporary encrusting and sub-fossil free-living) and Phymatolithon calcareum (contemporary free-living) coralline algae. Mg is deposited within the calcite lattice in all seasons ( L. glaciale & P. calcareum) and thallus areas ( P. calcareum). These results suggest L. glaciale and P. calcareum are robust Mg-palaeotemperature proxies. We suggest that similar confirmation be obtained for Mg associations in other species of red coralline algae aiding our understanding of their role in climate reconstruction at large spatial scales.

Bromine content in some seaweeds of Goa (Central West Coast of India)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Naqvi, S.W.A.; Mittal, P.K.; Kamat, S.Y.; Solimabi; Reddy, C.V.G.

in chloroform at 400 and 650 nm. The bromine content, on a dry dry weight basis, varied from 0.024 to 0.024% for the green algae, from 0.020 to 0.400% for the algae, and from 0.015 to 0.054% for the brown algae. Only two species @iChondria armata@@ and @i...

Methane production from marine, green macro-algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansson, G.

1983-01-01

Fermentation studies have been carried out to produce methane from green algae native to Scandinavian water and suitable for large scale cultivation. Long term semi-continuous fermentations during mesophilic and thermophilic conditions were performed as well as batch fermentations in flasks and syringes. A mixed inoculum was prepared from sediments, rotting seaweed, sewage sludge and rumen contents. Methane production from the seaweed substrate, consisting of ground green algae without any nutrient additions, started immediately in this culture, mesophilicly as well as thermophilicly. Fermentations were carried out with retention times from 27 to 11 days and loading rates from 1.1 to 2.6 g volatile solids (VS added) per litre per day. In the mesophilic fermentation, gas yields were 250-350 ml CH/sub 4//g VS added and the VS-reduction was around 50-55% at all tested retention times and loading rates. The level of volatile fatty acids was very low in this system. In the thermophilic digestor, gas yields were somewhat lower although the VS-reduction was around 50% also in this systems. The VFA-levels were higher and the culture more sensitive to disturbances. Thus no advantages were found with the thermophilic fermentation. In mesophilic batch fermentations the gas production was rather rapid and almost completed after 12-15 days, in agreement with the continuous fermentations. The gas yields in batch experiments were high, 350-480 ml CH/sub 4//g VS added. (Refs. 20).

Recent Advances in Marine Algae Polysaccharides: Isolation, Structure, and Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Shu-Ying; Huang, Xuesong; Cheong, Kit-Leong

2017-12-13

Marine algae have attracted a great deal of interest as excellent sources of nutrients. Polysaccharides are the main components in marine algae, hence a great deal of attention has been directed at isolation and characterization of marine algae polysaccharides because of their numerous health benefits. In this review, extraction and purification approaches and chemico-physical properties of marine algae polysaccharides (MAPs) are summarized. The biological activities, which include immunomodulatory, antitumor, antiviral, antioxidant, and hypolipidemic, are also discussed. Additionally, structure-function relationships are analyzed and summarized. MAPs' biological activities are closely correlated with their monosaccharide composition, molecular weights, linkage types, and chain conformation. In order to promote further exploitation and utilization of polysaccharides from marine algae for functional food and pharmaceutical areas, high efficiency, and low-cost polysaccharide extraction and purification methods, quality control, structure-function activity relationships, and specific mechanisms of MAPs activation need to be extensively investigated.

Crude fucoidan content in two North Atlantic kelp species, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata - seasonal variation and impact of environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; Janicek, Tina; Manns, Dirk Martin

2017-01-01

, the biochemical composition of brown algae displays a seasonal fluctuation driven by environmental factors and endogenous rhythms. To cultivate and harvest kelps with high yields of fucoidans, knowledge is needed on seasonal variation and impact of environmental conditions on the fucoidan content of brown algae....... The relations between the fucoidan content and key environmental factors (irradiance, nutrient availability, salinity and exposure) were examined by sampling natural populations of the common North Atlantic kelps, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata, over a full year at Hanstholm in the North Sea...... an increased content of fucoidan in a cultivation scenario and emphasizes the need for knowledge on performance of local kelp ecotypes....

Influence of crude glycerol on the biomass and lipid content of microalgae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hee-Jeong; Yu, Sung-Whan

2015-01-01

The growth of the algae Chlorella vulgaris, Botryococcus braunii and Scenedesmus sp. under mixotrophic conditions in the presence of different concentrations of crude glycerol was evaluated with the objective of increasing the biomass growth and algal oil content. A high biomass concentration was characteristic of these strains when grown on crude glycerol compared to autotrophic growth, and 5 g/L glycerol yielded the highest biomass concentration for these strains. Mixotrophic conditions improved both the growth of the microalgae and the accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs). The maximum amount of TAGs in the algae biomass was obtained in the 5 g/L glycerol growth medium. The fatty acid profiles of the oil for the cultures met the necessary requirements and the strains are promising resources for biofuel production. Keywords: biomass; glycerol; microalgae; mixotrophic; oil content

Removal of bisphenol A by the freshwater green alga Monoraphidium braunii and the role of natural organic matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gattullo, C. Eliana; Bährs, Hanno; Steinberg, Christian E.W.; Loffredo, Elisabetta

2012-01-01

Phytoremediation of waters by aquatic organisms such as algae has been recently explored for the removal of organic pollutants possessing endocrine disrupting capacity. Monoraphidium braunii, a green alga known for rapid growth and good tolerance to different natural organic matter (NOM) qualities, was tested in this study for the ability to tolerate and remove the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A at concentrations of 2, 4 and 10 mg L −1 , either in NOM-free or NOM-containing media. NOM at concentrations of 2, 5 and 20 mg L −1 of DOC, was added because it may interfere with xenobiotics and modify their effects, modulate algal growth performances or produce a trade-off of both effects. After 2 and 4 days of algal growth, the cell number and size, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II in the dark or light adapted state, and the chlorophyll a content were recorded in order to evaluate the algal response to bisphenol A. Moreover, the residual bisphenol A was measured in the algal cultures by chromatographic technique. Results indicated that after 2 and 4 days bisphenol A at the lower concentrations was not toxic for alga, whereas at the highest concentration it reduced algal growth and photosynthetic efficiency. The sole NOM and its combinations with bisphenol A at the lower concentrations increased the cell number and the chlorophyll a content of algae. After 4-day growth, good removal efficiency was exerted by M. braunii at concentrations of 2, 4 and 10 mg L −1 removing, respectively, 39%, 48% and 35% of the initial bisphenol A. Lower removal percentages were found after 2-day growth in the different treatments. NOM at any concentration scarcely influenced the bisphenol A removal. On the basis of data obtained, the use of M. braunii could be reasonably recommended for the phytoremediation of aquatic environments from bisphenol A. - Highlights: ► The alga Monoraphidium braunii tolerates high concentrations of bisphenol A. ► The alga Monoraphidium

Removal of bisphenol A by the freshwater green alga Monoraphidium braunii and the role of natural organic matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gattullo, C. Eliana, E-mail: e.gattullo@agr.uniba.it [Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agro-forestale e Ambientale, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari (Italy); Baehrs, Hanno; Steinberg, Christian E.W. [Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt Universitaet zu Berlin, Spaethstr. 80/81, 12437 Berlin (Germany); Loffredo, Elisabetta [Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agro-forestale e Ambientale, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari (Italy)

2012-02-01

Phytoremediation of waters by aquatic organisms such as algae has been recently explored for the removal of organic pollutants possessing endocrine disrupting capacity. Monoraphidium braunii, a green alga known for rapid growth and good tolerance to different natural organic matter (NOM) qualities, was tested in this study for the ability to tolerate and remove the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A at concentrations of 2, 4 and 10 mg L{sup -1}, either in NOM-free or NOM-containing media. NOM at concentrations of 2, 5 and 20 mg L{sup -1} of DOC, was added because it may interfere with xenobiotics and modify their effects, modulate algal growth performances or produce a trade-off of both effects. After 2 and 4 days of algal growth, the cell number and size, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II in the dark or light adapted state, and the chlorophyll a content were recorded in order to evaluate the algal response to bisphenol A. Moreover, the residual bisphenol A was measured in the algal cultures by chromatographic technique. Results indicated that after 2 and 4 days bisphenol A at the lower concentrations was not toxic for alga, whereas at the highest concentration it reduced algal growth and photosynthetic efficiency. The sole NOM and its combinations with bisphenol A at the lower concentrations increased the cell number and the chlorophyll a content of algae. After 4-day growth, good removal efficiency was exerted by M. braunii at concentrations of 2, 4 and 10 mg L{sup -1} removing, respectively, 39%, 48% and 35% of the initial bisphenol A. Lower removal percentages were found after 2-day growth in the different treatments. NOM at any concentration scarcely influenced the bisphenol A removal. On the basis of data obtained, the use of M. braunii could be reasonably recommended for the phytoremediation of aquatic environments from bisphenol A. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The alga Monoraphidium braunii tolerates high concentrations of bisphenol A

Crude fucoidan content in two North Atlantic kelp species, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata - seasonal variation and impact of environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; Janicek, Tina; Manns, Dirk Martin

2017-01-01

, the biochemical composition of brown algae displays a seasonal fluctuation driven by environmental factors and endogenous rhythms. To cultivate and harvest kelps with high yields of fucoidans, knowledge is needed on seasonal variation and impact of environmental conditions on the fucoidan content of brown algae....... The relations between the fucoidan content and key environmental factors (irradiance, nutrient availability, salinity and exposure) were examined by sampling natural populations of the common North Atlantic kelps, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata, over a full year at Hanstholm in the North Sea...

Algae commensal community in Genlisea traps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konrad Wołowski

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The community of algae occurring in Genlisea traps and on the external traps surface in laboratory conditions were studied. A total of 29 taxa were found inside the traps, with abundant diatoms, green algae (Chlamydophyceae and four morphotypes of chrysophytes stomatocysts. One morphotype is described as new for science. There are two ways of algae getting into Genlisea traps. The majority of those recorded inside the traps, are mobile; swimming freely by flagella or moving exuding mucilage like diatoms being ablate to colonize the traps themselves. Another possibility is transport of algae by invertebrates such as mites and crustaceans. In any case algae in the Genlisea traps come from the surrounding environment. Two dominant groups of algae (Chladymonas div. and diatoms in the trap environment, show ability to hydrolyze phosphomonoseters. We suggest that algae in carnivorous plant traps can compete with plant (host for organic phosphate (phosphomonoseters. From the spectrum and ecological requirements of algal species found in the traps, environment inside the traps seems to be acidic. However, further studies are needed to test the relations between algae and carnivorous plants both in laboratory conditions and in the natural environment. All the reported taxa are described briefly and documented with 74 LM and SEM micrographs.

Effect of scenedesmus acuminatus green algae extracts on the development of Candida lipolytic yeast in gas condensate-containing media

Science.gov (United States)

Bilmes, B. I.; Kasymova, G. A.; Runov, V. I.; Karavayeva, N. N.

1980-01-01

Data are given of a comparative study of the growth and development as well as the characteristics of the biomass of the C. Lipolytica yeast according to the content of raw protein, protein, lipids, vitamins in the B group, and residual hydrocarbons during growth in media with de-aromatized gas-condensate FNZ as the carbon source with aqueous and alcohol extracts of S. acuminatus as the biostimulants. It is shown that the decoction and aqueous extract of green algae has the most intensive stimulating effect on the yeast growth. When a decoction of algae is added to the medium, the content of residual hydrocarbons in the biomass of C. lipolytica yeast is reduced by 4%; the quantity of protein, lipids, thamine and inositol with replacement of the yeast autolysate by the decoction of algae is altered little.

Direct bioconversion of brown algae into ethanol by thermophilic bacterium Defluviitalea phaphyphila.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Shi-Qi; Wang, Bing; Lu, Ming; Li, Fu-Li

2016-01-01

Brown algae are promising feedstocks for biofuel production with inherent advantages of no structural lignin, high growth rate, and no competition for land and fresh water. However, it is difficult for one microorganism to convert all components of brown algae with different oxidoreduction potentials to ethanol. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 is the first characterized thermophilic bacterium capable of direct utilization of brown algae. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 can simultaneously utilize mannitol, glucose, and alginate to produce ethanol, and high ethanol yields of 0.47 g/g-mannitol, 0.44 g/g-glucose, and 0.3 g/g-alginate were obtained. A rational redox balance system under obligate anaerobic condition in fermenting brown algae was revealed in D. phaphyphila Alg1 through genome and redox analysis. The excess reducing equivalents produced from mannitol metabolism were equilibrated by oxidizing forces from alginate assimilation. Furthermore, D. phaphyphila Alg1 can directly utilize unpretreated kelp powder, and 10 g/L of ethanol was accumulated within 72 h with an ethanol yield of 0.25 g/g-kelp. Microscopic observation further demonstrated the deconstruction process of brown algae cell by D. phaphyphila Alg1. The integrated biomass deconstruction system of D. phaphyphila Alg1, as well as its high ethanol yield, provided us an excellent alternative for brown algae bioconversion at elevated temperature.

Acute toxicity and associated mechanisms of four strobilurins in algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoxu; Wang, Yu; Chen, Hao; Zhang, Junli; Wang, Chengju; Li, Xuefeng; Pang, Sen

2018-04-03

Strobilurins have been reported highly toxic to non-target aquatic organisms but few illustrated how they cause toxic effects on algae. This study investigated the acute toxicity of Kresoxim-methy (KRE), Pyraclostrobin (PYR), Trifloxystrobin (TRI) and Picoxystrobin (PIC) on two algae and their toxicity mechanisms. Four strobilurins showed lower toxic effects on Chlorella pyrenoidsa but higher on Chlorella vulgaris. bc1 complex activities in C. vulgaris were significantly inhibited by all strobilurins, suggesting bc 1 complex might be the target of strobilurin toxicity in algae. Moreover, SOD, CAT and POD activities were significantly up-regulated by all doses of KRE, PYR and PIC. In contrast, low concentrations of TRI stimulated SOD and POD activities but highest concentration significantly inhibited those activities. Comet assays showed damaged DNA in C. vulgaris by four strobulirins, suggesting their potential genotoxic threats to algae. The results illustrated acute toxicity by strobulirins on algae and their possible toxicity mechanisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Algae

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Raven, John A.; Giordano, Mario

2014-01-01

Roč. 24, č. 13 (2014), s. 590-595 ISSN 0960-9822 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : algae * life cycle * evolution Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 9.571, year: 2014

Fermentation properties of low-quality red alga Susabinori Porphyra yezoensis by intestinal bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraoka, Toshihiko; Ishihara, Kenji; Oyamada, Chiaki; Kunitake, Hiromi; Hirayama, Izumi; Kimura, Takeshi

2008-07-01

Susabinori (Porphyra yezoensis), a red alga, is cultured and processed into a sheet-style dried food, nori, in Japan. But significant amounts of cultured susabinori, which has a low protein content is discarded because of its low quality. The protein content of nori has been reported to be correlated inversely with the carbohydrate content. In this study, we examined the relationship between the protein content and the fermentation of nori by means of bfidobacteria. nori with a low protein content (25% on dry base) was strongly fermented by bifidobacteria, whereas nori with a high protein content (41% on dry base) was not. nori with a low protein content contained large amounts of glycerol galactoside (GG, floridoside: 2-O-glycerol-alpha-D-galactoside, isofloridoside: 1-O-glycerol-alpha-D-galactoside), more than 10% w/w in the dried condition, and GG was the main substrate for fermentation by bifidobacteria. GG was not digested by digestive enzymes, and was not absorbed in the small intestine. These results suggest that GG can be used as a substrate for fermentation by bifidobacteria, and possibility of GG as a prebiotic.

Electro-coagulation-flotation process for algae removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Shanshan; Yang Jixian; Tian Jiayu; Ma Fang; Tu Gang; Du Maoan

2010-01-01

Algae in surface water have been a long-term issue all over the world, due to their adverse influence on drinking water treatment process as well as drinking water quality. The algae removal by electro-coagulation-flotation (ECF) technology was investigated in this paper. The results indicated that aluminum was an excellent electrode material for algae removal as compared with iron. The optimal parameters determined were: current density = 1 mA/cm 2 , pH = 4-7, water temperature = 18-36 deg. C, algae density = 0.55 x 10 9 -1.55 x 10 9 cells/L. Under the optimal conditions, 100% of algae removal was achieved with the energy consumption as low as 0.4 kWh/m 3 . The ECF performed well in acid and neutral conditions. At low initial pH of 4-7, the cell density of algae was effectively removed in the ECF, mainly through the charge neutralization mechanism; while the algae removal worsened when the pH increased (7-10), and the main mechanism shifted to sweeping flocculation and enmeshment. The mechanisms for algae removal at different pH were also confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. Furthermore, initial cell density and water temperature could also influence the algae removal. Overall, the results indicated that the ECF technology was effective for algae removal, from both the technical and economical points of view.

Physical structure and algae community of summer upwelling off eastern Hainan

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, H.; Liu, S.; Xie, Q.; Hong, B.; Long, T.

2017-12-01

The upwelling system is the most productive ecosystem along the continental shelf of the northern South China Sea Shelf. It brings nutrient from bottom to surface and blooms biotic community driven by summer monsoon. In this study, we present observed results of physical and biotic community structures during August, 2015 in the upwelling system along Hainan eastern coast, which is one the strongest upwelling systems in the northern South China Sea. By using hydrological data collected by CTD, we found a significant cold water tongue with high salinity which extended from offshore to 100 m isobaths. However, dissolved oxygen (DO) showed a sandwich structure in which high core of DO concentration appeared at the layer from 5 m to 30 m. It possibly was caused by the advection transport of high DO from adjacent area. Basically, this upwelling system was constrained at northern area of 18.8ºN in horizontal due to the weakening summer monsoon in August. In addition, we collected water sample at the upwelling area and measured algae categories and concentration by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results show the biotic community was dominated by five types of algae mainly, they were diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae, prokaryotes and prochlorococcus. And different patterns of different algae were demonstrated. In the upwelling area, diatoms and prokaryotes show opposite structures, and more complex pattern for the rest three algae indicating an active biotic community in the upwelling system.

21 CFR 73.275 - Dried algae meal.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dried algae meal. 73.275 Section 73.275 Food and... ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.275 Dried algae meal. (a) Identity. The color additive dried algae meal is a dried mixture of algae cells (genus Spongiococcum, separated from its culture broth...

Composition, nutritional aspects and effect on serum parameters of marine algae Ulva rigida.

Science.gov (United States)

Taboada, Cristina; Millán, Rosendo; Míguez, Isabel

2010-02-01

Algae are commonly consumed in Asia and have also gained popularity in Europe. However, data on the bioavailability of their components are limited. The present study was designed to determine the composition of Ulva rigida and the effects of inclusion of 10% of the algae in a standard diet for 4 weeks on nutritive value and serum parameters in order to consider the usefulness of Ulva as a dietary supplement. Ulva rigida is rich in protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals and has a low lipid content. Analysis of the amino acid composition revealed good-quality protein. The algae were well accepted by experimental animals and did not significantly change nutritional parameters but reduced LDL cholesterol. Ulva rigida is an excellent source of nutrients and could improve a balanced diet. Further studies are required to research the potential of the seaweed as a natural source of bioactive compounds.

Biosorption of nonylphenol by pure algae, field-collected planktons and their fractions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Dainan; Ran, Yong; Cao, Xiaoyan; Mao, Jingdong; Cui, Jinfang; Schmidt-Rohr, Klaus

2015-01-01

Algal samples were fractionated into lipid (LP), lipid free (LF), alkaline nonhydrolyzable carbon (ANHC), and acid nonhydrolyzable carbon (NHC) fractions, and were characterized by the quantitative 13 C multiCP NMR technique. The biosorption isotherms for nonylphenol (NP) were established and compared with previously published data for phenanthrene (Phen). The log K OC values are significantly higher for the field-collected plankton samples than for the commercial algae and cultured algae samples, correlating with their lipid contents and aliphatic carbon structure. As the NHC fraction contains more poly(methylene) carbon, it exhibits a higher biosorption capacity. The sorption capacities are negatively related to the polarity index, COO/N–C=O, polar C and O-alkyl C concentrations, but are positively related to the H/O atomic ratios and poly(methylene) carbon. The higher sorption capacities observed for NP than for Phen on the investigated samples are explained by specific interactions such as hydrogen bonding and π–π interaction. - Highlights: • Quantitative 13 C NMR technique was applied to algae and their fraction samples. • The biosorption isotherms for the ANHC and NHC fractions are nonlinear. • Polarity and lipid affect the biosorption capacity of NP. • The sorption capacity is positively related to polymethylene carbon. • The hydrogen and π–π interactions between NP and algae could be important. - The NHC fractions are chemically and structurally different from other fractions, and their biosorption for NP is much higher than that of the bulk algae

Errors When Extracting Oil from Algae

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, E.; Treat, R.; Ichiuji, T.

2014-12-01

Oil is in popular demand, but the worldwide amount of oil is decreasing and prices for it are steadily increasing. Leading scientists have been working to find a solution of attaining oil in an economically and environmentally friendly way. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have determined that "a small mixture of algae and water can be turned into crude oil in less than an hour" (Sheehan, Duhahay, Benemann, Poessler). There are various ways of growing the algae, such as closed loop and open loop methods, as well as processes of extracting oil, such as hydrothermal liquefaction and the hexane-solvent method. Our objective was to grow the algae (C. reinhardtii) and extract oil from it using NaOH and HCl, because we had easy access to those specific chemicals. After two trials of attempted algae growth, we discovered that a bacteria was killing off the algae. This led us to further contemplation on how this dead algae and bacteria are affecting our environment, and the organisms within it. Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients stimulate rapid growth of algae in an aquatic environment. This can clog waterways and create algal blooms in blue-green algae, as well as neurotoxic red tide phytoplankton. These microscopic algae die upon consumption of the nutrients in water and are degraded by bacteria. The bacteria respires and creates an acidic environment with the spontaneous conversion of carbon dioxide to carbonic acid in water. This process of degradation is exactly what occurred in our 250 mL flask. When the phytoplankton attacked our algae, it created a hypoxic environment, which eliminated any remaining amounts of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients in the water, resulting in a miniature dead zone. These dead zones can occur almost anywhere where there are algae and bacteria, such as the ocean, and make it extremely difficult for any organism to survive. This experiment helped us realize the

Algae as a Feedstock for Biofuels: An Assessment of the State of Technology and Opportunities. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikes, K.; McGill, R. [Sentech, Inc. (United States); Van Walwijk, M. [Independent Consultant (France)

2011-05-15

The pursuit of a stable, economically-sound, and environmentally-friendly source of transportation fuel has led to extensive research and development (R&D) efforts focused on the conversion of various feedstocks into biofuels. Some feedstocks, such as sugar cane, corn and woody biomass, are targeted because their structures can be broken down into sugars and fermented into alcohols. Other feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, are appealing because they contain considerable amounts of lipids, which can be extracted and converted into biodiesel or other fuels. While significant R&D and commercial strides have been made with each of these feedstocks, technical and market barriers (e.g., cost, scalability, infrastructure requirements, and 'food vs. fuel' debates) currently limit the penetration of the resultant biofuels into the mainstream. Because of algae's ability to potentially address several of these barriers, its use as a feedstock for biofuels has led to much excitement and initiative within the energy industry. Algae are highly diverse, singleor multi-cellular organisms comprised of mostly lipids, protein, and carbohydrates, which may be used to produce a wide variety of biofuels. Algae offer many competitive advantages over other feedstocks, including: 1) Higher potential lipid content than terrestrial plants, sometimes exceeding 50% of the cell's dry biomass (U.S. DOE, May '10; Tornabene et al., 1983) 2) Rapid growth rates that are 20-30 times higher than terrestrial crops (McDill, 2009) and, in some cases, capable of doubling in size with 10 hours 3) Diverse number of species that can collectively thrive in a wide range of environments throughout the world, presenting an overall high overall tolerance for climate, sunlight, nutrient levels, etc. 4) Daily harvesting potential instead of seasonal harvest periods associated with terrestrial crops 5) Potential to redirect CO2 from industry operations to algal cultivation facilities to be

Algae as a Feedstock for Biofuels: An Assessment of the State of Technology and Opportunities. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikes, K; McGill, R [Sentech, Inc. (United States); Van Walwijk, M [Independent Consultant (France)

2011-05-15

The pursuit of a stable, economically-sound, and environmentally-friendly source of transportation fuel has led to extensive research and development (R&D) efforts focused on the conversion of various feedstocks into biofuels. Some feedstocks, such as sugar cane, corn and woody biomass, are targeted because their structures can be broken down into sugars and fermented into alcohols. Other feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, are appealing because they contain considerable amounts of lipids, which can be extracted and converted into biodiesel or other fuels. While significant R&D and commercial strides have been made with each of these feedstocks, technical and market barriers (e.g., cost, scalability, infrastructure requirements, and 'food vs. fuel' debates) currently limit the penetration of the resultant biofuels into the mainstream. Because of algae's ability to potentially address several of these barriers, its use as a feedstock for biofuels has led to much excitement and initiative within the energy industry. Algae are highly diverse, singleor multi-cellular organisms comprised of mostly lipids, protein, and carbohydrates, which may be used to produce a wide variety of biofuels. Algae offer many competitive advantages over other feedstocks, including: 1) Higher potential lipid content than terrestrial plants, sometimes exceeding 50% of the cell's dry biomass (U.S. DOE, May '10; Tornabene et al., 1983) 2) Rapid growth rates that are 20-30 times higher than terrestrial crops (McDill, 2009) and, in some cases, capable of doubling in size with 10 hours 3) Diverse number of species that can collectively thrive in a wide range of environments throughout the world, presenting an overall high overall tolerance for climate, sunlight, nutrient levels, etc. 4) Daily harvesting potential instead of seasonal harvest periods associated with terrestrial crops 5) Potential to redirect CO2 from industry operations to algal cultivation facilities to be used in an algal biofuel

Biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Laura; Blázquez, María Luisa; Muñoz, Jesus Angel; González, Felisa; Ballester, Antonio

2013-09-01

The increasing demand and limited natural resources of noble metals make its recovery from dilute industrial wastes attractive, especially when using environmentally friendly methods. Nowadays, the high impact that nanotechnology is having in both science and society offers new research possibilities. Gold and silver nanoparticles were biosynthesised by a simple method using different algae as reducing agent. The authors explored the application of dead algae in an eco-friendly procedure. The nanoparticle formation was followed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The functional groups involved in the bioreduction were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

A novel process for enhancing oil production in algae biorefineries through bioconversion of solid by-products.

Science.gov (United States)

Trzcinski, Antoine P; Hernandez, Ernesto; Webb, Colin

2012-07-01

This paper focuses on a novel process for adding value to algae residue. In current processes oleaginous microalgae are grown and harvested for lipid production leaving a lipid-free algae residue. The process described here includes conversion of the carbohydrate fraction into glucose prior to lipid extraction. This can be fermented to produce up to 15% additional lipids using another oleaginous microorganism. It was found that in situ enzymes can hydrolyze storage carbohydrates in the algae into glucose and that a temperature of 55 °C for about 20 h gave the best glucose yield. Up to 75% of available carbohydrates were converted to a generic fermentation feedstock containing 73 g/L glucose. The bioconversion step was found to increase the free water content by 60% and it was found that when the bioconversion was carried out prior to the extraction step, it improved the solvent extractability of lipids from the algae. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of Heavy Elements Pollution in Sea Plants (Algae) by Using Neutron Activation Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Ghondi, A. A.; El-Mismary, Y. A.; Etwir, R. H.; Machiouf, M. A.; Ben Shaban, Y.; Abia, R.

2007-01-01

The total content of trace elements were determined in 50 samples of sea plants (macro algae) collected from Tripoli coast area (Tajura, El schab, Dat Elemad ) in Libya. The samples were investigated as an indication of heavy elements pollution. In this paper, the total amounts of Zn, Sc, Fe, Co, Cr, Ba, Cs, Sb, Rb, and Hf concentration were determined by using Neutron Activation Analysis in Tajura research center. High levels of Zn and Cr and slightly increasing in amount of Co and Fe are considered as normal values comparing with polluted area particularly with Fe and Co in investigated samples. Statistical calculation of the results have shown a positive relationship between the contents of Ba, Sc, Hf, Cr and Fe-Sb but no relation with Zn and other investigated trace elements contents. Further investigation should be carried out to confirm these findings and correlate them to source attribution.

Life cycle assessment of biofuels from an integrated Brazilian algae-sugarcane biorefinery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Simone P.; Gopal, Anand R.; Seabra, Joaquim E.A.

2015-01-01

Sugarcane ethanol biorefineries in Brazil produce carbon dioxide, electricity and heat as byproducts. These are essential inputs for algae biodiesel production. In this paper, we assessed ethanol's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and fossil energy use produced in an integrated sugarcane and algae biorefinery where biodiesel replaces petroleum diesel for all agricultural operations. Carbon dioxide from cane juice fermentation is used as the carbon source for algae cultivation, and sugarcane bagasse is the sole source of energy for the entire facility. Glycerin produced from the biodiesel plant is consumed by algae during the mixotrophic growth phase. We assessed the uncertainties through a detailed Monte-Carlo analysis. We found that this integrated system can improve both the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and the fossil energy use of sugarcane ethanol by around 10% and 50%, respectively, compared to a traditional Brazilian sugarcane ethanol distillery. - Highlights: • A high diesel consumption is associated to the ethanol sugarcane life-cycle. • Sugarcane industry can provide sources of carbon and energy for the algae growing. • The sugarcane-algae integration can improve the ethanol life-cycle performance. • This integration is a promising pathway for the deployment of algae biodiesel. • There are still significant techno-economic barriers associated with algae biodiesel

Investigation about Role of Algae in Kazeroon Sasan Spring Odor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Hamzeian

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: As odor for potable water is unpleasant for costumers, it needs to do researches for finding the reasons of odorous water. Sasan spring that is located in, near kazeroon city, Fars, Iran, is potable water resource for Kazeroon and Booshehr city and many other villages. Water in Sasan spring has the odor problem. With regards to important   role of algae on ado r problems in this study the role of algae on   odor was investigated. Methods: After regular sampling, the TON (threshold odor number was indicated and algae species was distinguished and the number of total algae and any species  of algae was numbers by microscopic direct numbering method .as the algae mass  is related to nitrogen and phosphor concentration, results of concentration Of nitrogen and phosphor in this spring that was examined regularity by water company was investigated and compared to concentration of these component that are need for algae growing.   Results: results shows that TON was in range  of 4.477 to 6.2 that indicated  oderous limit . Regression and diagram between TON and number of total algae showed the linear relationship. The concentration of nitrogen and phosphor, showed adequate condition for algal grow. Result of determination of algae species showed high population of Oscilatoria and Microcystis species, which are known as essential case of mold odor in water resources. Investigation on geological maps in the region around the Sasan spring, show alluvium source and is effected by surface part of it’s around land. Conclusion: because of the algae was determined as the essential cause of odor   in the spring, and algal growth is related to nutrients, and because of the surface pollution can penetrate in the alluvium lands around the spring, and effect the water in spring, so nutrient control and management is the essential way for odor control in the spring.

Macro algae as substrate for biogas production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Henrik; Sarker, Shiplu; Gautam, Dhan Prasad

Algae as a substrate for biogas is superior to other crops since it has a much higher yield of biomass per unit area and since algae grows in the seawater there will be no competition with food production on agricultural lands. So far, the progress in treating different groups of algae as a source...... of energy is promising. In this study 5 different algae types were tested for biogas potential and two algae were subsequent used for co-digestion with manure. Green seaweed, Ulva lactuca and brown seaweed Laminaria digitata was co-digested with cattle manure at mesophilic and thermophilic condition...

Washington State University Algae Biofuels Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

chen, Shulin [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States). Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering; McCormick, Margaret [Targeted Growth, Inc., Seattle, WA (United States); Sutterlin, Rusty [Inventure Renewables, Inc., Gig Harbor, WA (United States)

2012-12-29

The goal of this project was to advance algal technologies for the production of biofuels and biochemicals by establishing the Washington State Algae Alliance, a collaboration partnership among two private companies (Targeted Growth, Inc. (TGI), Inventure Chemicals (Inventure) Inc (now Inventure Renewables Inc) and Washington State University (WSU). This project included three major components. The first one was strain development at TGI by genetically engineering cyanobacteria to yield high levels of lipid and other specialty chemicals. The second component was developing an algal culture system at WSU to produce algal biomass as biofuel feedstock year-round in the northern states of the United States. This system included two cultivation modes, the first one was a phototrophic process and the second a heterotrophic process. The phototrophic process would be used for algae production in open ponds during warm seasons; the heterotrophic process would be used in cold seasons so that year-round production of algal lipid would be possible. In warm seasons the heterotrophic process would also produce algal seeds to be used in the phototrophic culture process. Selected strains of green algae and cyanobacteria developed by TGI were tested in the system. The third component was downstream algal biomass processing by Inventure that included efficiently harvesting the usable fuel fractions from the algae mass and effectively isolating and separating the usable components into specific fractions, and converting isolated fractions into green chemicals.

Relative Contributions of Various Cellular Mechanisms to Loss of Algae during Cnidarian Bleaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Bieri, Tamaki; Onishi, Masayuki; Xiang, Tingting; Grossman, Arthur R; Pringle, John R

2016-01-01

When exposed to stress such as high seawater temperature, corals and other cnidarians can bleach due to loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue and/or loss of pigments from the algae. Although the environmental conditions that trigger bleaching are reasonably well known, its cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Previous studies have reported the occurrence of at least four different cellular mechanisms for the loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue: in situ degradation of algae, exocytic release of algae from the host, detachment of host cells containing algae, and death of host cells containing algae. The relative contributions of these several mechanisms to bleaching remain unclear, and it is also not known whether these relative contributions change in animals subjected to different types and/or durations of stresses. In this study, we used a clonal population of the small sea anemone Aiptasia, exposed individuals to various precisely controlled stress conditions, and quantitatively assessed the several possible bleaching mechanisms in parallel. Under all stress conditions tested, except for acute cold shock at 4°C, expulsion of intact algae from the host cells appeared to be by far the predominant mechanism of bleaching. During acute cold shock, in situ degradation of algae and host-cell detachment also became quantitatively significant, and the algae released under these conditions appeared to be severely damaged.

Relative Contributions of Various Cellular Mechanisms to Loss of Algae during Cnidarian Bleaching

Science.gov (United States)

Bieri, Tamaki; Onishi, Masayuki; Xiang, Tingting; Grossman, Arthur R.; Pringle, John R

2016-01-01

When exposed to stress such as high seawater temperature, corals and other cnidarians can bleach due to loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue and/or loss of pigments from the algae. Although the environmental conditions that trigger bleaching are reasonably well known, its cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Previous studies have reported the occurrence of at least four different cellular mechanisms for the loss of symbiotic algae from the host tissue: in situ degradation of algae, exocytic release of algae from the host, detachment of host cells containing algae, and death of host cells containing algae. The relative contributions of these several mechanisms to bleaching remain unclear, and it is also not known whether these relative contributions change in animals subjected to different types and/or durations of stresses. In this study, we used a clonal population of the small sea anemone Aiptasia, exposed individuals to various precisely controlled stress conditions, and quantitatively assessed the several possible bleaching mechanisms in parallel. Under all stress conditions tested, except for acute cold shock at 4°C, expulsion of intact algae from the host cells appeared to be by far the predominant mechanism of bleaching. During acute cold shock, in situ degradation of algae and host-cell detachment also became quantitatively significant, and the algae released under these conditions appeared to be severely damaged. PMID:27119147

Accumulation of polycyclic arenes in Baltic Sea algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veldre, I.A.; Itra, A.R.; Paal' me, L.P.; Kukk, Kh.A.

1985-01-01

The paper presents data on the level of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and some other polycyclic arenes in alga and phanerogam specimens from different gulfs of the Baltic Sea. Algae were shown to absorb BP from sea water. The mean concentration of BP in sea water was under 0.004 microgram/1, while in algae it ranged 0.1-21.2 micrograms/kg dry weight. Algae accumulate BP to a higher degree than phanerogams. The highest concentrations of BP were found in algae Enteromorpha while the lowest ones in Furcellaria. In annual green algae, BP level was higher in autumn, i. e. at the end of vegetation period, than in spring. Brown algae Fucus vesiculosus is recommended for monitoring polycyclic arene pollution in the area from Vormsi Island to Kaesmu and green algae Cladophora or Enteromorpha in the eastern part of the Finnish Gulf.

In-Situ Effects of Simulated Overfishing and Eutrophication on Benthic Coral Reef Algae Growth, Succession, and Composition in the Central Red Sea.

KAUST Repository

Jessen, Christian

2013-06-19

Overfishing and land-derived eutrophication are major local threats to coral reefs and may affect benthic communities, moving them from coral dominated reefs to algal dominated ones. The Central Red Sea is a highly under-investigated area, where healthy coral reefs are contending against intense coastal development. This in-situ study investigated both the independent and combined effects of manipulated inorganic nutrient enrichment (simulation of eutrophication) and herbivore exclosure (simulation of overfishing) on benthic algae development. Light-exposed and shaded terracotta tiles were positioned at an offshore patch reef close to Thuwal, Saudi Arabia and sampled over a period of 4 months. Findings revealed that nutrient enrichment alone affected neither algal dry mass nor algae-derived C or N production. In contrast, herbivore exclusion significantly increased algal dry mass up to 300-fold, and in conjunction with nutrient enrichment, this total increased to 500-fold. Though the increase in dry mass led to a 7 and 8-fold increase in organic C and N content, respectively, the algal C/N ratio (18±1) was significantly lowered in the combined treatment relative to controls (26±2). Furthermore, exclusion of herbivores significantly increased the relative abundance of filamentous algae on the light-exposed tiles and reduced crustose coralline algae and non-coralline red crusts on the shaded tiles. The combination of the herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment treatments pronounced these effects. The results of our study suggest that herbivore reduction, particularly when coupled with nutrient enrichment, favors non-calcifying, filamentous algae growth with high biomass production, which thoroughly outcompetes the encrusting (calcifying) algae that dominates in undisturbed conditions. These results suggest that the healthy reefs of the Central Red Sea may experience rapid shifts in benthic community composition with ensuing effects for biogeochemical cycles if

In-Situ Effects of Simulated Overfishing and Eutrophication on Benthic Coral Reef Algae Growth, Succession, and Composition in the Central Red Sea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Jessen

Full Text Available Overfishing and land-derived eutrophication are major local threats to coral reefs and may affect benthic communities, moving them from coral dominated reefs to algal dominated ones. The Central Red Sea is a highly under-investigated area, where healthy coral reefs are contending against intense coastal development. This in-situ study investigated both the independent and combined effects of manipulated inorganic nutrient enrichment (simulation of eutrophication and herbivore exclosure (simulation of overfishing on benthic algae development. Light-exposed and shaded terracotta tiles were positioned at an offshore patch reef close to Thuwal, Saudi Arabia and sampled over a period of 4 months. Findings revealed that nutrient enrichment alone affected neither algal dry mass nor algae-derived C or N production. In contrast, herbivore exclusion significantly increased algal dry mass up to 300-fold, and in conjunction with nutrient enrichment, this total increased to 500-fold. Though the increase in dry mass led to a 7 and 8-fold increase in organic C and N content, respectively, the algal C/N ratio (18±1 was significantly lowered in the combined treatment relative to controls (26±2. Furthermore, exclusion of herbivores significantly increased the relative abundance of filamentous algae on the light-exposed tiles and reduced crustose coralline algae and non-coralline red crusts on the shaded tiles. The combination of the herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment treatments pronounced these effects. The results of our study suggest that herbivore reduction, particularly when coupled with nutrient enrichment, favors non-calcifying, filamentous algae growth with high biomass production, which thoroughly outcompetes the encrusting (calcifying algae that dominates in undisturbed conditions. These results suggest that the healthy reefs of the Central Red Sea may experience rapid shifts in benthic community composition with ensuing effects for

In-Situ Effects of Simulated Overfishing and Eutrophication on Benthic Coral Reef Algae Growth, Succession, and Composition in the Central Red Sea.

KAUST Repository

Jessen, Christian; Roder, Cornelia; Lizcano, Javier; Voolstra, Christian R.; Wild, Christian

2013-01-01

Overfishing and land-derived eutrophication are major local threats to coral reefs and may affect benthic communities, moving them from coral dominated reefs to algal dominated ones. The Central Red Sea is a highly under-investigated area, where healthy coral reefs are contending against intense coastal development. This in-situ study investigated both the independent and combined effects of manipulated inorganic nutrient enrichment (simulation of eutrophication) and herbivore exclosure (simulation of overfishing) on benthic algae development. Light-exposed and shaded terracotta tiles were positioned at an offshore patch reef close to Thuwal, Saudi Arabia and sampled over a period of 4 months. Findings revealed that nutrient enrichment alone affected neither algal dry mass nor algae-derived C or N production. In contrast, herbivore exclusion significantly increased algal dry mass up to 300-fold, and in conjunction with nutrient enrichment, this total increased to 500-fold. Though the increase in dry mass led to a 7 and 8-fold increase in organic C and N content, respectively, the algal C/N ratio (18±1) was significantly lowered in the combined treatment relative to controls (26±2). Furthermore, exclusion of herbivores significantly increased the relative abundance of filamentous algae on the light-exposed tiles and reduced crustose coralline algae and non-coralline red crusts on the shaded tiles. The combination of the herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment treatments pronounced these effects. The results of our study suggest that herbivore reduction, particularly when coupled with nutrient enrichment, favors non-calcifying, filamentous algae growth with high biomass production, which thoroughly outcompetes the encrusting (calcifying) algae that dominates in undisturbed conditions. These results suggest that the healthy reefs of the Central Red Sea may experience rapid shifts in benthic community composition with ensuing effects for biogeochemical cycles if

Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, T. L.; Havig, J. R.

2017-12-01

Earth has experienced glacial/interglacial oscillations throughout its history. Today over 15 million square kilometers (5.8 million square miles) of Earth's land surface is covered in ice including glaciers, ice caps, and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, most of which are retreating as a consequence of increased atmospheric CO2. Glaciers are teeming with life and supraglacial snow and ice surfaces are often red due to blooms of photoautotrophic algae. Recent evidence suggests the red pigmentation, secondary carotenoids produced in part to thrive under high irradiation, lowers albedo and accelerates melt. However, there are relatively few studies that report the productivity of snow algae communities and the parameters that constrain their growth on snow and ice surfaces. Here, we demonstrate that snow algae primary productivity can be stimulated by the addition of inorganic carbon. We found an increase in light-dependent carbon assimilation in snow algae microcosms amended with increasing amounts of inorganic carbon. Our snow algae communities were dominated by typical cosmopolitan snow algae species recovered from Alpine and Arctic environments. The climate feedbacks necessary to enter and exit glacial/interglacial oscillations are poorly understood. Evidence and models agree that global Snowball events are accompanied by changes in atmospheric CO2 with increasing CO2 necessary for entering periods of interglacial time. Our results demonstrate a positive feedback between increased CO2 and snow algal productivity and presumably growth. With the recent call for bio-albedo effects to be considered in climate models, our results underscore the need for robust climate models to include feedbacks between supraglacial primary productivity, albedo, and atmospheric CO2.

Determination of the distribution of shallow-water seagrass and drift algae communities with acoustic seafloor discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Riegl, B; Moyer, R P; Morris, L; Virnstein, R; Dodge, R E

2005-05-01

The spatial distribution of seagrass and algae communities can be difficult to determine in large, shallow lagoon systems where high turbidity prevents the use of optical methods like aerial photography or satellite imagery. Further complications can arise when algae are not permanently attached to the substratum and drift with tides and currents. A study using acoustic seafloor discrimination was conducted in the Indian River Lagoon (Florida, USA) to determine the extent of drift algae and seagrass. Acoustic surveys using the QTC View V system based on 50 and 200 kHz transducers were conducted near Sebastian Inlet. Results indicate that areas of seagrass can be identified, and are mixed with a high abundance of drift algae. Nearest-neighbor extrapolation was used to fill in spaces between survey lines and thus obtain spatially cohesive maps. These maps were then ground-truthed using data from towed video and compared using confusion matrices, The maps showed a high level of agreement (60%) with the actual distribution of algae, however some confusion existed between bare sand and algae as well as seagrass.

A Green Algae Mixture of Scenedesmus and Schroederiella Attenuates Obesity-Linked Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Senthil Arun; Magnusson, Marie; Ward, Leigh C.; Paul, Nicholas A.; Brown, Lindsay

2015-01-01

This study investigated the responses to a green algae mixture of Scenedesmus dimorphus and Schroederiella apiculata (SC) containing protein (46.1% of dry algae), insoluble fibre (19.6% of dry algae), minerals (3.7% of dry algae) and omega-3 fatty acids (2.8% of dry algae) as a dietary intervention in a high carbohydrate, high fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome model in four groups of male Wistar rats. Two groups were fed with a corn starch diet containing 68% carbohydrates as polysaccharides, while the other two groups were fed a diet high in simple carbohydrates (fructose and sucrose in food, 25% fructose in drinking water, total 68%) and fats (saturated and trans fats from beef tallow, total 24%). High carbohydrate, high fat-fed rats showed visceral obesity with hypertension, insulin resistance, cardiovascular remodelling, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. SC supplementation (5% of food) lowered total body and abdominal fat mass, increased lean mass, and attenuated hypertension, impaired glucose and insulin tolerance, endothelial dysfunction, infiltration of inflammatory cells into heart and liver, fibrosis, increased cardiac stiffness, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the high carbohydrate, high fat diet-fed rats. This study suggests that the insoluble fibre or protein in SC helps reverse diet-induced metabolic syndrome. PMID:25875119

Variation of photoautotrophic fatty acid production from a highly CO2 tolerant alga, Chlorococcum littorale, with inorganic carbon over narrow ranges of pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Ota, Masaki; Takenaka, Motohiro; Sato, Yoshiyuki; Smith, Richard L; Inomata, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Photoautotrophic fatty acid production of a highly CO2 -tolerant green alga Chlorococcum littorale in the presence of inorganic carbon at 295 K and light intensity of 170 µmol-photon m(-2) s(-1) was investigated. CO2 concentration in the bubbling gas was adjusted by mixing pure gas components of CO2 and N2 to avoid photorespiration and β-oxidation of fatty acids under O2 surrounding conditions. Maximum content of total fatty acid showed pH-dependence after nitrate depletion of the culture media and increased with the corresponding inorganic carbon ratio. Namely, [HCO3 (-) ]/([CO2 ]+n[ CO32-]) ratio in the culture media was found to be a controlling factor for photoautotrophic fatty acid production after the nitrate limitation. At a CO2 concentration of 5% (vol/vol) and a pH of 6.7, the fatty acid content was 47.8 wt % (dry basis) at its maximum that is comparable with land plant seed oils. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Meteorological effects on variation of airborne algae in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rosas, Irma; Roy-Ocotla, Guadalupe; Mosiño, Pedro

1989-09-01

Sixteen species of algae were collected from 73.8 m3 of air. Eleven were obtained in Minatitlán and eleven in México City. The data show that similar diversity occurred between the two localities, in spite of the difference in altitude. This suggests that cosmopolitan airborne microorganisms might have been released from different sources. Three major algal divisions (Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Chrysophyta) formed the airborne algal group. Also, a large concentration of 2220 algae m-3 was found near sea-level, while lower amounts were recorded at the high altitude of México City. The genera Scenedesmus, Chlorella and Chlorococcum dominated. Striking relationships were noted between the concentration of airborne green and blue-green algae, and meteorological conditions such as rain, vapour pressure, temperature and winds for different altitudes. In Minatitlán a linear relationship was established between concentration of algae and both vapour pressure (mbar) and temperature (° C), while in México City the wind (m s-1) was associated with variations in the algal count.

Growth acceleration and photosynthesis of the scenedesmus algae and cocconeis algae in deuterium water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Feng; Wang Wenqing

1998-01-01

In order to find new way to treat the radioactive tritium waste water, scenedesmus algae and cocconeis algae are cultured in medium which contains 30% (w) deuterium water. During different time, activities of photosymthesis, absorption spectrum, growth rate and low-temperature fluorescence spectrum are measured. Accelerated growth is found in the deuterium water compared to the normal water. Activities of photosynthesis show the similar result (F v /F m ) to the growth data. It is also concluded from low-temperature fluorescence spectra that algae activities in the deuterium water, which are expressed by PS I/PS II, are more sensitive than those in the normal water

Cars will be fed on algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peltier, G.

2012-01-01

The development of the first and second generations of bio-fuels has led to a rise in food prices and the carbon balance sheet is less good than expected. Great hopes have been put on unicellular algae for they can synthesize oils, sugar and even hydrogen and the competition with food production is far less harsh than with actual bio-fuels. Moreover, when you grow micro-algae, the loss of water through evaporation is less important than in the case of intensive farm cultures. In 2009 10.000 tonnes of micro-algae were produced worldwide, they were mainly used for the production of fish food and of complements for humane food (fat acids and antioxidants). Different research programs concern unicellular algae: they aim at modifying micro-algae genetically in order to give them a higher productivity or to make them produce an oil more adapted for motor fuel or more easily recoverable. (A.C.)

The Selective Use of Hypochlorite to Prevent Pond Crashes for Algae-Biofuel Production.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-21

Although algae-biofuels have many advantages including high areal productivity, algae can be preyed upon by amoebas, protozoans, ciliates, and rotifers, particularly in open pond systems. Thus, these higher organisms need to be controlled. In this study, Chlorella kessleri was used as the algal culture and Brachionus calyciflorus as the source of predation. The effect of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) was tested with the goal of totally inhibiting the rotifer while causing minor inhibition to the alga. The 24-hr LC50 for B. calyciflorus in spring water was 0.198 mg Cl/L while the 24-hr LC50 for C. kessleri was 0.321 mg Cl/L. However, chlorine dissipates rapidly as the algae serves as reductant. Results showed a chlorine dosage between 0.45 to 0.6 mg Cl/L and a dosing interval of two hours created the necessary chlorine concentrations to inhibit predation while letting the algae grow; thus giving algae farmers a tool to prevent pond crashes. Water Environ. Res., 87 (2015).

Inventory of North-West European algae initiatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spruijt, J.

2015-01-01

In 2012 an inventory of North-West European (NWE) algae initiatives was carried out to get an impression of the market and research activities on algae production and refinery, especially for bioenergy purposes. A questionnaire was developed that would provide the EnAlgae project with information on

Lipid oxidation in base algae oil and water-in-algae oil emulsion: Impact of natural antioxidants and emulsifiers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bingcan; Rao, Jiajia; Ding, Yangping; McClements, David Julian; Decker, Eric Andrew

2016-07-01

The impact of natural hydrophilic antioxidants, metal chelators, and hydrophilic antioxidant/metal chelator mixture on the oxidative stability of base algae oil and water-in-algae oil emulsion was investigated. The results showed that green tea extract and ascorbic acid had greatest protective effect against algae oil oxidation and generated four day lag phase, whereas rosmarinic acid, grape seed extract, grape seed extract polymer, deferoxamine (DFO), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) had no significant protective effect. Besides, there was no synergistic effect observed between natural antioxidants and ascorbic acid. The emulsifiers are critical to the physicochemical stability of water-in-algae oil emulsions. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) promoted the oxidation of emulsion. Conversely, the protective effect on algae oil oxidation was appreciated when defatted soybean lecithin (PC 75) or defatted lyso-lecithin (Lyso-PC) was added. The role of hydrophilic antioxidants in emulsion was similar to that in algae oil except EDTA which demonstrated strong antioxidative effect in emulsion. The results could provide information to build up stable food products containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recomendations concerning technical research and development with the purpose to industrially exploit marine algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hahn-Haegerdal, B.

1980-10-01

This report formulates a proposal for a program for technical research and development concerning use of Marine algae.The report is based on a retrospective literature search, an inquiry to potential algae users and producers in Sweden, visits to and correspondence with scientists and industries in Sweden and abroad. Technical research and development concerning marine algae is needed within the following fields: -Development of new sorts of algae offering resistance to parasite and disease adoptation to cultivation and har- vesting systems,and high-yielding concerning technically interesting components. -Development of suitable cultivation systems for Swedish conditions. -Co-cultivation of fish, mussels, oysters and crustaceans with algae. -Development of harvesting systems. -Methane rotting. -Fatty acid/hydrocarbon production as an alternative to methane rotting. -Physical-chemical properties of marine polysaccharides in relation to their technical properties. -Marine algae as fodder supplement.

Biochemical responses of filamentous algae in different aquatic ecosystems in South East Turkey and associated water quality parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Çelekli, Abuzer; Arslanargun, Hamdullah; Soysal, Çiğdem; Gültekin, Emine; Bozkurt, Hüseyin

2016-11-01

To the best of our knowledge, any study about biochemical response of filamentous algae in the complex freshwater ecosystems has not been found in the literature. This study was designed to explore biochemical response of filamentous algae in different water bodies from May 2013 to October 2014, using multivariate approach in the South East of Turkey. Environmental variables were measured in situ: water temperature, oxygen concentration, saturation, conductivity, salinity, pH, redox potential, and total dissolved solid. Chemical variables of aqueous samples and biochemical compounds of filamentous algae were also measured. It was found that geographic position and anthropogenic activities had strong effect on physico-chemical variables of water bodies. Variation in environmental conditions caused change in algal biomass composition due to the different response of filamentous species, also indicated by FTIR analysis. Biochemical responses not only changed from species to species, but also varied for the same species at different sampling time and sampling stations. Multivariate analyses showed that heavy metals, nutrients, and water hardness were found as the important variables governing the temporal and spatial succession and biochemical compounds. Nutrients, especially nitrate, could stimulate pigment and total protein production, whereas high metal content had adverse effects. Amount of malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, total thiol groups, total phenolic compounds, proline, total carbohydrate, and metal bioaccumulation by filamentous algae could be closely related with heavy metals in the ecosystems. Significant increase in MDA, H2O2, total thiol group, total phenolic compounds, and proline productions by filamentous algae and chlorosis phenomenon seemed to be an important strategy for alleviating environmental factors-induced oxidative stress as biomarkers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary origins, molecular cloning and expression of carotenoid hydroxylases in eukaryotic photosynthetic algae

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Xanthophylls, oxygenated derivatives of carotenes, play critical roles in photosynthetic apparatus of cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants. Although the xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway of algae is largely unknown, it is of particular interest because they have a very complicated evolutionary history. Carotenoid hydroxylase (CHY) is an important protein that plays essential roles in xanthophylls biosynthesis. With the availability of 18 sequenced algal genomes, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of chy genes and explored their distribution, structure, evolution, origins, and expression. Results Overall 60 putative chy genes were identified and classified into two major subfamilies (bch and cyp97) according to their domain structures. Genes in the bch subfamily were found in 10 green algae and 1 red alga, but absent in other algae. In the phylogenetic tree, bch genes of green algae and higher plants share a common ancestor and are of non-cyanobacterial origin, whereas that of red algae is of cyanobacteria. The homologs of cyp97a/c genes were widespread only in green algae, while cyp97b paralogs were seen in most of algae. Phylogenetic analysis on cyp97 genes supported the hypothesis that cyp97b is an ancient gene originated before the formation of extant algal groups. The cyp97a gene is more closely related to cyp97c in evolution than to cyp97b. The two cyp97 genes were isolated from the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis, and transcriptional expression profiles of chy genes were observed under high light stress of different wavelength. Conclusions Green algae received a β-xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway from host organisms. Although red algae inherited the pathway from cyanobacteria during primary endosymbiosis, it remains unclear in Chromalveolates. The α-xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway is a common feature in green algae and higher plants. The origination of cyp97a/c is most likely due to gene duplication before divergence of

Evolutionary origins, molecular cloning and expression of carotenoid hydroxylases in eukaryotic photosynthetic algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Hongli; Yu, Xiaona; Wang, Yan; Cui, Yulin; Li, Xueqin; Liu, Zhaopu; Qin, Song

2013-07-08

Xanthophylls, oxygenated derivatives of carotenes, play critical roles in photosynthetic apparatus of cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants. Although the xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway of algae is largely unknown, it is of particular interest because they have a very complicated evolutionary history. Carotenoid hydroxylase (CHY) is an important protein that plays essential roles in xanthophylls biosynthesis. With the availability of 18 sequenced algal genomes, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of chy genes and explored their distribution, structure, evolution, origins, and expression. Overall 60 putative chy genes were identified and classified into two major subfamilies (bch and cyp97) according to their domain structures. Genes in the bch subfamily were found in 10 green algae and 1 red alga, but absent in other algae. In the phylogenetic tree, bch genes of green algae and higher plants share a common ancestor and are of non-cyanobacterial origin, whereas that of red algae is of cyanobacteria. The homologs of cyp97a/c genes were widespread only in green algae, while cyp97b paralogs were seen in most of algae. Phylogenetic analysis on cyp97 genes supported the hypothesis that cyp97b is an ancient gene originated before the formation of extant algal groups. The cyp97a gene is more closely related to cyp97c in evolution than to cyp97b. The two cyp97 genes were isolated from the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis, and transcriptional expression profiles of chy genes were observed under high light stress of different wavelength. Green algae received a β-xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway from host organisms. Although red algae inherited the pathway from cyanobacteria during primary endosymbiosis, it remains unclear in Chromalveolates. The α-xanthophylls biosynthetic pathway is a common feature in green algae and higher plants. The origination of cyp97a/c is most likely due to gene duplication before divergence of green algae and higher plants

WATER POLLUTION AND RIVER ALGAE: STUDY IN ZAYANDEH ROOD RIVER – ISFAHAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H POUR MOGHADAS

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Dischange of domestic, agricultural and industrial waste water into the rivers increase chemical substances such as nitrate and phosphate. These chemical changes increase algal population. High density of algae may cause changes in color, odor and taste of water. Some of the algae such as Oscillatoria, Microcystis and Anabeana produce toxins and in high concentrations may kill fishes. While Zayandehrud river is considered as one of the main water supply sources for drinking water and valuable water resources of Isfahan Province, water quality control of this river is important. The study of algae of the river in relation with the concentration of nitrate and phosphate is the purpose of this research project. Methods: To perform this projects, seven sampling stations from "Pole Vahid" to .Pole choom. were selected. Grab methods were used for sampling of the river water. 147 water samples were collected in one year of the study.The samples were analyzed for phosphate, nitrate and genera of the algae. Nitrate and phosphate of the water samples were determined using Phenol Disulfonic Acid and Stanous chloride methods, respectively. The genera of the algae were detennined using the keys. Results and Disccusion:The result of the study showed that the frequency of the algae increased with increasing nitrate and phosphate. Overall.35 genera of algae in the area of the study were observed, which six of them were indicators of water pollution. Minimum frequency of indicators of pollution was observed in the enterance of Isfahan city and maximum frequency was observed after the discharge of municipal water from waste water treatment plant (pole Choom.

Antioxidant Activity of Hawaiian Marine Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony D. Wright

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Marine algae are known to contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, many of which have commercial applications in pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food and agricultural industries. Natural antioxidants, found in many algae, are important bioactive compounds that play an important role against various diseases and ageing processes through protection of cells from oxidative damage. In this respect, relatively little is known about the bioactivity of Hawaiian algae that could be a potential natural source of such antioxidants. The total antioxidant activity of organic extracts of 37 algal samples, comprising of 30 species of Hawaiian algae from 27 different genera was determined. The activity was determined by employing the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assays. Of the algae tested, the extract of Turbinaria ornata was found to be the most active. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this extract led to the isolation of a variety of different carotenoids as the active principles. The major bioactive antioxidant compound was identified as the carotenoid fucoxanthin. These results show, for the first time, that numerous Hawaiian algae exhibit significant antioxidant activity, a property that could lead to their application in one of many useful healthcare or related products as well as in chemoprevention of a variety of diseases including cancer.

Lipid class and fatty acid composition of a little-known and rarely collected alga Exophyllum wentii Weber-van Bosse from Bali Island, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Illijas, Muhammad I; Indy, Jeane R; Yasui, Hajime; Itabashi, Yutaka

2009-01-01

The lipid class and fatty acid composition of a little-known and rarely collected alga Exophyllum wentii from Bali Island, Indonesia were determined for fresh and frozen-thawed samples using thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Glycoglycerolipids, which mainly consisted of mongalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDG), were the predominant lipid components, accounting for 67% and 56% of the total polar lipid content in the fresh and frozen-thawed samples, respectively. Phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholines (PC) and phosphatidylglycerols (PG), were detected with lesser amounts in both samples (16-17% of the total polar lipid content). Free fatty acids (FFA), sterols and triacylglycerols (TAG) were also detected in minor quantities; however, the FFA content in the frozen-thawed sample increased to up to 20% of the total lipid content, suggesting that hydrolysis of the membrane lipids had occurred. A crude enzyme preparation from the alga showed activities for hydrolyzing the acyl groups of the phospholipids and glycoglycerolipids. Palmitic acid (16:0) and arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) were the major fatty acids in both the total lipid and in individual polar lipid classes as well as the dominant fatty acids released from the membrane lipids by enzymatic hydrolysis. The high level of 20:4n-6 (29%) in the total lipid and the presence of considerable amounts of PC (11% of the total polar lipid) and PG (6.2%) support classification of E. wentii into the Division Rhodophyta.

Physical characteristic of brown algae (Phaeophyta from madura strait as irreversible hydrocolloid impression material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prihartini Widiyanti

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Brown algae is a raw material for producing natrium alginates. One type of brown algae is Sargassum sp, a member of Phaeophyta division. Sargassum sp could be found in Madura strait Indonesia. Natrium alginate can be extracted from Sargassum sp. The demand of alginate in Indonesia is mainly fulfilled from abroad, meanwhile Sargassum sp is abundantly available. Purpose: The purpose of study were to explore the potency of brown alga Sargassum sp from Madura strait as hydrocolloid impression material and to examine its physical characteristic. Methods: The methods of research including extraction natrium alginate from Sargassum sp, synthesis of dental impression material and the test of porosity, density, viscosity, and water content of impression material which fulfilled the standard of material used in clinical application in dentistry. Results: Extraction result of Sargassum sp was natrium alginate powder with cream colour, odorless, and water soluble. The water content of natrium alginate was 21.64% and the viscosity was 0.7 cPs. The best porosity result in the sample with the addition of trinatrium phosphate 4% was 3.61%. Density value of impression material was 3 gr/cm3. Conclusion: The research suggested that brown algae Sargassum sp from Madura strait is potential as hydrocolloid impression material, due to its physical properties which close to dental impression material, but still need further research to optimize the physical characteristic.Latar belakang: Alga coklat adalah sumber bahan baku material natrium alginat. Salah satu jenis alga coklat adalah Sargassum sp yang merupakan anggota divisi Phaeophyta. Sargassum sp dapat ditemukan di Selat Madura Indonesia. Natrium alginat dapat diekstraksi dari Sargassum sp. Kebutuhan akan bahan ini di Indonesia sebagian besar dipenuhi dari impor, padahal ketersediaan Sargassum sp di Indonesia sangat melimpah. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi potensi alga coklat

Evidence for a photoprotective function for secondary carotenoids of snow algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bidigare, R.R.; Ondrusek, M.E.; Kennicutt, M.C. II; Iturriaga, R.; Harvey, H.R.; Hoham, R.W.; Macko, S.A.

1993-01-01

Snow algae occupy a unique habitat in high altitude and polar environments. These algae are often subject to extremes in nutrient availability, acidity, solar irradiance, desiccation, and ambient temperature. This report documents the accumulation of secondary carotenoids by snow algae in response to the availability of nitrogenous nutrients. Unusually large accumulations of astaxanthin esters in extra-chloroplastic lipid globules produce the characteristic red pigmentation typical of some snow algae (e.g., Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bauer) Wille). Consequently, these compounds greatly reduce the amount of light available for absorption by the light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes, thus potentially limiting photoinhibition and photodamage caused by intense solar radiation. The esterification of astaxanthin with fatty acids represents a possible mechanism by which this chromophore can be concentrated within cytoplasmic globules to maximize its photoprotective efficiency. 53 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

Photoprotection strategies of the alga Nannochloropsis gaditana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chukhutsina, Volha U.; Fristedt, Rikard; Morosinotto, Tomas; Croce, Roberta

2017-01-01

Nannochloropsis spp. are algae with high potential for biotechnological applications due to their capacity to accumulate lipids. However, little is known about their photosynthetic apparatus and acclimation/photoprotective strategies. In this work, we studied the mechanisms of non-photochemical

Seasonal variations in Na, K, Mg and Ca charge balance in marine brown algae from Saurashtra Coast (NW coast of India)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rao, Ch.K.; Singbal, S.Y.S.

) strongly correlated with Cl content suggesting that these cations were balanced by chloride ions. Divalent cations (Ca + Mg) seem to be balanced by the anion sulphate. Ash content of the algae was accounted by these major cations and anions. Charge...

The Macroalgae Biorefinery for Production of Bioethanol and Fish Feed from the Two Brown Algae: Laminaria Digitata and Saccharina Latissima

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hou, Xiaoru; Bjerre, Anne-Belinda; Hansen, Jonas Høeg

by ensiling (with lactic acid bacteria) or simple drying. Pretreatment was carried out using wet-milling and enzymatic hydrolysis in accordance with 1G bioethanol technology from corn. Different commercial enzyme mixtures for fully or partly hydrolysis of algae sugar polymers into monomers were tested...... and conversion of the differently pretreated macroalgae biomass into ethanol by fermentation were compared. The protein contents and nutrient salts in residues from ethanol fermentation trials were characterized for potential fish feed. A first-step scenario for sustainability and feasibility assessment...... will be presented for this innovative process of biorefining of value-added algae proteins derived directly through fermentation processes of algae sugars to bioenergy carriers....

Catalytic pyrolysis of microalgae to high-quality liquid bio-fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babich, I.V.; Hulst, M. van der; Lefferts, L.; Moulijn, J.A.; O'Connor, P.; Seshan, K.

2011-01-01

The pyrolytic conversion of chlorella algae to liquid fuel precursor in presence of a catalyst (Na 2 CO 3 ) has been studied. Thermal decomposition studies of the algae samples were performed using TGA coupled with MS. Liquid oil samples were collected from pyrolysis experiments in a fixed-bed reactor and characterized for water content and heating value. The oil composition was analyzed by GC-MS. Pretreatment of chlorella with Na 2 CO 3 influences the primary conversion of chlorella by shifting the decomposition temperature to a lower value. In the presence of Na 2 CO 3 , gas yield increased and liquid yield decreased when compared with non-catalytic pyrolysis at the same temperatures. However, pyrolysis oil from catalytic runs carries higher heating value and lower acidity. Lower content of acids in the bio-oil, higher aromatics, combined with higher heating value show promise for production of high-quality bio-oil from algae via catalytic pyrolysis, resulting in energy recovery in bio-oil of 40%. -- Highlights: → The pyrolytic catalytic conversion of chlorella algae to liquid fuel precursor. → Na 2 CO 3 as a catalyst for the primary conversion of chlorella. → Pyrolysis oil from catalytic runs carries higher heating value and lower acidity. → High-quality bio-oil from algae via catalytic pyrolysis with energy recovery in bio-oil of 40%.

Development of Green Fuels From Algae - The University of Tulsa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crunkleton, Daniel; Price, Geoffrey; Johannes, Tyler; Cremaschi, Selen

2012-12-03

The general public has become increasingly aware of the pitfalls encountered with the continued reliance on fossil fuels in the industrialized world. In response, the scientific community is in the process of developing non-fossil fuel technologies that can supply adequate energy while also being environmentally friendly. In this project, we concentrate on green fuels which we define as those capable of being produced from renewable and sustainable resources in a way that is compatible with the current transportation fuel infrastructure. One route to green fuels that has received relatively little attention begins with algae as a feedstock. Algae are a diverse group of aquatic, photosynthetic organisms, generally categorized as either macroalgae (i.e. seaweed) or microalgae. Microalgae constitute a spectacularly diverse group of prokaryotic and eukaryotic unicellular organisms and account for approximately 50% of global organic carbon fixation. The PI's have subdivided the proposed research program into three main research areas, all of which are essential to the development of commercially viable algae fuels compatible with current energy infrastructure. In the fuel development focus, catalytic cracking reactions of algae oils is optimized. In the species development project, genetic engineering is used to create microalgae strains that are capable of high-level hydrocarbon production. For the modeling effort, the construction of multi-scaled models of algae production was prioritized, including integrating small-scale hydrodynamic models of algae production and reactor design and large-scale design optimization models.

Simultaneous production of bio-ethanol and bleached pulp from red algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Min Ho; Lee, Yoon Woo; Lee, Chun Han; Seo, Yung Bum

2012-12-01

The red algae, Gelidium corneum, was used to produce bleached pulp for papermaking and ethanol. Aqueous extracts obtained at 100-140 °C were subjected to saccharification, purification, fermentation, and distillation to produce ethanol. The solid remnants were bleached with chlorine dioxide and peroxide to make pulp. In the extraction process, sulfuric acid and sodium thiosulfate were added to increase the extract yield and to improve de-polymerization of the extracts, as well as to generate high-quality pulp. An extraction process incorporating 5% sodium thiosulfate by dry weight of the algae provided optimal production conditions for the production of both strong pulp and a high ethanol yield. These results suggest that it might be possible to utilize algae instead of trees and starch for pulp and ethanol production, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shewanella algae in acute gastroenteritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Dey

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Shewanella algae is an emerging bacteria rarely implicated as a human pathogen. Previously reported cases of S. algae have mainly been associated with direct contact with seawater. Here we report the isolation of S. algae as the sole etiological agent from a patient suffering from acute gastroenteritis with bloody diarrhoea. The bacterium was identified by automated identification system and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Our report highlights the importance of looking for the relatively rare aetiological agents in clinical samples that does not yield common pathogens. It also underscores the usefulness of automated systems in identification of rare pathogens.

Micro-algae: French players discuss the matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouveret, T.

2013-01-01

About 75000 species of algae have been reported so far, the domains of application are huge and investment are increasing all around the world. One of the difficulties is to find the most appropriate algae to a specific application. Some development programs have failed scientifically or economically for instance the production of protein for animal food from the chlorella algae or the production of bio-fuel from C14-C18 chains, from zeaxanthine and from phycoerytrine. On the other side some research programs have led to promising industrial applications such as the production of food for fish and farm animals. Some research fields are completely innovative such as the use of micro-algae for the construction of bio-walls for buildings. Micro-algae are diverse and fragile. Photo-bioreactors have been designed to breed fragile algae like some types of chlorophycees used in bio-fuel and in cosmetics, a prototype has been tested for 15 months and its production is about 2 kg of dry matter a day. (A.C.)

Fe(II)-regulated moderate pre-oxidation of Microcystis aeruginosa and formation of size-controlled algae flocs for efficient flotation of algae cell and organic matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Jing; Lan, Huachun; Liu, Ruiping; Liu, Huijuan; Qu, Jiuhui

2018-06-15

The coagulation/flocculation/flotation (C/F/F) process is becoming a popular method for algae-laden water treatment. However, the efficiency of flotation is highly dependent on the ability of the preceding coagulation/flocculation process to form flocculated algae flocs. This study aims to improve the Microcystis aeruginosa flotation efficiency from algae cell and organic matter aspects by applying Fe(II)-regulated pretreatment enhanced Al coagulation process. The ability of the C/F/F process to remove cyanobacterial cells can be enhanced from 8% to 99% at a Fe(II) dose of 30 μM. The Al dose needed can be reduced by more than half while achieving successful flotation. The introduced Fe(II) after KMnO 4 can not only realize moderate pre-oxidation of cyanobacterial cells, but also form in-situ Fe(III). The DOC value can also be decreased significantly due to the formation of in-situ Fe(III), which is more efficient in dissolved organic matter (DOM) removal compared with pre-formed Fe(III). In addition, the gradually hydrolyzed in-situ Fe(III) can facilitate the hydrolysis of Al as a dual-coagulant and promote the clustering and cross-linking of Al hydrolyzates, which can enhance the formation of size-controlled algae flocs. Finally, the size-controlled algae flocs can be effectively floated by the bubbles released in the flotation process due to the efficient collision and attachment between flocs and bubbles. Therefore, the efficient flotation of algae cell and organic matter can be realized by the Fe(II) regulated moderate pre-oxidation of M. aeruginosa and formation of size-controlled algae flocs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of skeletal banding in a reef-building tropical crustose coralline alga.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonnie Lewis

Full Text Available The presence of banding in the skeleton of coralline algae has been reported in many species, primarily from temperate and polar regions. Similar to tree rings, skeletal banding can provide information on growth rate, age, and longevity; as well as records of past environmental conditions and the coralline alga's growth responses to such changes. The aim of this study was to explore the presence and characterise the nature of banding in the tropical coralline alga Porolithon onkodes, an abundant and key reef-building species on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR Australia, and the Indo-Pacific in general. To achieve this we employed various methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD to determine seasonal mol% magnesium (Mg, mineralogy mapping to investigate changes in dominant mineral phases, scanning electron microscopy-electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS, and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT scanning to examine changes in cell size and density banding, and UV light to examine reproductive (conceptacle banding. Seasonal variation in the Mg content of the skeleton did occur and followed previously recorded variations with the highest mol% MgCO3 in summer and lowest in winter, confirming the positive relationship between seawater temperature and mol% MgCO3. Rows of conceptacles viewed under UV light provided easily distinguishable bands that could be used to measure vertical growth rate (1.4 mm year-1 and age of the organism. Micro-CT scanning showed obvious banding patterns in relation to skeletal density, and mineralogical mapping revealed patterns of banding created by changes in Mg content. Thus, we present new evidence for seasonal banding patterns in the tropical coralline alga P. onkodes. This banding in the P. onkodes skeleton can provide valuable information into the present and past life history of this important reef-building species, and is essential to assess and predict the response of these organisms to future climate and

Complete mitochondrial genome of the agarophyte red alga Gelidium vagum (Gelidiales).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Eun Chan; Kim, Kyeong Mi; Boo, Ga Hun; Lee, Jung-Hyun; Boo, Sung Min; Yoon, Hwan Su

2014-08-01

We describe the first complete mitochondrial genome of Gelidium vagum (Gelidiales) (24,901 bp, 30.4% GC content), an agar-producing red alga. The circular mitochondrial genome contains 43 genes, including 23 protein-coding, 18 tRNA and 2 rRNA genes. All the protein-coding genes have a typical ATG start codon. No introns were found. Two genes, secY and rps12, were overlapped by 41 bp.

Eco-physiological studies on the uptake of the pollutants, copper, zinc and phosphate, by certain algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rana, B C; Kumar, H D

1974-01-01

Certain algae isolated from polluted and nonpolluted habitats were studied for their capacity to absorb copper, zinc, and phosphate from the ambient medium. They were found to possess a high gleaning capacity for these pollutants. The uptake of copper does not seem to require much metabolic energy and is independent of the growth of the alga, but the uptake of zinc seems to depend directly on its growth. Anacystis nidulans and Chlorella vulgaris are fast growing algae; they can absorb high amounts of phosphate and can be gainfully employed for retrieving the phosphate from the medium. However, the algae must be harvested before they excrete some of the phosphates back into the medium.

The opportunities for obtaining of the biogas on methane fermentation from marine algae biomass and water plant biomass

OpenAIRE

Jachniak Ewa; Chmura Joanna; Kuglarz Mariusz; Wiktor Józef

2018-01-01

The aim of the research was to try to obtain of the biogas on a laboratory scale from marine algae biomass and water plant biomass. The research was conducted in 2016 year and samples were taken from the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea. In laboratory work, algae and plant species were first identified. The next, in order to subject them to methane fermentation processes and to obtain biogas,partial mechanical treatment of the biomass was conducted. Dry matter content and dry organic matter con...

Responses of the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata to long-term exposure to metal stress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Machado, Manuela D. [Bioengineering Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, ISEP-School of Engineering of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto (Portugal); CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga (Portugal); Lopes, Ana R. [LEPABE, Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto (Portugal); Soares, Eduardo V., E-mail: evs@isep.ipp.pt [Bioengineering Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, ISEP-School of Engineering of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto (Portugal); CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga (Portugal)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Heavy metals provoke a perturbation of the physiological status of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. • Cd(II), Cr(VI) and Cu(II), at high concentrations, cause the loss of membrane integrity. • Cd(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Zn(II) inhibit esterase activity in a dose dependent manner. • Heavy metals affect mitochondrial function and photosynthetic activity. • Fluorescent probes are a useful tool in the identification of toxicity targets of the heavy metals. - Abstract: The green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata has been widely used in ecological risk assessment, usually based on the impact of the toxicants in the alga growth. However, the physiological causes that lead algal growth inhibition are not completely understood. This work aimed to evaluate the biochemical and structural modifications in P. subcapitata after exposure, for 72 h, to three nominal concentrations of Cd(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Zn(II), corresponding approximately to 72 h-EC{sub 10} and 72 h-EC{sub 50} values and a high concentration (above 72 h-EC{sub 90} values). The incubation of algal cells with the highest concentration of Cd(II), Cr(VI) or Cu(II) resulted in a loss of membrane integrity of ~16, 38 and 55%, respectively. For all metals tested, an inhibition of esterase activity, in a dose-dependent manner, was observed. Reduction of chlorophyll a content, decrease of maximum quantum yield of photosystem II and modification of mitochondrial membrane potential was also verified. In conclusion, the exposure of P. subcapitata to metals resulted in a perturbation of the cell physiological status. Principal component analysis revealed that the impairment of esterase activity combined with the reduction of chlorophyll a content were related with the inhibition of growth caused by a prolonged exposure to the heavy metals.

Responses of the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata to long-term exposure to metal stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Manuela D.; Lopes, Ana R.; Soares, Eduardo V.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Heavy metals provoke a perturbation of the physiological status of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. • Cd(II), Cr(VI) and Cu(II), at high concentrations, cause the loss of membrane integrity. • Cd(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Zn(II) inhibit esterase activity in a dose dependent manner. • Heavy metals affect mitochondrial function and photosynthetic activity. • Fluorescent probes are a useful tool in the identification of toxicity targets of the heavy metals. - Abstract: The green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata has been widely used in ecological risk assessment, usually based on the impact of the toxicants in the alga growth. However, the physiological causes that lead algal growth inhibition are not completely understood. This work aimed to evaluate the biochemical and structural modifications in P. subcapitata after exposure, for 72 h, to three nominal concentrations of Cd(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Zn(II), corresponding approximately to 72 h-EC 10 and 72 h-EC 50 values and a high concentration (above 72 h-EC 90 values). The incubation of algal cells with the highest concentration of Cd(II), Cr(VI) or Cu(II) resulted in a loss of membrane integrity of ~16, 38 and 55%, respectively. For all metals tested, an inhibition of esterase activity, in a dose-dependent manner, was observed. Reduction of chlorophyll a content, decrease of maximum quantum yield of photosystem II and modification of mitochondrial membrane potential was also verified. In conclusion, the exposure of P. subcapitata to metals resulted in a perturbation of the cell physiological status. Principal component analysis revealed that the impairment of esterase activity combined with the reduction of chlorophyll a content were related with the inhibition of growth caused by a prolonged exposure to the heavy metals

Nitrogen and amino acids content in lake Drukshyaj plancton organisms biocenoses grown in model experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krevsh, A.V.; Budrene, S.F.; Yankyavichyus, K.K.

1989-01-01

Biocenoses growth in lake Drukshyaj (from 1984 water reservoir of the Ignalina NPP) collected in July 1985 and grown in 2 various in composition culture media: in medium close in composition of main minerals to water of high capacity reservoir (medium 1) and in medium Fitzjarld (medium 2), has shown that the medium affects the component composition of plancton, as well as dominating types of algae. Phytoplancton was dominating component in biomass in both media. In medium 1 dominate green and diatoms, in medium 2 - blue-green algae. Content of proteins and amino acids in biomass changed depending on duration of biocenoses growth when dominating green and diatoms in biocenoses mass grown in medium 1, it reached maximum on the 15th day, and when dominating blue-green algae in biocenoses biomass grown in medium 2 - on the 30th day

Photosynthetic electron transport in thylakoid preparations from two marine red algae (Rhodophyta).

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, A C; Larkum, A W

1983-01-01

Thylakoid membrane preparations active in photosynthetic electron transport have been obtained from two marine red algae, Griffithsia monilis and Anotrichium tenue. High concentrations (0.5-1.0 M) of salts such as phosphate, citrate, succinate and tartrate stabilized functional binding of phycobilisomes to the membrane and also stabilized Photosystem II-catalysed electron-transport activity. High concentrations (1.0 M) of chloride and nitrate, or 30 mM-Tricine/NaOH buffer (pH 7.2) in the absence of salts, detached phycobilisomes and inhibited electron transport through Photosystem II. The O2-evolving system was identified as the electron-transport chain component that was inhibited under these conditions. Washing membranes with buffers containing 1.0-1.5 M-sorbitol and 5-50 mM concentrations of various salts removed the outer part of the phycobilisome but retained 30-70% of the allophycocyanin 'core' of the phycobilisome. These preparations were 30-70% active in O2 evolution compared with unwashed membranes. In the sensitivity of their O2-evolving apparatus to the composition of the medium in vitro, the red algae resembled blue-green algae and differed from other eukaryotic algae and higher plants. It is suggested that an environment of structured water may be essential for the functional integrity of Photosystem II in biliprotein-containing algae. PMID:6860312

Cs-137 accumulation and elimination by Gracilaria caudata alga and Abudefduf saxatilis fish. Compartmental analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattiolo-Marchese, Sandra Regina

1998-01-01

From the ecological point of view, 137 Cs is a critical radionuclide because its physical half-life is long (30 years), and it has a high fission yield. Besides, it presents similar characteristics to sodium and potassium, fundamental elements for the living organisms, in great concentration in all cells. This work has as aim to study the 137 Cs accumulation and elimination by the alga Gracilaria caudata and by the fish Abudefduf saxatilis as well as to obtain the transfer constants of the 137 Cs from the water into the organisms. The concentration factor found for the fish was 5.6 +- 0.2 and for the alga, 13.0 +- 0,6. With 7 and 22 days, the fish and alga respectively had already eliminated half of the accumulated radionuclide. The 137 Cs ingestion efficiency by the fish was also studied and it was verified that the fish assimilated only 47.6 % of the cesium content in the food; and within of 4 days it had eliminated more than half of ingested cesium. A compartmental model was proposed to explain the distribution of cesium in the compartments (water - alga and water - fish). Data obtained from the experiments of 137 Cs accumulation and elimination were applied in the Ana Comp Program. This program permits the compartmental analysis, and quantifies the cesium distribution from the sea-water to the organisms, and vice versa, through the transfer constants (k). The Ana Comp Program also allowed to calculate the dose that one would receive by the consumption of fish contaminated by cesium. Levels of 137 Cs from the global fallout in environmental samples, from Sao Sebastiao, northern coast of Sao Paulo, (where the 'Centro de Biologia Marinha da Universidade de Sao Paulo - CEBIMar - USP' is located), were verified. (author)

Uptake of americium-241 by algae and bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giesy, Jr, J P; Paine, D [Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, S.C. (USA)

1978-01-01

The uptake of americium by three algae, Scenedesmus obliguus, Selenastrum capricomutum and Chlorella pyrenosdosa and a bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila was studied. Live and fixed cells of each algal species and live bacterial cells were used. It is shown that algae and bacteria concentrate americium 241 to a high degree which makes them important links in the biomagnification phenomenon which may ultimately lead to a human hazard and be potentially important in recycling Am /sup 241/ in the water column and mobilization from sediments. Chemical fixation of algal cells caused increased uptake which indicated that uptake is by passive diffusion and probably due to chemical alteration of surface binding sites.

Competition between cyanobacteria and green algae at low versus elevated CO2: who will win, and why?

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xing; Verspagen, Jolanda M H; Stomp, Maayke; Huisman, Jef

2017-06-01

Traditionally, it has often been hypothesized that cyanobacteria are superior competitors at low CO2 and high pH in comparison with eukaryotic algae, owing to their effective CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). However, recent work indicates that green algae can also have a sophisticated CCM tuned to low CO2 levels. Conversely, cyanobacteria with the high-flux bicarbonate uptake system BicA appear well adapted to high inorganic carbon concentrations. To investigate these ideas we studied competition between three species of green algae and a bicA strain of the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa at low (100 ppm) and high (2000 ppm) CO2. Two of the green algae were competitively superior to the cyanobacterium at low CO2, whereas the cyanobacterium increased its competitive ability with respect to the green algae at high CO2. The experiments were supported by a resource competition model linking the population dynamics of the phytoplankton species with dynamic changes in carbon speciation, pH and light. Our results show (i) that competition between phytoplankton species at different CO2 levels can be predicted from species traits in monoculture, (ii) that green algae can be strong competitors under CO2-depleted conditions, and (iii) that bloom-forming cyanobacteria with high-flux bicarbonate uptake systems will benefit from elevated CO2 concentrations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Hyperaccumulation of radioactive isotopes by marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Toshiaki; Hirano, Shigeki; Watabe, Teruhisa

2003-01-01

Hyperaccumlators are effective indicator organisms for monitoring marine pollution by heavy metals and artificial radionuclides. We found a green algae, Bryopsis maxima that hyperaccumulate a stable and radioactive isotopes such as Sr-90, Tc-99, Ba-138, Re-187, and Ra-226. B. maxima showed high concentration factors for heavy alkali earth metals like Ba and Ra, compared with other marine algae in Japan. Furthermore, this species had the highest concentrations for Tc-99 and Re-187. The accumulation and excretion patterns of Sr-85 and Tc-95m were examined by tracer experiments. The chemical states of Sr and Re in living B. maxima were analyzed by HPLC-ICP/MS, LC/MS, and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis using synchrotron radiation. (author)

Interactions between arsenic species and marine algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanders, J.G.

1978-01-01

The arsenic concentration and speciation of marine algae varies widely, from 0.4 to 23 ng.mg/sup -1/, with significant differences in both total arsenic content and arsenic speciation occurring between algal classes. The Phaeophyceae contain more arsenic than other algal classes, and a greater proportion of the arsenic is organic. The concentration of inorganic arsenic is fairly constant in macro-algae, and may indicate a maximum level, with the excess being reduced and methylated. Phytoplankton take up As(V) readily, and incorporate a small percentage of it into the cell. The majority of the As(V) is reduced, methylated, and released to the surrounding media. The arsenic speciation in phytoplankton and Valonia also changes when As(V) is added to cultures. Arsenate and phosphate compete for uptake by algal cells. Arsenate inhibits primary production at concentrations as low as 5 ..mu..g.1/sup -1/ when the phosphate concentration is low. The inhibition is competitive. A phosphate enrichment of > 0.3 ..mu..M alleviates this inhibition; however, the As(V) stress causes an increase in the cell's phosphorus requirement. Arsenite is also toxic to phytoplankton at similar concentrations. Methylated arsenic species did not affect cell productivity, even at concentrations of 25 ..mu..g.1/sup -1/. Thus, the methylation of As(V) by the cell produces a stable, non-reactive compound which is nontoxic. The uptake and subsequent reduction and methylation of As(V) is a significant factor in determining the arsenic biogeochemistry of productive systems, and also the effect that the arsenic may have on algal productivity. Therefore, the role of marine algae in determining the arsenic speciation of marine systems cannot be ignored. (ERB)

Lipid Content in Arctic Calanus: a Matter of Season and Size

Science.gov (United States)

Daase, M.; Søreide, J.; Freese, D.; Hatlebakk, M. K.; Jørgen, B.; Renaud, P.; Gabrielsen, T. M.; Vogedes, D.

2016-02-01

Copepods of the genus Calanus are considered key elements of the marine food chain of the Arctic and North Atlantic. They convert low-energy carbohydrates and proteins of their algae diet into high-energy wax ester lipids. These lipids are accumulated over the productive season and stored in a lipid sac which sustains the organism over long periods without algal food supply, and which makes Calanus spp. an important prey item. Here we investigated what determines the variability in lipid content of overwintering stages and adults of Arctic and North Atlantic Calanus species. Using image analysis of lipid sac area, we have estimated individual lipid content of Calanus species in the waters and fjords of Svalbard (78-81oN). Data were collected all year round, at surface and deep waters and in locations under the influence of either Atlantic or Arctic hydrographic conditions. Lipid content showed stage specific seasonal variability which can be related to life history strategies and the phenology of algae blooms. Depth specific differences in lipid content were only observed at the start of the overwintering period. Our data also demonstrate that species specific differences in lipid content were not as fundamentally different as previously assumed. Rather, based on molecular identification of the species, we show that the lipid content of the Arctic C. glacialis and the Atlantic C. finmarchicus is dependent on size alone, challenging the classical understanding of these two species yielding two distinctly different ecosystem services based upon a difference in lipid content.

Functional significance of genetically different symbiotic algae Symbiodinium in a coral reef symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Loram, J E; Trapido-Rosenthal, H G; Douglas, A E

2007-11-01

The giant sea anemone Condylactis gigantea associates with members of two clades of the dinoflagellate alga Symbiodinium, either singly or in mixed infection, as revealed by clade-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction of large subunit ribosomal DNA. To explore the functional significance of this molecular variation, the fate of photosynthetically fixed carbon was investigated by (14)C radiotracer experiments. Symbioses with algae of clades A and B released ca. 30-40% of fixed carbon to the animal tissues. Incorporation into the lipid fraction and the low molecular weight fraction dominated by amino acids was significantly higher in symbioses with algae of clade A than of clade B, suggesting that the genetically different algae in C. gigantea are not functionally equivalent. Symbioses with mixed infections yielded intermediate values, such that this functional trait of the symbiosis can be predicted from the traits of the contributing algae. Coral and sea anemone symbioses with Symbiodinium break down at elevated temperature, a process known as 'coral bleaching'. The functional response of the C. gigantea symbiosis to heat stress varied between the algae of clades A and B, with particularly depressed incorporation of photosynthetic carbon into lipid of the clade B algae, which are more susceptible to high temperature than the algae of clade A. This study provides a first exploration of how the core symbiotic function of photosynthate transfer to the host varies with the genotype of Symbiodinium, an algal symbiont which underpins corals and, hence, coral reef ecosystems.

Algae to Economically Viable Low-Carbon-Footprint Oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhujade, Ramesh; Chidambaram, Mandan; Kumar, Avnish; Sapre, Ajit

2017-06-07

Algal oil as an alternative to fossil fuel has attracted attention since the 1940s, when it was discovered that many microalgae species can produce large amounts of lipids. Economics and energy security were the motivational factors for a spurt in algae research during the 1970s, 1990s, and early 2000s. Whenever crude prices declined, research on algae stopped. The scenario today is different. Even given low and volatile crude prices ($30-$50/barrel), interest in algae continues all over the world. Algae, with their cure-all characteristics, have the potential to provide sustainable solutions to problems in the energy-food-climate nexus. However, after years of effort, there are no signs of algae-to-biofuel technology being commercialized. This article critically reviews past work; summarizes the current status of the technology; and based on the lessons learned, provides a balanced perspective on a potential path toward commercialization of algae-to-oil technology.

Effect of ferrate on green algae removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubiňáková, Emília; Híveš, Ján; Gál, Miroslav; Fašková, Andrea

2017-09-01

Green algae Cladophora aegagropila, present in cooling water of thermal power plants, causes many problems and complications, especially during summer. However, algae and its metabolites are rarely eliminated by common removal methods. In this work, the elimination efficiency of electrochemically prepared potassium ferrate(VI) on algae from cooling water was investigated. The influence of experimental parameters, such as Fe(VI) dosage, application time, pH of the system, temperature and hydrodynamics of the solution on removal efficiency, was optimized. This study demonstrates that algae C. aegagropila can be effectively removed from cooling water by ferrate. Application of ferrate(VI) at the optimized dosage and under the suitable conditions (temperature, pH) leads to 100% removal of green algae Cladophora from the system. Environmentally friendly reduction products (Fe(III)) and coagulation properties favour the application of ferrate for the treatment of water contaminated with studied microorganisms compared to other methods such as chlorination and use of permanganate, where harmful products are produced.

Determination of the distribution of shallow-water seagrass and drift algae communities with acoustic seafloor discrimination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B Riegl

2005-05-01

Full Text Available The spatial distribution of seagrass and algae communities can be difficult to determine in large,shallow lagoon systems where high turbidity prevents the use of optical methods like aerial photography or satellite imagery.Further complications can arise when algae are not permanently attached to the substratum and drift with tides and currents.A study using acoustic seafloor discrimination was conducted in the Indian River Lagoon (Florida,USAto determine the extent of drift algae and seagrass.Acoustic surveys using the QTC View V system based on 50 and 200 kHz transducers were conducted near Sebastian Inlet.Results indicate that areas of seagrass can be identified,and are mixed with a high abundance of drift algae.Nearest-neighbor extrapolation was used to fill in spaces between survey lines and thus obtain spatially cohesive maps.These maps were then ground-truthed using data from towed video and compared using confusion matrices.The maps showed a high level of agreement (60%with the actual distribution of algae,however some confusion existed between bare sand and algae as well as seagrass.La distribución espacial de comunidades de pastos marinos y algas puede ser difícil de determinar en sistema lagunares grandes y someros donde la alta turbidez no permite el uso de métodos ópticos,como fotografías aéreas e imágenes satelitales. Complicaciones adicionales pueden surgir cuando las algas no están adheridas permanentemente al sustrato y derivan con las mareas y corrientes.Se realizó un estudio utilizando discriminación acústica del fondo marino en el Indian River Lagoon (Florida,EUA para determinar la cantidad de algas y pastos que derivan. Se realizaron sondeos acústicos en el Sebastian Inlet con el sistema QTC View V y transductores de 50 y 200 kHz.Las áreas de pastos marinos pudieron ser identificadas,y están mezcladas con una gran cantidad de algas a la deriva.Se rellenó los espacios sin datos con extrapolaciones basadas en la

Iron encrustations on filamentous algae colonized by Gallionella-related bacteria in a metal-polluted freshwater stream

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, J. F.; Neu, T. R.; Lu, S.; Händel, M.; Totsche, K. U.; Küsel, K.

2015-09-01

Filamentous macroscopic algae were observed in slightly acidic to circumneutral (pH 5.9-6.5), metal-rich stream water that leaked out from a former uranium mining district (Ronneburg, Germany). These algae differed in color and morphology and were encrusted with Fe-deposits. To elucidate their potential interaction with Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB), we collected algal samples at three time points during summer 2013 and studied the algae-bacteria-mineral compositions via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and a 16S and 18S rRNA gene-based bacterial and algae community analysis. Surprisingly, sequencing analysis of 18S rRNA gene regions of green and brown algae revealed high homologies with the freshwater algae Tribonema (99.9-100 %). CLSM imaging indicated a loss of active chloroplasts in the algae cells, which may be responsible for the change in color in oxidation under the putative oxygen-saturated conditions that occur in association with photosynthetic algae. Quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) revealed even higher Gallionella-related 16S rRNA gene copy numbers on the surface of green algae compared to the brown algae. The latter harbored a higher microbial diversity, including some putative predators of algae. A loss of chloroplasts in the brown algae could have led to lower photosynthetic activities and reduced EPS production, which is known to affect predator colonization. Collectively, our results suggest the coexistence of oxygen-generating algae Tribonema sp. and strictly microaerophilic neutrophilic FeOB in a heavy metal-rich environment.

Soil algae

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Timothy Ademakinwa

Also, the importance of algae in soil formation and soil fertility improvement cannot be over ... The presence of nitrogen fixing microalgae (Nostoc azollae) in the top soil of both vegetable ..... dung, fish food and dirty water from fish ponds on.

Bioaccumulation and effects of novel chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate in freshwater alga Scenedesmus obliquus.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Li, Jingwen; Gao, Lichen; Zhang, Zhou; Zhao, Jing; He, Xin; Zhang, Xin

2018-02-01

Chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (Cl-PFESA) is a novel alternative compound for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), with its environmental risk not well known. The bioaccumulation and toxic effects of Cl-PFESA in the freshwater alga is crucial for the understanding of its potential hazards to the aquatic environment. Scenedesmus obliquus was exposed to Cl-PFESA at ng L -1 to mg L -1 , with the exposure regime beginning at the environmentally relevant level. The total log BAF of Cl-PFESA in S. obliquus was 4.66, higher than the reported log BAF of PFOS in the freshwater plankton (2.2-3.2). Cl-PFESA adsorbed to the cell surface accounted for 33.5-68.3% of the total concentrations. The IC50 of Cl-PFESA to algal growth was estimated to be 40.3 mg L -1 . Significant changes in algal growth rate and chlorophyll a/b contents were observed at 11.6 mg L -1 and 13.4 mg L -1 of Cl-PFESA, respectively. The sample cell membrane permeability, measured by the fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzation, was increased by Cl-PFESA at 5.42 mg L -1 . The mitochondrial membrane potential, measured by Rh123 staining, was also increased, indicating the hyperpolarization induced by Cl-PFESA. The increasing ROS and MDA contents, along with the enhanced SOD, CAT activity, and GSH contents, suggested that Cl-PFESA caused oxidative damage in the algal cells. It is less possible that current Cl-PFESA pollution in surface water posed obvious toxic effects on the green algae. However, the bioaccumulation of Cl-PFESA in algae would contribute to its biomagnification in the aquatic food chain and its effects on membrane property could potentially increase the accessibility and toxicity of other coexisting pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photophysiology and cellular composition of sea ice algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizotte, M.P.

1989-01-01

The productivity of sea ice algae depends on their physiological capabilities and the environmental conditions within various microhabitats. Pack ice is the dominant form of sea ice, but the photosynthetic activity of associated algae has rarely been studied. Biomass and photosynthetic rates of ice algae of the Weddell-Scotia Sea were investigated during autumn and winter, the period when ice cover grows from its minimum to maximum. Biomass-specific photosynthetic rates typically ranged from 0.3 to 3.0 μg C · μg chl -1 · h -1 higher than land-fast ice algae but similar to Antarctic phytoplankton. Primary production in the pack ice during winter may be minor compared to annual phytoplankton production, but could represent a vital seasonal contribution to the Antarctic ecosystem. Nutrient supply may limit the productivity of ice algae. In McMurdo Sound, congelation ice algae appeared to be more nutrient deficient than underlying platelet ice algae based on: lower nitrogen:carbon, chlorophyll:carbon, and protein:carbohydrate; and 14 C-photosynthate distribution to proteins and phospholipids was lower, while distribution to polysaccharides and neutral lipids was higher. Depletion of nitrate led to decreased nitrogen:carbon, chlorophyll:carbon, protein:carbohydrate, and 14 C-photosynthate to proteins. Studied were conducted during the spring bloom; therefore, nutrient limitation may only apply to dense ice algal communities. Growth limiting conditions may be alleviated when algae are released into seawater during the seasonal recession of the ice cover. To continue growth, algae must adapt to the variable light field encountered in a mixed water column. Photoadaptation was studied in surface ice communities and in bottom ice communities

Re-utilization of Industrial CO₂ for Algae Production Using a Phase Change Material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joseph, Brian [Touchstone Research Laboratory Ltd, Triadelphia, WV (United States)

2014-03-31

This is the final report of a 36-month Phase II cooperative agreement. Under this project, Touchstone Research Laboratory (Touchstone) investigated the merits of incorporating a Phase Change Material (PCM) into an open-pond algae production system that can capture and re-use the CO₂ from a coal-fired flue gas source located in Wooster, OH. The primary objective of the project was to design, construct, and operate a series of open algae ponds that accept a slipstream of flue gas from a coal-fired source and convert a significant portion of the CO₂ to liquid biofuels, electricity, and specialty products, while demonstrating the merits of the PCM technology. Construction of the pilot facility and shakedown of the facility in Wooster, OH, was completed during the first two years, and the focus of the last year was on operations and the cultivation of algae. During this Phase II effort a large-scale algae concentration unit from OpenAlgae was installed and utilized to continuously harvest algae from indoor raceways. An Algae Lysing Unit and Oil Recovery Unit were also received and installed. Initial parameters for lysing nanochloropsis were tested. Conditions were established that showed the lysing operation was effective at killing the algae cells. Continuous harvesting activities yielded over 200 kg algae dry weight for Ponds 1, 2 and 4. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of anaerobic digestion effluent as a nutrient source and the resulting lipid productivity of the algae. Lipid content and total fatty acids were unaffected by culture system and nutrient source, indicating that open raceway ponds fed diluted anaerobic digestion effluent can obtain similar lipid productivities to open raceway ponds using commercial nutrients. Data were also collected with respect to the performance of the PCM material on the pilot-scale raceway ponds. Parameters such as evaporative water loss, temperature differences, and growth/productivity were

Comparison of algae cultivation methods for bioenergy production using a combined life cycle assessment and life cycle costing approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Resurreccion, Eleazer P; Colosi, Lisa M; White, Mark A; Clarens, Andres F

2012-12-01

Algae are an attractive energy source, but important questions still exist about the sustainability of this technology on a large scale. Two particularly important questions concern the method of cultivation and the type of algae to be used. This present study combines elements of life cycle analysis (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) to evaluate open pond (OP) systems and horizontal tubular photobioreactors (PBRs) for the cultivation of freshwater (FW) or brackish-to-saline water (BSW) algae. Based on the LCA, OPs have lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions than PBRs; e.g., 32% less energy use for construction and operation. According to the LCC, all four systems are currently financially unattractive investments, though OPs are less so than PBRs. BSW species deliver better energy and GHG performance and higher profitability than FW species in both OPs and PBRs. Sensitivity analyses suggest that improvements in critical cultivation parameters (e.g., CO(2) utilization efficiency or algae lipid content), conversion parameters (e.g., anaerobic digestion efficiency), and market factors (e.g., costs of CO(2) and electricity, or sale prices for algae biodiesel) could alter these results. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prokaryotic community profiling of local algae wastewaters using advanced 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Limayem, Alya; Micciche, Andrew; Nayak, Bina; Mohapatra, Shyam

2018-01-01

Algae biomass-fed wastewaters are a promising source of lipid and bioenergy manufacture, revealing substantial end-product investment returns. However, wastewaters would contain lytic pathogens carrying drug resistance detrimental to algae yield and environmental safety. This study was conducted to simultaneously decipher through high-throughput advanced Illumina 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, the cultivable and uncultivable bacterial community profile found in a single sample that was directly recovered from the local wastewater systems. Samples were collected from two previously documented sources including anaerobically digested (AD) municipal wastewater and swine wastewater with algae namely Chlorella spp. in addition to control samples, swine wastewater, and municipal wastewater without algae. Results indicated the presence of a significant level of Bacteria in all samples with an average of approximately 95.49% followed by Archaea 2.34%, in local wastewaters designed for algae cultivation. Taxonomic genus identification indicated the presence of Calothrix, Pseudomonas, and Clostridium as the most prevalent strains in both local municipal and swine wastewater samples containing algae with an average of 17.37, 12.19, and 7.84%, respectively. Interestingly, swine wastewater without algae displayed the lowest level of Pseudomonas strains algae indicates potential coexistence between these strains and algae microenvironment, suggesting further investigations. This finding was particularly relevant for the earlier documented adverse effects of some nosocomial Pseudomonas strains on algae growth and their multidrug resistance potential, requiring the development of targeted bioremediation with regard to the beneficial flora.

Mycoalgae biofilm: development of a novel platform technology using algae and fungal cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajendran, Aravindan; Hu, Bo

2016-01-01

Microalgae is considered a promising source for biofuel and bioenergy production, bio-remediation and production of high-value bioactive compounds, but harvesting microalgae is a major bottleneck in the algae based processes. The objective of this research is to mimic the growth of natural lichen and develop a novel biofilm platform technology using filamentous fungi and microalgae to form a lichen type of biofilm "mycoalgae" in a supporting polymer matrix. The possibility of co-existence of Chlorella vulgaris with various fungal cultures was tested to identify the best strain combination for high algae harvest efficiency. The effect of different matrices for cell attachment and biofilm formation, cell surface characterization of mycoalgae biofilm, kinetics of the process with respect to the algae-fungi cell distribution and total biomass production was studied. Mycoalgae biofilm with algae attachment efficiency of 99.0 % and above was achieved in a polymer-cotton composite matrix with glucose concentration of 2 g/L in the growth medium and agitation intensity of 150 rpm at 27 °C. The total biomass in the co-culture with the selected strain combination (Mucor sp. and Chlorella sp.) was higher than the axenic cultures of fungi and algae at the conditions tested. The results show that algae can be grown with complete attachment to a bio-augmenting fungal surface and can be harvested readily as a biofilm for product extraction from biomass. Even though, interaction between heterotrophic fungi and phototrophic algae was investigated in solid media after prolonged contact in a report, this research is the first of its kind in developing an artificial lichen type biofilm called "mycoalgae" biofilm completely attached on a matrix in liquid cultures. The mycoalgae biofilm based processes, propounds the scope for exploring new avenues in the bio-production industry and bioremediation.

Temporal changes in elemental composition in decomposing filamentous algae (Cladophora glomerata and Pilayella littoralis) determined with PIXE and PIGE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lill, J.-O., E-mail: jlill@abo.fi [Accelerator Laboratory, Turku PET Centre, Abo Akademi University, Porthansg. 3, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Department of Natural Sciences, Abo Akademi University, Porthansg. 3, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Salovius-Lauren, S. [Department of Biosciences, Abo Akademi University, Artillerig. 6, FI-20520 Turku (Finland); Harju, L. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Abo Akademi University, Biskopsg. 8, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Rajander, J. [Accelerator Laboratory, Turku PET Centre, Abo Akademi University, Porthansg. 3, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Department of Chemical Engineering, Abo Akademi University, Biskopsg. 8, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Saarela, K.-E. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Abo Akademi University, Biskopsg. 8, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Lindroos, A. [Department of Natural Sciences, Abo Akademi University, Porthansg. 3, FI-20500 Turku (Finland); Heselius, S.-J. [Accelerator Laboratory, Turku PET Centre, Abo Akademi University, Porthansg. 3, FI-20500 Turku (Finland)

2012-01-01

Particle-induced X-ray emission and particle-induced gamma-ray emission spectrometry were successfully applied in a study of the elemental composition of decomposing filamentous algae. Fresh brown (Pilayella littoralis) and green (Cladophora glomerata) algal materials were placed in cages at 4 m depth in a water column of 8 m in the Archipelago Sea, northern Baltic Sea. Every second week decaying algae were sampled from the cages to allow measurements of changes in the elemental compositions. In the study of the elemental losses the concentrations were compensated for the mass reduction. The results show that sulphur, chlorine and partly potassium were lost during decomposition of P. littoralis and C. glomerata. Most of the other elements studied were recovered in the remaining algal mass. Special attention was paid to sorption and desorption of elements, including metal binding capacity, in the decaying algal materials. The affinity order of different cations to the two algal species was established by calculation of conditional distribution coefficients, D Prime {sub M}. For instance for P. littoralis the following series of binding strength (affinity) of cations were obtained: Al > Ti > Fe Much-Greater-Than Mn > Ni, Cu > Ba, Cr, Zn Much-Greater-Than Rb > K, Sr > Pb Much-Greater-Than Ca Much-Greater-Than Na > Mg. Notably is that the binding strength of strontium was more than 10 times higher for P. littoralis than for C. glomerata. Due to their high binding capacity and good affinity and selectivity for heavy metal ions these algae have great potential as biological sorbents. Large variations in elemental content during decomposition complicate the use of algae for environmental monitoring. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Elemental concentrations in P. littoralis and C. glomerata from the Archipelago Sea in Finland were measured during decomposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PIXE and PIGE were successfully used for chemical analysis of 24 elements

Temporal changes in elemental composition in decomposing filamentous algae (Cladophora glomerata and Pilayella littoralis) determined with PIXE and PIGE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lill, J.-O.; Salovius-Laurén, S.; Harju, L.; Rajander, J.; Saarela, K.-E.; Lindroos, A.; Heselius, S.-J.

2012-01-01

Particle-induced X-ray emission and particle-induced gamma-ray emission spectrometry were successfully applied in a study of the elemental composition of decomposing filamentous algae. Fresh brown (Pilayella littoralis) and green (Cladophora glomerata) algal materials were placed in cages at 4 m depth in a water column of 8 m in the Archipelago Sea, northern Baltic Sea. Every second week decaying algae were sampled from the cages to allow measurements of changes in the elemental compositions. In the study of the elemental losses the concentrations were compensated for the mass reduction. The results show that sulphur, chlorine and partly potassium were lost during decomposition of P. littoralis and C. glomerata. Most of the other elements studied were recovered in the remaining algal mass. Special attention was paid to sorption and desorption of elements, including metal binding capacity, in the decaying algal materials. The affinity order of different cations to the two algal species was established by calculation of conditional distribution coefficients, D′ M . For instance for P. littoralis the following series of binding strength (affinity) of cations were obtained: Al > Ti > Fe ≫ Mn > Ni, Cu > Ba, Cr, Zn ≫ Rb > K, Sr > Pb ≫ Ca ≫ Na > Mg. Notably is that the binding strength of strontium was more than 10 times higher for P. littoralis than for C. glomerata. Due to their high binding capacity and good affinity and selectivity for heavy metal ions these algae have great potential as biological sorbents. Large variations in elemental content during decomposition complicate the use of algae for environmental monitoring. - Highlights: ► Elemental concentrations in P. littoralis and C. glomerata from the Archipelago Sea in Finland were measured during decomposition. ► PIXE and PIGE were successfully used for chemical analysis of 24 elements. ► The chemical affinity of different elements to the algae was established by calculation of conditional

Method and apparatus for lysing and processing algae

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Geoffrey; Reich, Alton J.; Dykes, Jr., H. Waite H.; Di Salvo, Roberto

2013-03-05

Methods and apparatus for processing algae are described in which a hydrophilic ionic liquid is used to lyse algae cells at lower temperatures than existing algae processing methods. A salt or salt solution is used as a separation agent and to remove water from the ionic liquid, allowing the ionic liquid to be reused. The used salt may be dried or concentrated and reused. The relatively low lysis temperatures and recycling of the ionic liquid and salt reduce the environmental impact of the algae processing while providing biofuels and other useful products.

Pressurized thermal and hydrothermal decomposition of algae, wood chip residue, and grape marc: A comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subagyono, Dirgarini J.N.; Marshall, Marc; Jackson, W. Roy; Chaffee, Alan L.

2015-01-01

Pressurized thermal decomposition of two marine algae, Pinus radiata chip residue and grape marc using high temperature, high pressure reactions has been studied. The yields and composition of the products obtained from liquefactions under CO of a mixture of biomass and H 2 O (with or without catalyst) were compared with products from liquefaction of dry biomass under N 2 , at different temperatures, gas pressures and for CO runs, water to biomass ratios. Thermochemical reactions of algae produced significantly higher dichloromethane solubles and generally higher product yields to oil and asphaltene than Pinus radiata and grape marc under the reaction conditions used. Furthermore, the biofuels derived from algae contained significant concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons as opposed to those from radiata pine and grape marc which were richer in aromatic compounds. The possibility of air transport fuel production from algae thus appears to have considerable advantages over that from radiata pine and grape marc. - Highlights: • Liquefaction of algae gave more oil than that of Pinus radiata and grape marc. • Reactions under CO/H 2 O produced higher yields of oil than N 2 . • Water to biomass ratio had little effect on the yields. • Bio-oil from algae contained substantial amounts of aliphatic hydrocarbons. • Pinus radiata oil was low in N but high in O

Optimization of liquid media and biosafety assessment for algae-lysing bacterium NP23.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Chunli; Liu, Xiaobo; Shan, Linna

2014-09-01

To control algal bloom caused by nutrient pollution, a wild-type algae-lysing bacterium was isolated from the Baiguishan reservoir in Henan province of China and identified as Enterobacter sp. strain NP23. Algal culture medium was optimized by applying a Placket-Burman design to obtain a high cell concentration of NP23. Three minerals (i.e., 0.6% KNO3, 0.001% MnSO4·H2O, and 0.3% K2HPO4) were found to be independent factors critical for obtaining the highest cell concentration of 10(13) CFU/mL, which was 10(4) times that of the control. In the algae-lysing experiment, the strain exhibited a high lysis rate for the 4 algae test species, namely, Chlorella vulgari, Scenedesmus, Microcystis wesenbergii, and Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Acute toxicity and mutagenicity tests showed that the bacterium NP23 had no toxic and mutagenic effects on fish, even in large doses such as 10(7) or 10(9) CFU/mL. Thus, Enterobacter sp. strain NP23 has strong potential application in the microbial algae-lysing project.

Phthalate esters in marine algae

OpenAIRE

Gezgin, Tuncay; Güven, Kasim Cemal; Akçin, Göksel

2001-01-01

Abstract o-Phthalate esters as diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, di-isobutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate were identified at surface and inner part of algae collected in the Bosphorus, as Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha linza, Cystoseria barbata, Pterocladia capillaceaeand Ceramium rubrum. The same esters were also detected in seawater samples taken from the same area. Thus parallelism in pollution was noted between the algae and the surrounding seawater,

Extremophilic micro-algae and their potential contribution in biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Varshney, Prachi; Mikulic, Paulina; Vonshak, Avigad; Beardall, John; Wangikar, Pramod P

2015-05-01

Micro-algae have potential as sustainable sources of energy and products and alternative mode of agriculture. However, their mass cultivation is challenging due to low survival under harsh outdoor conditions and competition from other, undesired, species. Extremophilic micro-algae have a role to play by virtue of their ability to grow under acidic or alkaline pH, high temperature, light, CO2 level and metal concentration. In this review, we provide several examples of potential biotechnological applications of extremophilic micro-algae and the ranges of tolerated extremes. We also discuss the adaptive mechanisms of tolerance to these extremes. Analysis of phylogenetic relationship of the reported extremophiles suggests certain groups of the Kingdom Protista to be more tolerant to extremophilic conditions than other taxa. While extremophilic microalgae are beginning to be explored, much needs to be done in terms of the physiology, molecular biology, metabolic engineering and outdoor cultivation trials before their true potential is realized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening of Various Herbicide Modes of Action for Selective Control of Algae Responsible for Harmful Blooms

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

included, Scenedesmus quadricauda and Selenastrum sp. After a two-week exposure period, all flasks were filtered. The planktonic algae were measured...activity against the various algal species tested (Figures 1 through 7). Aside from the reduction in biomass of the green alga Scenedesmus by...controls (Figures 1 through 7). Penoxsulam was highly active against the blue-greens Cylindrospermopsis and Anabaena, and the green alga Scenedesmus

Composition of phytoplankton algae in Gubi Reservoir, Bauchi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Studies on the distribution, abundance and taxonomic composition of phytoplankton algae in Gubi reservoir were carried out for 12 months (from January to December 1995). Of the 26 algal taxa identified, 14 taxa belonged to the diatoms, 8 taxa were green algae while 4 taxa belonged to the blue-green algae. Higher cell ...

Modelling the effects of pulse exposure of several PSII inhibitors on two algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Copin, Pierre-Jean; Chèvre, Nathalie

2015-10-01

Subsequent to crop application and during precipitation events, herbicides can reach surface waters in pulses of high concentrations. These pulses can exceed the Annual Average Environmental Quality Standards (AA-EQS), defined in the EU Water Framework Directive, which aims to protect the aquatic environment. A model was developed in a previous study to evaluate the effects of pulse exposure for the herbicide isoproturon on the alga Scenedesmus vacuolatus. In this study, the model was extended to other substances acting as photosystem II inhibitors and to other algae. The measured and predicted effects were equivalent when pulse exposure of atrazine and diuron were tested on S. vacuolatus. The results were consistent for isoproturon on the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The model is thus suitable for the effect prediction of phenylureas and triazines and for the algae used: S. vacuolatus and P. subcapitata. The toxicity classification obtained from the dose-response curves (diuron>atrazine>isoproturon) was conserved for the pulse exposure scenarios modelled for S. vacuolatus. Toxicity was identical for isoproturon on the two algae when the dose-response curves were compared and also for the pulse exposure scenarios. Modelling the effects of any pulse scenario of photosystem II inhibitors on algae is therefore feasible and only requires the determination of the dose-response curves of the substance and growth rate of unexposed algae. It is crucial to detect the longest pulses when measurements of herbicide concentrations are performed in streams because the model showed that they principally affect the cell density inhibition of algae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine Algae As A Prospective Source For Antidiabetic Compounds - A Brief Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Unnikrishnan, Pulikkaparambil Sasidharan; Jayasri, Mangalam Achuthananda

2018-01-01

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia, which is attributed to several life threatening complications including atherosclerosis, nephropathy, and retinopathy. The current therapies available for the management of DM mainly include oral antidiabetic drugs and insulin injections. However, continuous use of synthetic drugs provides lower healing with many side effects. Therefore, there is an urge for safe and efficient antidiabetic drugs for the management of DM. In the continuing search for effective antidiabetic drugs, marine algae (seaweeds) remains as a promising source with potent bioactivity. It is anticipated that the isolation, characterization, and pharmacological study of unexplored marine algae can be useful in the discovery of novel antidiabetic compounds with high biomedical value. Among marine algae, brown and red algae are reported to exhibit antidiabetic activity. Majority of the investigations on algal derived compounds controls the blood glucose levels through the inhbition of carbohydrate hydroloyzing enzymes and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B enzymes, insulin sensitization, glucose uptake effect and other protective effects against diabetic complications. Based on the above perspective this review provides; profiles for various marine algae posessing antidiabetic activity. This study also highlights the therapeutic potential of compounds isolated from marine algae for the effective management of diabetes and its associated complications. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Analysis of Solid and Aqueous Phase Products from Hydrothermal Carbonization of Whole and Lipid-Extracted Algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amber Broch

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Microalgae have tremendous potential as a feedstock for production of liquid biofuels, particularly biodiesel fuel via transesterification of algal lipids. However, biodiesel production results in significant amounts of algal residues, or “lipid extracted algae” (LEA. Suitable utilization of the LEA residue will improve the economics of algal biodiesel. In the present study, we evaluate the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC of whole and lipid extracted algal (Spirulina maxima feedstocks in order to produce a solid biofuel (hydrochar and value-added co-products in the aqueous phase. HTC experiments were performed using a 2-L Parr reactor (batch type at 175–215 °C with a 30-min holding time. Solid, aqueous and gaseous products were analyzed using various laboratory methods to evaluate the mass and carbon balances, and investigate the existence of high value chemicals in the aqueous phase. The HTC method is effective in creating an energy dense, solid hydrochar from both whole algae and LEA at lower temperatures as compared to lignocellulosic feedstocks, and is effective at reducing the ash content in the resulting hydrochar. However, under the treatment temperatures investigated, less than 1% of the starting dry algae mass was recovered as an identified high-value chemical in the aqueous phase.

Can the primary algae production be measured precisely?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olesen, M.; Lundsgaard, C.

1996-01-01

Algae production in seawater is extremely important as a basic link in marine food chains. Evaluation of the algae quantity is based on 14CO 2 tracer techniques while natural circulation and light absorption in seawater is taken insufficiently into account. Algae production can vary by 500% in similar nourishment conditions, but varying water mixing conditions. (EG)

Effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on cyanobacteria and algae in laboratory strains and in natural algal assemblages.

Science.gov (United States)

Bácsi, István; B-Béres, Viktória; Kókai, Zsuzsanna; Gonda, Sándor; Novák, Zoltán; Nagy, Sándor Alex; Vasas, Gábor

2016-05-01

In recent years measurable concentrations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown in the aquatic environment as a result of increasing human consumption. Effects of five frequently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, diflunisal, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and piroxicam in 0.1 mg ml(-1) concentration) in batch cultures of cyanobacteria (Synechococcus elongatus, Microcystis aeruginosa, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii), and eukaryotic algae (Desmodesmus communis, Haematococcus pluvialis, Cryptomonas ovata) were studied. Furthermore, the effects of the same concentrations of NSAIDs were investigated in natural algal assemblages in microcosms. According to the changes of chlorophyll-a content, unicellular cyanobacteria seemed to be more tolerant to NSAIDs than eukaryotic algae in laboratory experiments. Growth of eukaryotic algae was reduced by all drugs, the cryptomonad C. ovata was the most sensitive to NSAIDs, while the flagellated green alga H. pluvialis was more sensitive than the non-motile green alga D. communis. NSAID treatments had weaker impact in the natural assemblages dominated by cyanobacteria than in the ones dominated by eukaryotic algae, confirming the results of laboratory experiments. Diversity and number of functional groups did not change notably in cyanobacteria dominated assemblages, while they decreased significantly in eukaryotic algae dominated ones compared to controls. The results highlight that cyanobacteria (especially unicellular ones) are less sensitive to the studied, mostly hardly degradable NSAIDs, which suggest that their accumulation in water bodies may contribute to the expansion of cyanobacterial mass productions in appropriate environmental circumstances by pushing back eukaryotic algae. Thus, these contaminants require special attention during wastewater treatment and monitoring of surface waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring natrium alginate content of brown algae spesies Padina sp. as the basic matter for making dental impression material (Irreversible hydrocolloid impression material)

OpenAIRE

Nurlindah Hamrun; Suci Amalia Rachman

2016-01-01

One of the most important procedure in denture fabrication and orthodontic treatment is molding the patient’s detail oral cavity to determine the treatment planning. This procedure does by using alginate impression material or irreversible hydrocolloid which is the basic material is natrium alginate which is imported from abroad because it is extracted from brown algae which habitat is not in Indonesia so it is causes the impression material is relative expensive which is impact to high cost ...

Comparative analyses of chloroplast genome data representing nine green algae in Sphaeropleales (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Fučíková

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The chloroplast genomes of green algae are highly variable in their architecture. In this article we summarize gene content across newly obtained and published chloroplast genomes in Chlorophyceae, including new data from nine of species in Sphaeropleales (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta. We present genome architecture information, including genome synteny analysis across two groups of species. Also, we provide a phylogenetic tree obtained from analysis of gene order data for species in Chlorophyceae with fully sequenced chloroplast genomes. Further analyses and interpretation of the data can be found in “Chloroplast phylogenomic data from the green algal order Sphaeropleales (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta reveal complex patterns of sequence evolution” (Fučíková et al., In review [1].

The Belmont Valley integrated algae pond system in retrospect

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-03-26

Mar 26, 2013 ... ness amongst all stakeholders including the public at large, the three spheres of ...... (2011) Algae biofuel from wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds. .... and OELMÜLLER R (2002) Photosynthetic electron transport.

Microscopic Gardens: A Close Look at Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Foote, Mary Ann

1983-01-01

Describes classroom activities using algae, including demonstration of eutrophication, examination of mating strains, and activities with Euglena. Includes on algal morphology/physiology, types of algae, and field sources for collecting these organisms. (JN)

Method and apparatus for processing algae

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Geoffrey; Reich, Alton J.; Dykes, Jr., H. Waite; Di Salvo, Roberto

2012-07-03

Methods and apparatus for processing algae are described in which a hydrophilic ionic liquid is used to lyse algae cells. The lysate separates into at least two layers including a lipid-containing hydrophobic layer and an ionic liquid-containing hydrophilic layer. A salt or salt solution may be used to remove water from the ionic liquid-containing layer before the ionic liquid is reused. The used salt may also be dried and/or concentrated and reused. The method can operate at relatively low lysis, processing, and recycling temperatures, which minimizes the environmental impact of algae processing while providing reusable biofuels and other useful products.

Photoreduction of chromium(VI) in the presence of algae, Chlorella vulgaris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Lin; Wang Hongli; Deng Nansheng

2006-01-01

In this thesis, the photochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) in the presence of algae, Chlorella vulgaris, was investigated under the irradiation of metal halide lamps (λ=365nm, 250W). The affecting factors of photochemical reduction were studied in detail, such as exposure time, initial Cr(VI) concentration, initial algae concentration and pH. The rate of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction increased with algae concentration increasing, exposure time increasing, initial Cr(VI) concentration decreasing and the decrease of pH. When pH increased to 6, the rate of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction nearly vanished. When initial Cr(VI) concentration ranged from 0.4 to 1.0mgL -1 and initial algae concentration ranged from ABS algae (the absorbency of algae)=0.025 to ABS algae =0.180, According to the results of kinetic analyses, the kinetic equation of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction in aqueous solution with algae under 250W metal halide lamps was V 0 =kC 0 0.1718 A algae 0.5235 (C 0 was initial concentration of Cr(VI); A algae was initial concentration of algae) under the condition of pH 4

Identification of aquatically available carbon from algae through solution-state NMR of whole (13)C-labelled cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhter, Mohammad; Dutta Majumdar, Rudraksha; Fortier-McGill, Blythe; Soong, Ronald; Liaghati-Mobarhan, Yalda; Simpson, Myrna; Arhonditsis, George; Schmidt, Sebastian; Heumann, Hermann; Simpson, André J

2016-06-01

Green algae and cyanobacteria are primary producers with profound impact on food web functioning. Both represent key carbon sources and sinks in the aquatic environment, helping modulate the dissolved organic matter balance and representing a potential biofuel source. Underlying the impact of algae and cyanobacteria on an ecosystem level is their molecular composition. Herein, intact (13)C-labelled whole cell suspensions of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella vulgaris and Synechocystis were studied using a variety of 1D and 2D (1)H/(13)C solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic experiments. Solution-state NMR spectroscopy of whole cell suspensions is particularly relevant as it identifies species that are mobile (dissolved or dynamic gels), 'aquatically available' and directly contribute to the aquatic carbon pool upon lysis, death or become a readily available food source on consumption. In this study, a wide range of metabolites and structural components were identified within the whole cell suspensions. In addition, significant differences in the lipid/triacylglyceride (TAG) content of green algae and cyanobacteria were confirmed. Mobile species in algae are quite different from those in abundance in 'classic' dissolved organic matter (DOM) indicating that if algae are major contributors to DOM, considerable selective preservation of minor components (e.g. sterols) or biotransformation would have to occur. Identifying the metabolites and dissolved components within algal cells by NMR permits future studies of carbon transfer between species and through the food chain, whilst providing a foundation to better understand the role of algae in the formation of DOM and the sequestration/transformation of carbon in aquatic environments.

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND WARMING ON THE MORTALITY AND DISSOLUTION OF CORALLINE ALGAE(1).

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Pulido, Guillermo; Anthony, Kenneth R N; Kline, David I; Dove, Sophie; Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove

2012-02-01

Coralline algae are among the most sensitive calcifying organisms to ocean acidification as a result of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2 ). Little is known, however, about the combined impacts of increased pCO2 , ocean acidification, and sea surface temperature on tissue mortality and skeletal dissolution of coralline algae. To address this issue, we conducted factorial manipulative experiments of elevated CO2 and temperature and examined the consequences on tissue survival and skeletal dissolution of the crustose coralline alga (CCA) Porolithon (=Hydrolithon) onkodes (Heydr.) Foslie (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) on the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. We observed that warming amplified the negative effects of high pCO2 on the health of the algae: rates of advanced partial mortality of CCA increased from warming conditions (from 26°C to 29°C). Furthermore, the effect of pCO2 on skeletal dissolution strongly depended on temperature. Dissolution of P. onkodes only occurred in the high-pCO2 treatment and was greater in the warm treatment. Enhanced skeletal dissolution was also associated with a significant increase in the abundance of endolithic algae. Our results demonstrate that P. onkodes is particularly sensitive to ocean acidification under warm conditions, suggesting that previous experiments focused on ocean acidification alone have underestimated the impact of future conditions on coralline algae. Given the central role that coralline algae play within coral reefs, these conclusions have serious ramifications for the integrity of coral-reef ecosystems. © 2011 Phycological Society of America.

High-Resolution Mg/Ca Ratios in a Coralline Red Alga as a Proxy for Bering Sea Temperature Variations and Teleconnections

Science.gov (United States)

Halfar, J.; Steffen, H.; Kronz, A.; Steneck, R. S.; Adey, W.; Lebednik, P. A.

2009-05-01

We present the first continuous high-resolution record of Mg/Ca variations within an encrusting coralline red alga of the species Clathromorphum nereostratum from Amchitka Island, Aleutian Islands. Mg/Ca ratios of individual growth increments were analyzed by measuring a single point electron microprobe transect yielding a resolution of 15 samples/year on average, generating a continuous record from 1830 to 1967 of algal Mg/Ca variations. Results show that Mg/Ca ratios in the high-Mg calcite skeleton display pronounced annual cyclicity and archive late spring to late fall sea surface temperature (SST) corresponding to the main season of algal growth. Mg/Ca values correlate well to local SST (ERSSTJun-Nov, 1902-1967; r = 0.73 for 5-year mean), as well as to an air temperature record from the same region. Our data correlate well to a shorter Mg/Ca record from a second site, corroborating the ability of the alga to reliably record regional environmental signals. In addition, Mg/Ca ratios relate well to a 29-year stable oxygen isotope time series measured on the same sample, which provides additional support for the use of Mg as a paleotemperature proxy in coralline red algae, that is, unlike stable oxygen isotopes, not influenced by salinity fluctuations. High spatial correlation to large-scale SST variability in the North Pacific is observed, with patterns of strongest correlation following the direction of major oceanographic features (i.e., the signature of the Alaska Current and the Alaskan Stream), which play a key role in the exchange of water masses between the North Pacific and the Bering Sea through Aleutian Island passages. The time series further displays significant teleconnections with the signature of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in the northeast Pacific and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.

Preliminary measures of tritium content in the Hague (Cotentin) area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umezu, T.

1971-01-01

Tritium content of about thirty samples (seawater, algae and rainwater) taken during April-July 1973 in La Hague (Cotentin) area was determined with a liquid scintillation detector after electrolytic enrichment. Tritium content was 15 to 130 tritium units not much higher than concentration generally observed in environment nowadays [fr

Emergence of Seaweed and Seaweed-Containing Foods in the UK: Focus on Labeling, Iodine Content, Toxicity and Nutrition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Bouga

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Seaweed (edible algae is not a staple food in the Western diet, despite occasional use as a traditional ingredient in coastal areas. High nutritional value, combined with the expansion of the health-food industry, has led to a resurgence of seaweed in the British diet. While seaweed could be useful in tackling dietary iodine insufficiency, consumption of some species and sources of seaweed has also been associated with risks, such as toxicity from high iodine levels, or accumulation of arsenic, heavy metals and contaminants. The current retail level of seaweed and edible algae in the UK market, either as whole foods or ingredients, was evaluated with particular focus on labelling and iodine content. Seaweed-containing products (n = 224 were identified. Only 22 products (10% stated information regarding iodine content and another 40 (18% provided information sufficient to estimate the iodine content. For these products, the median iodine content was 110 μg/g (IQR 21–503 and 585 μg per estimated serving (IQR 105–2520. While calculations for iodine exposure per serving relied on assumptions, 26 products could potentially lead to an iodine intake above the (European tolerable adult upper level of 600 μg/day. In the context of the data presented, there is scope to improve product labelling (species, source, processing, content.

Emergence of Seaweed and Seaweed-Containing Foods in the UK: Focus on Labeling, Iodine Content, Toxicity and Nutrition

Science.gov (United States)

Bouga, Maria; Combet, Emilie

2015-01-01

Seaweed (edible algae) is not a staple food in the Western diet, despite occasional use as a traditional ingredient in coastal areas. High nutritional value, combined with the expansion of the health-food industry, has led to a resurgence of seaweed in the British diet. While seaweed could be useful in tackling dietary iodine insufficiency, consumption of some species and sources of seaweed has also been associated with risks, such as toxicity from high iodine levels, or accumulation of arsenic, heavy metals and contaminants. The current retail level of seaweed and edible algae in the UK market, either as whole foods or ingredients, was evaluated with particular focus on labelling and iodine content. Seaweed-containing products (n = 224) were identified. Only 22 products (10%) stated information regarding iodine content and another 40 (18%) provided information sufficient to estimate the iodine content. For these products, the median iodine content was 110 μg/g (IQR 21–503) and 585 μg per estimated serving (IQR 105–2520). While calculations for iodine exposure per serving relied on assumptions, 26 products could potentially lead to an iodine intake above the (European) tolerable adult upper level of 600 μg/day. In the context of the data presented, there is scope to improve product labelling (species, source, processing, content). PMID:28231201

Ammonium removal using algae-bacteria consortia: the effect of ammonium concentration, algae biomass, and light.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Huijun; Yuan, Qiuyan

2018-04-01

In this study, the effects of ammonium nitrogen concentration, algae biomass concentration, and light conditions (wavelength and intensity) on the ammonium removal efficiency of algae-bacteria consortia from wastewater were investigated. The results indicated that ammonium concentration and light intensity had a significant impact on nitrification. It was found that the highest ammonia concentration (430 mg N/L) in the influent resulted in the highest ammonia removal rate of 108 ± 3.6 mg N/L/days, which was two times higher than the influent with low ammonia concentration (40 mg N/L). At the lowest light intensity of 1000 Lux, algae biomass concentration, light wavelength, and light cycle did not show a significant effect on the performance of algal-bacterial consortium. Furthermore, the ammonia removal rate was approximately 83 ± 1.0 mg N/L/days, which was up to 40% faster than at the light intensity of 2500 Lux. It was concluded that the algae-bacteria consortia can effectively remove nitrogen from wastewater and the removal performance can be stabilized and enhanced using the low light intensity of 1000 Lux that is also a cost-effective strategy.

Photoreduction of chromium(VI) in the presence of algae, Chlorella vulgaris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng Lin [School of Resources and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Wang Hongli [School of Resources and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Deng Nansheng [School of Resources and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)]. E-mail: nsdengwhu@163.com

2006-11-16

In this thesis, the photochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) in the presence of algae, Chlorella vulgaris, was investigated under the irradiation of metal halide lamps ({lambda}=365nm, 250W). The affecting factors of photochemical reduction were studied in detail, such as exposure time, initial Cr(VI) concentration, initial algae concentration and pH. The rate of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction increased with algae concentration increasing, exposure time increasing, initial Cr(VI) concentration decreasing and the decrease of pH. When pH increased to 6, the rate of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction nearly vanished. When initial Cr(VI) concentration ranged from 0.4 to 1.0mgL{sup -1} and initial algae concentration ranged from ABS{sub algae} (the absorbency of algae)=0.025 to ABS{sub algae}=0.180, According to the results of kinetic analyses, the kinetic equation of Cr(VI) photochemical reduction in aqueous solution with algae under 250W metal halide lamps was V{sub 0}=kC{sub 0}{sup 0.1718}A{sub algae}{sup 0.5235} (C{sub 0} was initial concentration of Cr(VI); A{sub algae} was initial concentration of algae) under the condition of pH 4.

Biofilm scrubbing for restoration—algae community composition and succession in artificial streams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Mayr

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Photoautotrophic biofilms play a pivotal role in self-purification of rivers. We took advantage of the biofilm’s cleaning capacity by applying artificial stream mesocosms, called algae turf scrubberTM (ATS, to reduce the nutrient load of a highly eutrophicated backwater in Vienna (Austria. Since purification strongly depends on benthic algae on the ATS, we focused on the algae community composition and succession. Estimation of coverage, photographic documentation for micromapping, species identification and pigment analyses were carried out. Already one week after exposition, 20–30 different taxa were recorded, suggesting a rapid colonization of the substrate. In total around 200 taxa were identified, mainly belonging to Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyceae and Cyanoprokaryota. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling implied that season and succession strongly influenced species composition on the ATS and a minimum turnover of 0.28 indicates a development towards a more stable community at the end of experiments. We measured maximum biomass production of ~250 g m−2 in June and August and during a period of 5 months nearly 19 kg ha−1 phosphorus could be removed. ATS systems proved to retain nutrients and produce algae biomass in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way and thus support restoration of highly eutrophicated water bodies.

New methodologies for integrating algae with CO2 capture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hernandez Mireles, I.; Stel, R.W. van der; Goetheer, E.L.V.

2014-01-01

It is generally recognized, that algae could be an interesting option for reducing CO2 emissions. Based on light and CO2, algae can be used for the production various economically interesting products. Current algae cultivation techniques, however, still present a number of limitations. Efficient

Radiation sterilization of harmful algae in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byung Chull An; Jae-Sung Kim; Seung Sik Lee; Shyamkumar Barampuram; Eun Mi Lee; Byung Yeoup Chung

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Objective: Drinking water, water used in food production and for irrigation, water for fish farming, waste water, surface water, and recreational water have been recently recognized as a vector for the transmission of harmful micro-organisms. The human and animal harmful algae is a waterborne risk to public health and economy because the algae are ubiquitous and persistent in water and wastewater, not completely removed by physical-chemical treatment processes, and relatively resistant to chemical disinfection. Gamma and electron beam radiation technology is of growing in the water industry since it was demonstrated that gamma and electron beam radiation is very effective against harmful algae. Materials and Methods: Harmful algae (Scenedesmus quadricauda(Turpin) Brebisson 1835 (AG10003), Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck 1896 (AG30007) and Chlamydomonas sp. (AG10061)) were distributed from Korean collection for type cultures (KCTC). Strains were cultured aerobically in Allen's medium at 25□ and 300 umol/m2s for 1 week using bioreactor. We investigated the disinfection efficiency of harmful algae irradiated with gamma (0.05 to 10 kGy for 30 min) and electron beam (1 to 19 kGy for 5 sec) rays. Results and Conclusion: We investigated the disinfection efficiency of harmful algae irradiated with gamma and electron beam rays of 50 to 19000 Gy. We established the optimum sterilization condition which use the gamma and electron beam radiation. Gamma ray disinfected harmful algae at 400 Gy for 30 min. Also, electron beam disinfected at 1000 Gy for 5 sec. This alternative disinfection practice had powerful disinfection efficiency. Hence, the multi-barrier approach for drinking water treatment in which a combination of various disinfectants and filtration technologies are applied for removal and inactivation of different microbial pathogens will guarantee a lower risk of microbial contamination.

Distribution and relationships between selected chemical elements in green alga Enteromorpha sp. from the southern Baltic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zbikowski, Radoslaw; Szefer, Piotr; Latala, Adam

2006-01-01

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn) and macroelements (K, Na, Ca and Mg) were determined in green alga Enteromorpha sp. from the coastal zone of the southern Baltic including Gulf of Gdansk and Vistula Lagoon in 2000-2003. In order to estimate the degree of accumulation of each element by the green alga, concentration and discrimination factors (CFs) with respect to seawater were calculated. The results of factor analysis (FA) and ANOVA clearly indicate geographical differences between concentrations of chemical elements. Enteromorpha sp. from Vistula Lagoon and the southern Baltic exhibited higher levels of Mn and Ni, and Na and K, respectively. Anthropogenic impact of Cu, Pb and Zn, possibly originated from municipal sewage, was identified in alga samples collected in the Gulf of Gdansk, especially in the vicinity of Gdynia. From comparison our data with those published earlier results that Pb content in Enteromorpha sp. from the Gulf of Gdansk decreased within 1978-2003 reflecting reducing use of leaded petrol in Baltic countries in this period. The alga Enteromorpha sp. can be used for biomonitoring surveys of metal contaminants in coastal areas of the Baltic Sea. - Enteromorpha sp. can be used as efficient biomonitor for chemical elements in coastal areas of the Baltic Sea

Modelling and assessment of algae cultivation for large scale biofuel production – sustainability and aspects of up-scaling of algae biorefineries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hingsamer, Maria; Jungmeier, Gerfried; Kleinegris, Dorinde; Barbosa, Maria

2016-01-01

Microalgae are currently considered to be highly attractive as a raw material for production of bioenergy and biomaterials in the future BioEconomy. However, a number of successful developments are still necessary before algae can reach commercial applications. These include the development of

Phospholipids of New Zealand Edible Brown Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyssotski, Mikhail; Lagutin, Kirill; MacKenzie, Andrew; Mitchell, Kevin; Scott, Dawn

2017-07-01

Edible brown algae have attracted interest as a source of beneficial allenic carotenoid fucoxanthin, and glyco- and phospholipids enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unlike green algae, brown algae contain no or little phosphatidylserine, possessing an unusual aminophospholipid, phosphatidyl-O-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl) glycine], PHEG, instead. When our routinely used technique of 31 P-NMR analysis of phospholipids was applied to the samples of edible New Zealand brown algae, a number of signals corresponding to unidentified phosphorus-containing compounds were observed in total lipids. NI (negative ion) ESI QToF MS spectra confirmed the presence of more familiar phospholipids, and also suggested the presence of PHEG or its isomers. The structure of PHEG was confirmed by comparison with a synthetic standard. An unusual MS fragmentation pattern that was also observed prompted us to synthesise a number of possible candidates, and was found to follow that of phosphatidylhydroxyethyl methylcarbamate, likely an extraction artefact. An unexpected outcome was the finding of ceramidephosphoinositol that has not been reported previously as occurring in brown algae. An uncommon arsenic-containing phospholipid has also been observed and quantified, and its TLC behaviour studied, along with that of the newly synthesised lipids.

Accumulation and loss of technetium by macrophytic algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benco, C.; Cannarsa, S.; Ceppodomo, I.; Zattera, A.

1986-01-01

Preliminary results are presented of a study of the accumulation of Tc by four species of brown algae (Sargassum vulgare, Cystoseira complexa, Dictyopteris membranacea, Dictyota dichotama implexa) and one species of green algae (Chlorophyta, Ulva rigida). With the exception of Cystoseira complexa, the accumulation was very rapid, and concentration factors decreased from Sargassum vulgare to Ulva rigida. Young stipes of Cystoseira complexa concentrated twice as much more Tc than cylindrical main axes. Attempts were made to understand the mechanism of Tc accumulation by brown seaweed. Fucoidan, a pool of high molecular weight polysaccharides extracted from Fucus sp. was put with sup(95m)Tc in seawater for 48 h and then dialysed, but no activity was retained by Fucoidan. (UK)

Studies on phycobiliproteins in Algae. VI. Light-harvesting phycobiliprotein pigments in some Rhodophyta from the Adriatic Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bazyli Czeczuga

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The phycobiliprotein content in 5 species of red algae from the coast of the Adriatic Sea' was studied by chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The phycobiliproteins, R-phycoerythrin, C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin were identified. The total content of phycobiliproteins ranged from 0.152 (Phyllophora nervosa to 1.874 mg•g-1 dry wt. (Plocamium cartilagineum. The dominant phycobiliproteins were found to belong to the phycocyanin group, this resulting from complementary chromatic adaptation.

Green Algae from Coal Bed Methane Ponds as a Source of Fertilizer for Economically Important Plants of Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunsakin, O. R.; Apple, M. E.; Zhou, X.; Peyton, B.

2016-12-01

The Tongue River Basin of northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana is the location of natural gas reserves and coal bed methane (CBM) acreage. Although the water that emanates from CBM extraction varies with site, it is generally of higher quality than the waters produced by conventional oil and gas wells, in part because it is low in volatile organic compounds. However, since CBM water contains dissolved solids, including sodium (Na), bicarbonate (HCO3) and chloride (Cl) ions, the water must be treated before it can be discharged into the river or wetlands, or used for stock ponds or irrigation. Several ponds have been constructed to serve as a holding facility for CBM water. Algae from the CBM ponds of the Tongue River Basin have the potential to be utilized as fertilizer on economically important plants of Montana. Two very important crop plants of Montana are wheat, Triticum aestivum, and potatoes, Solanum tuberosum. To explore this potential, isolates of unicellular green algae (Chlorella sp.) from the CBM ponds were cultured in aerated vessels with Bold's Basic Growth Medium and natural and/or supplemental light. Algal biomass was condensed in and collected from a valved funnel, after which cell density was determined via light microscopy and a hemacytometer. Algal/water slurries with known nutrient contents were added to seedlings of hard winter wheat, T.aestivum, grown in a greenhouse for three months before harves. When compared to wheat provided with just water, or with water and a commercially available fertilizer, the wheat fertilized with algae had a higher chlorophyll content, more tillers (side shoots), and a higher ratio of influorescences (groups of flowers) per stem. In a related experiment, Ranger Russet seed potatoes, S. tuberosum were given just water, water and Hoagland's nutrient solution, or water with algae in order to compare aboveground growth and potato production among the treatments. The results of this study suggest that

Scenario studies for algae production

OpenAIRE

Slegers, P.M.

2014-01-01

Microalgae are a promising biomass for the biobased economy to produce food, feed, fuel, chemicals and materials. So far, large-scale production of algae is limited and as a result estimates on the performance of such large systems are scarce. There is a need to estimate large-scale biomass productivity and energy consumption, while considering the uncertainty and complexity in such large-scale systems. In this thesis frameworks are developed to assess 1) the productivity during algae culti...

Evaluation of the effect of temperature, pH, and bioproduction on Hg concentration in sediments, water, molluscs and algae of the delta of the Ebro river.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuhmacher, M; Domingo, J L; Llobet, J M; Corbella, J

1993-01-01

The effects of temperature, pH, and bioproduction on mercury levels in sediments, water, molluscs and algae from the delta of the Ebro river (NE Spain) were determined in this study. Mercury concentrations were measured in a cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The ranges of mercury concentrations were the following: sediments, 0.014-0.185 microgram g-1; water, 0.001-0.018 microgram g-1; molluscs, 0.118-0.861 microgram g-1; and algae 0.008-0.026 microgram g-1. Although not statistically significant, a decrease in the pH of the water corresponded with a diminution in the content of mercury in sediments and molluscs, while the mercury levels in water and algae were lower in the areas with high levels of bioproduction. The concentrations of mercury in water significantly decreased with temperature. However, the differences with temperature of the mercury concentrations in sediments did not reach the level of significance. Consequently, water would not be an adequate indicator to determine the levels of mercury contamination, although both sediments and molluscs can be used for this purpose.

Uptake and distribution of technetium in several marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonotto, S.; Gerber, G.B.; Garten, C.T. Jr.; Vandecasteele, C.M.; Myttenaere, C.; Van Baelen, J.; Cogneau, M.; van der Ben, D.

1983-01-01

The uptake or chemical form of technetium in different marine algae (Acetabularia, Cystoseira, Fucus) has been examined and a simple model to explain the uptake of technetium in the unicellular alga, Acetabularia, has been conceptualized. At low concentrations in the external medium, Acetabularia can rapidly concentrate technetium. Concentration factors in excess of 400 can be attained after a time of about 3 weeks. At higher mass concentrations in the medium, uptake of technetium by Acetabularia becomes saturated resulting in a decreased concentration factor (approximately 10 after 4 weeks). Approximately 69% of the total radioactivity present in /sup 95m/Tc labelled Acetabularia is found in the cell cytosol. In Fucus vesiculosus, labelled with /sup 95m/Tc, a high percentage of technetium is present in soluble ionic forms while approximately 40% is bound, in this brown alga, in proteins and polysaccharides associated with cell walls. In the algal cytosol of Fucus vesiculosus, about 45% of the /sup 95m/Tc appears to be present as anionic TcO - 4 and the remainder is bound to small molecules. 8 references, 5 figures, 1 table

LIPIDS OF BLACK SEA ALGAE: UNVEILING THEIR POTENTIAL FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AND COSMETIC APPLICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veselina Panayotova

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Bulgarian Black Sea coast is rich in algae, regarding biomass and algal biodiversity. The red algae Gelidium crinale (Rhodophyta and brown algae Cystoseira barbata (Phaeophytes are among the most abundant species along the Bulgarian Black Sea shore. Yet information about their lipid composition is limited. Purpose: Present study was conducted to investigate biologically active substances in two underexplored seaweed lipids. Total lipids, total phospholipids, fat soluble vitamins and carotenoids were analysed. In addition, the specific distribution of fatty acids group among the total lipids and total phospholipids were elucidated. Material/Methods: The saponifiable lipid fraction was derivatized into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs and analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS to identify and quantify the fatty acids. The fat soluble non-saponifiable lipids were identified by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with UV/Vis and fluorescence detectors (HPLC-UV-FL. Results: Results showed that Rhodophyta and Phaeophytes have high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, particularly from the n-3 series, thereby being a good source of these compounds. They presented a “healthy” n-6/n-3 ratio. Both seaweed species showed considerably high amounts of α-tocopherol, β-carotene and astaxanthin. Conclusions: The study reveals that lipids from Black Sea algae have a high potential as natural sources of biologically active ingredients. They are balanced source of fatty acids and contained beneficial antioxidants, such as α-tocopherol, β-carotene and astaxanthin.

How to Identify and Control Water Weeds and Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Applied Biochemists, Inc., Mequon, WI.

Included in this guide to water management are general descriptions of algae, toxic algae, weed problems in lakes, ponds, and canals, and general discussions of mechanical, biological and chemical control methods. In addition, pictures, descriptions, and recommended control methods are given for algae, 6 types of floating weeds, 18 types of…

Agricultural importance of algae | Abdel-Raouf | African Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Algae are a large and diverse group of microorganisms that can carry out photosynthesis since they capture energy from sunlight. Algae play an important role in agriculture where they are used as biofertilizer and soil stabilizers. Algae, particularly the seaweeds, are used as fertilizers, resulting in less nitrogen and ...

Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., Snow Algae: Snow albedo changes, algal-bacterial interrelationships and ultraviolet radiation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, W.H.; Duval, B.

1995-01-01

In the Tioga Pass area (upper LeeVining Creek watershed) of the Sierra Nevada (California), snow algae were prevalent in the early summers of 1993 and 1994. Significant negative correlations were found between snow water content. However, red snow caused by algal blooms did not decrease mean albedos in representative snowfields. This was due to algal patchiness; mean albedos would not decrease over the whole water catchment basin; and water supplies would not be affected by the presence of algae. Albedo was also reduced by dirt on the snow, and wind-blown dirt may provide a source of allochthonous organic matter for snow bacteria. However, several observations emphasize the importance of an autochthonous source for bacterial nutrition. Bacterial abundances and production rates were higher in red snow containing algae than in noncolored snow. Bacterial production was about two orders-of-magnitude lower than photosynthetic algal production. Bacteria were also sometimes attached to algal cells. In experiments where snow algae were contained in UV-transmitting quartz tubes, ultraviolet radiation inhibited red snow (collected form open, sunlit areas) photosynthesis about 25%, while green snow (collected from forested, shady locations) photosynthesis was inhibited by 85%. Methanol extracts of red snow algae had greater absorbances in blue and UV spectral regions than did algae from green snow. These differences in UV responses and spectra may be due to habitat (sun vs shade) differences, or may be genetic, since different species were found in the two snow types. However, both habitat and genetic mechanisms may be operating together to cause these differences. 53 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs

Isoprenoid biosynthesis in eukaryotic phototrophs: A spotlight on algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lohr M.; Schwender J.; Polle, J. E. W.

2012-04-01

Isoprenoids are one of the largest groups of natural compounds and have a variety of important functions in the primary metabolism of land plants and algae. In recent years, our understanding of the numerous facets of isoprenoid metabolism in land plants has been rapidly increasing, while knowledge on the metabolic network of isoprenoids in algae still lags behind. Here, current views on the biochemistry and genetics of the core isoprenoid metabolism in land plants and in the major algal phyla are compared and some of the most pressing open questions are highlighted. Based on the different evolutionary histories of the various groups of eukaryotic phototrophs, we discuss the distribution and regulation of the mevalonate (MVA) and the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways in land plants and algae and the potential consequences of the loss of the MVA pathway in groups such as the green algae. For the prenyltransferases, serving as gatekeepers to the various branches of terpenoid biosynthesis in land plants and algae, we explore the minimal inventory necessary for the formation of primary isoprenoids and present a preliminary analysis of their occurrence and phylogeny in algae with primary and secondary plastids. The review concludes with some perspectives on genetic engineering of the isoprenoid metabolism in algae.

Cryptochrome photoreceptors in green algae: Unexpected versatility of mechanisms and functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kottke, Tilman; Oldemeyer, Sabine; Wenzel, Sandra; Zou, Yong; Mittag, Maria

2017-10-01

Green algae have a highly complex and diverse set of cryptochrome photoreceptor candidates including members of the following subfamilies: plant, plant-like, animal-like, DASH and cryptochrome photolyase family 1 (CPF1). While some green algae encode most or all of them, others lack certain members. Here we present an overview about functional analyses of so far investigated cryptochrome photoreceptors from the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (plant and animal-like cryptochromes) and Ostreococcus tauri (CPF1) with regard to their biological significance and spectroscopic properties. Cryptochromes of both algae have been demonstrated recently to be involved to various extents in circadian clock regulation and in Chlamydomonas additionally in life cycle control. Moreover, CPF1 even performs light-driven DNA repair. The plant cryptochrome and CPF1 are UVA/blue light receptors, whereas the animal-like cryptochrome responds to almost the whole visible spectrum including red light. Accordingly, plant cryptochrome, animal-like cryptochrome and CPF1 differ fundamentally in their structural response to light as revealed by their visible and infrared spectroscopic signatures, and in the role of the flavin neutral radical acting as dark form or signaling state. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Bioelectricity generation and microcystins removal in a blue-green algae powered microbial fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yong; Chen Qing; Zhou Shungui; Zhuang Li; Hu Pei

2011-01-01

Bioelectricity production from blue-green algae was examined in a single chamber tubular microbial fuel cell (MFC). The blue-green algae powered MFC produced a maximum power density of 114 mW/m 2 at a current density of 0.55 mA/m 2 . Coupled with the bioenergy generation, high removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen were also achieved in MFCs. Over 78.9% of total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD), 80.0% of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), 91.0% of total nitrogen (total-N) and 96.8% ammonium-nitrogen (NH 3 -N) were removed under closed circuit conditions in 12 days, which were much more effective than those under open circuit and anaerobic reactor conditions. Most importantly, the MFC showed great ability to remove microcystins released from blue-green algae. Over 90.7% of MC-RR and 91.1% of MC-LR were removed under closed circuit conditions (500 Ω). This study showed that the MFC could provide a potential means for electricity production from blue-green algae coupling algae toxins removal.

21 CFR 73.185 - Haematococcus algae meal.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... stabilized color additive mixture. Color additive mixtures for fish feed use made with haematococcus algae... in color additive mixtures for coloring foods. (b) Specifications. Haematococcus algae meal shall... salmonid fish in accordance with the following prescribed conditions: (1) The color additive is used to...

Algae-based oral recombinant vaccines

Science.gov (United States)

Specht, Elizabeth A.; Mayfield, Stephen P.

2014-01-01

Recombinant subunit vaccines are some of the safest and most effective vaccines available, but their high cost and the requirement of advanced medical infrastructure for administration make them impractical for many developing world diseases. Plant-based vaccines have shifted that paradigm by paving the way for recombinant vaccine production at agricultural scale using an edible host. However, enthusiasm for “molecular pharming” in food crops has waned in the last decade due to difficulty in developing transgenic crop plants and concerns of contaminating the food supply. Microalgae could be poised to become the next candidate in recombinant subunit vaccine production, as they present several advantages over terrestrial crop plant-based platforms including scalable and contained growth, rapid transformation, easily obtained stable cell lines, and consistent transgene expression levels. Algae have been shown to accumulate and properly fold several vaccine antigens, and efforts are underway to create recombinant algal fusion proteins that can enhance antigenicity for effective orally delivered vaccines. These approaches have the potential to revolutionize the way subunit vaccines are made and delivered – from costly parenteral administration of purified protein, to an inexpensive oral algae tablet with effective mucosal and systemic immune reactivity. PMID:24596570

Algae-based oral recombinant vaccines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth A Specht

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Recombinant subunit vaccines are some of the safest and most effective vaccines available, but their high cost and the requirement of advanced medical infrastructure for administration make them impractical for many developing world diseases. Plant-based vaccines have shifted that paradigm by paving the way for recombinant vaccine production at agricultural scale using an edible host. However, enthusiasm for molecular pharming in food crops has waned in the last decade due to difficulty in developing transgenic crop plants and concerns of contaminating the food supply. Microalgae are poised to become the next candidate in recombinant subunit vaccine production, and they present several advantages over terrestrial crop plant-based platforms including scalable and contained growth, rapid transformation, easily obtained stable cell lines, and consistent transgene expression levels. Algae have been shown to accumulate and properly fold several vaccine antigens, and efforts are underway to create recombinant algal fusion proteins that can enhance antigenicity for effective orally-delivered vaccines. These approaches have the potential to revolutionize the way subunit vaccines are made and delivered – from costly parenteral administration of purified protein, to an inexpensive oral algae tablet with effective mucosal and system immune reactivity.

Developing New Alternative Energy in Virginia: Bio-Diesel from Algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatcher, Patrick [Old Dominion University

2012-03-29

The overall objective of this study was to select chemical processing equipment, install and operate that equipment to directly convert algae to biodiesel via a reaction patented by Old Dominion University (Pat. No. US 8,080,679B2). This reaction is a high temperature (250- 330{degrees}C) methylation reaction utilizing tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to produce biodiesel. As originally envisioned, algal biomass could be treated with TMAH in methanol without the need to separately extract triacylglycerides (TAG). The reactor temperature allows volatilization and condensation of the methyl esters whereas the spent algae solids can be utilized as a high-value fertilizer because they are minimally charred. During the course of this work and immediately prior to commencing, we discovered that glycerol, a major by-product of the conventional transesterification reaction for biofuels, is not formed but rather three methoxylated glycerol derivatives are produced. These derivatives are high-value specialty green chemicals that strongly upgrade the economics of the process, rendering this approach as one that now values the biofuel only as a by-product, the main value products being the methoxylated glycerols. A horizontal agitated thin-film evaporator (one square foot heat transfer area) proved effective as the primary reactor facilitating the reaction and vaporization of the products, and subsequent discharge of the spent algae solids that are suitable for supplementing petrochemicalbased fertilizers for agriculture. Because of the size chosen for the reactor, we encountered problems with delivery of the algal feed to the reaction zone, but envision that this problem could easily disappear upon scale-up or can be replaced economically by incorporating an extraction process. The objective for production of biodiesel from algae in quantities that could be tested could not be met, but we implemented use of soybean oil as a surrogate TAG feed to overcome this limitation

Anti-Phytopathogenic Activities of Macro-Algae Extracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrid Ramírez

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Aqueous and ethanolic extracts obtained from nine Chilean marine macro-algae collected at different seasons were examined in vitro and in vivo for properties that reduce the growth of plant pathogens or decrease the injury severity of plant foliar tissues following pathogen infection. Particular crude aqueous or organic extracts showed effects on the growth of pathogenic bacteria whereas others displayed important effects against pathogenic fungi or viruses, either by inhibiting fungal mycelia growth or by reducing the disease symptoms in leaves caused by pathogen challenge. Organic extracts obtained from the brown-alga Lessonia trabeculata inhibited bacterial growth and reduced both the number and size of the necrotic lesion in tomato leaves following infection with Botrytis cinerea. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts from the red-alga Gracillaria chilensis prevent the growth of Phytophthora cinnamomi, showing a response which depends on doses and collecting-time. Similarly, aqueous and ethanolic extracts from the brown-alga Durvillaea antarctica were able to diminish the damage caused by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV in tobacco leaves, and the aqueous procedure is, in addition, more effective and seasonally independent. These results suggest that macro-algae contain compounds with different chemical properties which could be considered for controlling specific plant pathogens.

A mathematical model of algae growth in a pelagic-benthic coupled shallow aquatic ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jimin; Shi, Junping; Chang, Xiaoyuan

2018-04-01

A coupled system of ordinary differential equations and partial differential equations is proposed to describe the interaction of pelagic algae, benthic algae and one essential nutrient in an oligotrophic shallow aquatic ecosystem with ample supply of light. The existence and uniqueness of non-negative steady states are completely determined for all possible parameter range, and these results characterize sharp threshold conditions for the regime shift from extinction to coexistence of pelagic and benthic algae. The influence of environmental parameters on algal biomass density is also considered, which is an important indicator of algal blooms. Our studies suggest that the nutrient recycling from loss of algal biomass may be an important factor in the algal blooms process; and the presence of benthic algae may limit the pelagic algal biomass density as they consume common resources even if the sediment nutrient level is high.

Macro-economics of algae products : Output WP2A7.02

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voort, van der M.P.J.; Vulsteke, E.; Visser, de C.L.M.

2015-01-01

This report is part of the EnAlgae Workpackage 2, Action 7, directed at the economics of algae production. The goal of this report is to highlight potential markets for algae. Per type of algae market the market size, product alternatives, constraints and prices are highlighted. Based on these

The osmotic significance of the heteroside floridoside in the mangrove alga Catenella nipae (Rhodophyta: Gigartinales) in Eastern Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Karsten, Ulf; Barrow, Kevin D.; Mostaert, Anika s.; King, Robert J.

The effect of salinity on the intracellular floridoside concentration in the mangrove alga Catenella nipae (Rhodophyta: Gigartinales) was investigated using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 13C-NMR), and gasliquid and high pressure liquid chromatography (GLC, HPLC). The floridoside content increased linearly with increasing salinity, and hence is strongly involved in osmotic acclimation in this species. In addition, during 13C-NMR analysis isethionic acid was identified as a new metabolite in C. nipae. The concentration of this compound also varied as a function of salinity. The steady-state contents of floridoside were also recorded in various geographically isolated field populations of C. nipae from mangroves along New South Wales coastline of Australia. All isolates contained very high floridoside levels. From these data, together with the physiological capability to accumulate floridoside under hypersaline conditions for osmotic acclimation, it is interpreted that floridoside is essential for survival in the extreme mangrove habitat.

EnAlgae Decision Support Toolset: model validation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kenny, Philip; Visser, de Chris; Skarka, Johannes; Sternberg, Kirstin; Schipperus, Roelof; Silkina, Alla; Ginnever, Naomi

2015-01-01

One of the drivers behind the EnAlgae project is recognising and addressing the need for increased availability of information about developments in applications of algae biotechnology for energy, particularly in the NW Europe area, where activity has been less intense than in other areas of the

A screening method for cardiovascular active compounds in marine algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Agatonovic-Kustrin, S; Kustrin, E; Angove, M J; Morton, D W

2018-05-18

The interaction of bioactive compounds from ethanolic extracts of selected marine algae samples, separated on chromatographic plates, with nitric/nitrous acid was investigated. The nature of bioactive compounds in the marine algae extracts was characterised using UV absorption spectra before and after reaction with diluted nitric acid, and from the characteristic colour reaction after derivatization with anisaldehyde. It was found that diterpenes from Dictyota dichotoma, an edible brown algae, and sterols from green algae Caulerpa brachypus, bind nitric oxide and may act as a nitric oxide carrier. Although the carotenoid fucoxanthin, found in all brown marine algae also binds nitric oxide, the bonds between nitrogen and the fucoxanthin molecule are much stronger. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of diterpenes from Dictyota dichotoma and sterols from green algae Caulerpa brachypus to see if they have beneficial cardiovascular effects. The method reported here should prove useful in screening large numbers of algae species for compounds with cardiovascular activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genome Annotation and Transcriptomics of Oil-Producing Algae

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-16

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0103 GENOME ANNOTATION AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS OF OIL-PRODUCING ALGAE Sabeeha Merchant UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES Final...2010 To 12-31-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE GENOME ANNOTATION AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS OF OIL-PRODUCING ALGAE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA9550-10-1-0095 5b...NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Most algae accumulate triacylglycerols (TAGs) when they are starved for essential nutrients like N, S, P (or Si in the case of some

Spatiotemporal associations of reservoir nutrient characteristics and the invasive, harmful alga Prymnesium parvum in West Texas

Science.gov (United States)

VanLandeghem, Matthew M.; Farooqi, Mukhtar; Southard, Greg M.; Patino, Reynaldo

2015-01-01

Golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) is a harmful alga that has caused ecological and economic harm in freshwater and marine systems worldwide. In inland systems of North America, toxic blooms have nearly eliminated fish populations in some systems. Modifying nutrient profiles through alterations to land or water use may be a viable alternative for golden alga control in reservoirs. The main objective of this study was to improve our understanding of the nutrient dynamics that influence golden alga bloom formation and toxicity in west Texas reservoirs. We examined eight sites in the Upper Colorado River basin, Texas: three impacted reservoirs that have experienced repeated golden alga blooms; two reference reservoirs where golden alga is present but nontoxic; and three confluence sites downstream of the impacted and reference sites. Total, inorganic, and organic nitrogen and phosphorus and their ratios were quantified monthly along with golden alga abundance and ichthyotoxicity between December 2010 and July 2011. Blooms persisted for several months at the impacted sites, which were characterized by high organic nitrogen and low inorganic nitrogen. At impacted sites, abundance was positively associated with inorganic phosphorus and bloom termination coincided with increases in inorganic nitrogen and decreases in inorganic phosphorus in late spring. Management of both inorganic and organic forms of nutrients may create conditions in reservoirs unfavorable to golden alga.

Algae Bioreactor Using Submerged Enclosures with Semi-Permeable Membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Trent, Jonathan D (Inventor); Gormly, Sherwin J (Inventor); Embaye, Tsegereda N (Inventor); Delzeit, Lance D (Inventor); Flynn, Michael T (Inventor); Liggett, Travis A (Inventor); Buckwalter, Patrick W (Inventor); Baertsch, Robert (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Methods for producing hydrocarbons, including oil, by processing algae and/or other micro-organisms in an aquatic environment. Flexible bags (e.g., plastic) with CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 exchange membranes, suspended at a controllable depth in a first liquid (e.g., seawater), receive a second liquid (e.g., liquid effluent from a "dead zone") containing seeds for algae growth. The algae are cultivated and harvested in the bags, after most of the second liquid is removed by forward osmosis through liquid exchange membranes. The algae are removed and processed, and the bags are cleaned and reused.

Behaviour of technetium in marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonotto, S.; Kirchmann, R.; Van Baelen, J.; Hurtger, C.; Cogneau, M.; Van der Ben, D.; Verthe, C.; Bouquegneau, J.M.

1985-01-01

Uptake and distribution of technetium were studied in several green (Acetabularia acetabulum, Boergesenia forbesii, Ulva lactuca) and brown (Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus serratus, Fucus spiralis and Fucus vesiculosus) marine algae. Technetium was supplied to the algae as Tc-95m-pertechnetate. Under laboratory conditions, the algae were capable of accumulating technetium, with the exception, however, of Boergesenia, which showed concentration factors (C.F.) comprised between 0.28 and 0.71. The concentration of technetium-99 in Fucus spiralis, collected along the Belgian coast, was measured by a radiochemical procedure. The intracellular distribution of technetium was studied by differential centrifugation in Acetabularia and by the puncturing technique in Boergesenia. The chemical forms of technetium penetrated into the cells were investigated by selective chemical extractions, molecular sieving and thin layer chromatography

Behaviour of technetium in marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonotto, S.; Kirchmann, R.; Baelen, J. van; Hurtgen, C.; Cogneau, M.; Ben, D. van der; Verthe, C.; Bouquegneau, J.M.

1986-01-01

Uptake and distribution of technetium were studied in several green (Acetabularia acetabulum, Boergesenia forbesii, Ulva lactuca) and brown (Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus serratus, Fucus spiralis and Fucus vesiculosus) marine algae. Technetium was supplied to the algae as Tc-95-pertechnetate. Under laboratory conditions, the algae were capable of accumulating technetium, with the exception, however, of Boergesenia, which showed concentration factors (C.F.) comprised between 0.28 and 0.71. The concentration of technetium-99 in Fucus spiralis, collected along the Belgian coast, was measured by a radiochemical procedure. The intracellular distribution of technetium was studied by differential centrifugation in Acetabularia and by the puncturing technique in Boergesenia. The chemical forms of technetium penetrated into the cells were investigated by selective chemical extractions, molecular sieving and thin layer chromatography. (author)

Algae-Derived Dietary Ingredients Nourish Animals

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

In the 1980s, Columbia, Maryland-based Martek Biosciences Corporation worked with Ames Research Center to pioneer the use of microalgae as a source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, work that led the company to develop its highly successful Formulaid product. Now the Nutritional Products Division of Royal DSM, the company also manufactures DHAgold, a nutritional supplement for pets, livestock and farm-raised fish that uses algae to deliver docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Chemical mediation of bacterial surface colonisation by secondary metabolites from the red alga Delisea pulchra

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maximilien, Ria; de Nys, Rocky; Holmström, Carola

1998-01-01

-occurring algal species, all of which lack furanones. There was also a strong inverse correlation between bacterial abundance and furanone content (previously determined) for different sections of the thallus of D. pulchra, consistent with inhibition of bacteria by furanones. Based on these observations we....... pulchra the most. As inhibition of growth did not provide an adequate explanation for the inverse relationship between levels of furanones and bacteria abundance on D. pulchra, we proceeded to investigate the effects of these metabolites on other bacterial characteristics relevant to colonisation...... of different bacterial isolates or phenotypes by furanones, as well as affecting overall bacterial abundance on the alga, should have strong effects on the species composition of the bacterial community on the alga's surface. The effects of furanones on specific bacterial colonisation traits are discussed...

The content of some selected metabolites of Hypnea valentiae (Turner Montagne from the Red Sea coast of Sudan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nahid Abdel Rahim Osman

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate some selected metabolic constituents of Hypnea valentiae (Turner Montagne collected from the Red Sea coast of Sudan to evaluate the economic potential of the alga. Methods: Healthy thalli of the alga under investigation were collected, thoroughly cleaned, air dried and milled. Authentic analytical methods were used to determine moisture, ash, protein lipid and carrageenan contents. Fatty acids profile was revealed with gas chromatography instrumentation. Testing of phytochemical groups of compounds was based on the development of colouration and precipitation upon addition of certain chemical reagents to the extracts. Results: The ash content of the alga [(40.3 ± 0.2% of dry weight] was comparatively the highest among the parameters tested. The protein, lipid, and carrageenan constituted (9.30 ± 0.70%, (6.50 ± 0.34%, and (33.70 ± 0.01%, respectively of the alga dry matter. Hypnea valentiae (Turner Montagne from Sudan Red Sea coast composed of 12 fatty acids, 8 of which were unsaturated fatty acids and 4 were saturated fatty acids. The major unsaturated fatty acids in the alga was the trans-isomer of linoleic acid and linolelaidic acid (36.32% followed by palmitoleic acid (13.64%. The major saturated fatty acids was the heptadecanoic acid amounting to 19.10% of the total fatty acids. Phytochemically the alga contained alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins. Conclusions: This alga may represent a promising source of functional food and therapeutic metabolites. Further investigation and critical evaluation of the bioactivity of the phytochemical compounds is required to assure the therapeutic potential of this alga.

Cultivation of macroscopic marine algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryther, J.H.

1982-11-01

The red alga Gracilaria tikvahiae may be grown outdoors year-round in central Florida with yields averaging 35.5 g dry wt/m/sup 2/.day, greater than the most productive terrestrial plants. This occurs only when the plants are in a suspended culture, with vigorous aeration and an exchange of 25 or more culture volumes of enriched seawater per day, which is not cost-effective. A culture system was designed in which Gracilaria, stocked at a density of 2 kg wet wt/m/sup 2/, grows to double its biomass in one to two weeks; it is then harvested to its starting density, and anaerobically digested to methane. The biomass is soaked for 6 hours in the digester residue, storing enough nutrients for two weeks' growth in unenriched seawater. The methane is combusted for energy and the waste gas is fed to the culture to provide mixing and CO/sub 2/, eliminating the need for aeration and seawater exchange. The green alga Ulva lactuca, unlike Gracilaria, uses bicarbonate as a photosynthesis carbon source, and can grow at high pH, with little or no free CO/sub 2/. It can therefore produce higher yields than Gracilaria in low water exchange conditions. It is also more efficiently converted to methane than is Gracilaria, but cannot tolerate Florida's summer temperatures so cannot be grown year-round. Attempts are being made to locate or produce a high-temperature tolerant strain.

Stoichiometry of photosystem I, photosystem II, and phycobilisomes in the red alga Porphyridium cruentum as a function of growth irradiance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cunningham, F.X. Jr.; Mustardy, L.; Gantt, E. (Univ. of Maryland, College Park (USA)); Dennenberg, R.J.; Jursinic, P.A. (Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL (USA))

1989-11-01

Cells of the red alga Porphyridium cruentum (ATCC 50161) exposed to increasing growth irradiance exhibited up to a three-fold reduction in photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) and phycobilisomes but little change in the relative numbers of these components. Batch cultures of P. cruentum were grown under four photon flux densities of continuous white light; 6 (low light LL), 35 (medium light, ML), 180 (high light, HL), and 280 (very high light, VHL) microeinsteins per square meter per second and sampled in the exponential phase of growth. Ratios of PSII to PSI ranged between 0.43 and 0.54. About three PSII centers per phycobilisome were found, regardless of growth irradiance. The phycoerythrin content of phycobilisomes decreased by about 25% for HL and VHL compared to LL and ML cultures. The unit sizes of PSI (chlorophyll/P{sub 700}) and PSII (chlorophyll/Q{sub A}) decreased by about 20% with increase in photon flux density from 6 to 280 microeinsteins per square meter per second. A threefold reduction in cell content of chlorophyll at the higher photon flux densities was accompanied by a twofold reduction in {beta}-carotene, and a drastic reduction in thylakoid membrane area. Cell content of zeaxanthin, the major carotenoid in P. cruentum, did not vary with growth irradiance, suggesting a role other than light-harvesting. HL cultures had a growth rate twice that of ML, eight times that of LL, and slightly greater than that of VHL cultures. Cell volume increased threefold from LL to VHL, but volume of the single chloroplast did not change. From this study it is evident that a relatively fixed stoichiometry of PSI, PSII, and phycobilisomes is maintained in the photosynthetic apparatus of this red alga over a wide range of growth irradiance.

Rainfall changes affect the algae dominance in tank bromeliad ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Pires, Aliny Patricia Flauzino; Leal, Juliana da Silva; Peeters, Edwin T. H. M.

2017-01-01

Climate change and biodiversity loss have been reported as major disturbances in the biosphere which can trigger changes in the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems. Nonetheless, empirical studies demonstrating how both factors interact to affect shifts in aquatic ecosystems are still unexplored. Here, we experimentally test how changes in rainfall distribution and litter diversity affect the occurrence of the algae-dominated condition in tank bromeliad ecosystems. Tank bromeliads are miniature aquatic ecosystems shaped by the rainwater and allochthonous detritus accumulated in the bases of their leaves. Here, we demonstrated that changes in the rainfall distribution were able to reduce the chlorophyll-a concentration in the water of bromeliad tanks affecting significantly the occurrence of algae-dominated conditions. On the other hand, litter diversity did not affect the algae dominance irrespective to the rainfall scenario. We suggest that rainfall changes may compromise important self-reinforcing mechanisms responsible for maintaining high levels of algae on tank bromeliads ecosystems. We summarized these results into a theoretical model which suggests that tank bromeliads may show two different regimes, determined by the bromeliad ability in taking up nutrients from the water and by the total amount of light entering the tank. We concluded that predicted climate changes might promote regime shifts in tropical aquatic ecosystems by shaping their structure and the relative importance of other regulating factors. PMID:28422988

The TOR Signaling Network in the Model Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Esther Pérez-Pérez

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Cell growth is tightly coupled to nutrient availability. The target of rapamycin (TOR kinase transmits nutritional and environmental cues to the cellular growth machinery. TOR functions in two distinct multiprotein complexes, termed TOR complex 1 (TORC1 and TOR complex 2 (TORC2. While the structure and functions of TORC1 are highly conserved in all eukaryotes, including algae and plants, TORC2 core proteins seem to be missing in photosynthetic organisms. TORC1 controls cell growth by promoting anabolic processes, including protein synthesis and ribosome biogenesis, and inhibiting catabolic processes such as autophagy. Recent studies identified rapamycin-sensitive TORC1 signaling regulating cell growth, autophagy, lipid metabolism, and central metabolic pathways in the model unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The central role that microalgae play in global biomass production, together with the high biotechnological potential of these organisms in biofuel production, has drawn attention to the study of proteins that regulate cell growth such as the TOR kinase. In this review we discuss the recent progress on TOR signaling in algae.

The TOR Signaling Network in the Model Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Pérez, María Esther; Couso, Inmaculada; Crespo, José L

2017-07-12

Cell growth is tightly coupled to nutrient availability. The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase transmits nutritional and environmental cues to the cellular growth machinery. TOR functions in two distinct multiprotein complexes, termed TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and TOR complex 2 (TORC2). While the structure and functions of TORC1 are highly conserved in all eukaryotes, including algae and plants, TORC2 core proteins seem to be missing in photosynthetic organisms. TORC1 controls cell growth by promoting anabolic processes, including protein synthesis and ribosome biogenesis, and inhibiting catabolic processes such as autophagy. Recent studies identified rapamycin-sensitive TORC1 signaling regulating cell growth, autophagy, lipid metabolism, and central metabolic pathways in the model unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . The central role that microalgae play in global biomass production, together with the high biotechnological potential of these organisms in biofuel production, has drawn attention to the study of proteins that regulate cell growth such as the TOR kinase. In this review we discuss the recent progress on TOR signaling in algae.

Anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and algae: impact of intracellular algal products recovery on co-digestion performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Astals, S; Musenze, R S; Bai, X; Tannock, S; Tait, S; Pratt, S; Jensen, P D

2015-04-01

This paper investigates anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and algae (Scenedesmus sp.) with and without extraction of intracellular algal co-products, with views towards the development of a biorefinery concept for lipid, protein and/or biogas production. Protein and/or lipids were extracted from Scenedesmus sp. using free nitrous acid pre-treatments and solvent-based Soxhlet extraction, respectively. Processing increased algae methane yield between 29% and 37% compared to raw algae (VS basis), but reduced the amount of algae available for digestion. Co-digestion experiments showed a synergy between pig manure and raw algae that increased raw algae methane yield from 0.163 to 0.245 m(3) CH4 kg(-1)VS. No such synergy was observed when algal residues were co-digested with pig manure. Finally, experimental results were used to develop a high-level concept for an integrated biorefinery processing pig manure and onsite cultivated algae, evaluating methane production and co-product recovery per mass of pig manure entering the refinery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary study on the photoproduction of hydroxyl radicals in aqueous solution with Aldrich humic acid, algae and Fe(III) under high-pressure mercury lamp irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xianli; Xu, Dong; Wu, Feng; Liao, Zhenhuan; Liu, Jiantong; Deng, Nansheng

2004-03-01

Under a high-pressure mercury lamp (HPML) and using an exposure time of 4 h, the photoproduction of hydroxyl radicals (*OH) could be induced in an aqueous solution containing humic acid (HA). Hydroxyl radicals were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using benzene as a probe. The results showed that *OH photoproduction increased from 1.80 to 2.74 microM by increasing the HA concentration from 10 to 40 mg L(-1) at an exposure time of 4 h (pH 6.5). Hydroxyl radical photoproduction in aqueous solutions of HA containing algae was greater than that in the aqueous solutions of HA without algae. The photoproduction of *OH in the HA solution with Fe(III) was greater than that of the solution without Fe(III) at pH ranging from 4.0 to 8.0. The photoproduction of *OH in HA solution with algae with or without Fe(III) under a 250 W HPML was greater than that under a 125 W HPML. The photoproduction of *OH in irradiated samples was influenced by the pH. The results showed that HPML exposure for 4 h in the 4-8 pH range led to the highest *OH photoproduction at pH 4.0.

Green Algae and the Origins of Multicellularity in the Plant Kingdom

Science.gov (United States)

Umen, James G.

2014-01-01

The green lineage of chlorophyte algae and streptophytes form a large and diverse clade with multiple independent transitions to produce multicellular and/or macroscopically complex organization. In this review, I focus on two of the best-studied multicellular groups of green algae: charophytes and volvocines. Charophyte algae are the closest relatives of land plants and encompass the transition from unicellularity to simple multicellularity. Many of the innovations present in land plants have their roots in the cell and developmental biology of charophyte algae. Volvocine algae evolved an independent route to multicellularity that is captured by a graded series of increasing cell-type specialization and developmental complexity. The study of volvocine algae has provided unprecedented insights into the innovations required to achieve multicellularity. PMID:25324214

Are anti-fouling effects in coralline algae species specific?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Bigio Villas Bôas

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The crustose coralline algae are susceptible to be covered by other algae, which in turn can be affected by anti-fouling effects. In this study the hypothesis tested was that these algae can inhibit the growth of epiphytes in a species specific way. In the laboratory, propagules of Sargassum furcatum and Ulva fasciata were liberated and cultivated on pieces of coralline algae and slide covers (controls and their survival and growth were compared. Spongites and Hydrolithon significantly inhibited the growth of U. fasciata but not Sargassum. In the field, pieces of three species of live and dead coralline algae and their copies in epoxy putty discs were fixed on the rock. After one month epiphytic algae were identified and their dry mass quantified. Lithophyllum did not affect the epiphyte growth. In contrast Spongites and an unidentified coralline significantly inhibited the growth of Enteromorpha spp., Ulva fasciata and Hincksia mitchelliae. Colpomenia sinuosa was absent on all living crusts, but present on controls. Results show that the epiphyte-host relation depends on the species that are interacting. The sloughing of superficial cells of coralline crusts points to the possible action of physical anti-fouling effect, though a chemical one is not rejected.As algas calcárias crostosas são susceptíveis ao recobrimento por outras algas, entretanto, estas podem ser afetadas por efeitos anti-incrustantes. Neste estudo foi testada a hipótese de que estas algas possam inibir o crescimento somente de algumas espécies de epífitas. No laboratório, propágulos de Sargassum furcatum e Ulva fasciata foram liberados e cultivados sobre pedaços de algas calcárias e lamínulas de microscopia (controle e as suas sobrevivência e crescimento comparadas. Spongites e Hydrolithon inibiram significativamente o crescimento de U. fasciata, mas não de Sargassum. No campo, pedaços de três espécies de algas calcárias vivas, mortas e cópias destas em

[Value of specific 16S rDNA fragment of algae in diagnosis of drowning: an experiment with rabbits].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Peng; Xu, Qu-Yi; Chen, Ling; Liu, Chao; Zhao, Jian; Wang, Yu-Zhong; Yu, Zheng-Liang; Hu, Sun-Lin; Wang, Hui-Jun

2015-08-01

To establish a method for amplifying specific 16S rDNA fragment of algae related with drowning and test its value in drowning diagnosis. Thirty-five rabbits were randomly divided into 3 the drowning group (n=15), postmortem water immersion group (n=15, subjected to air embolism before seawater immersion), and control group(n=5, with air embolism only). Twenty samples of the liver tissues from human corpses found in water were also used, including 14 diatom-positive and 6 diatom-negative samples identified by microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy (MD-VF-Auto SEM). Seven known species of algae served as the control algae (Melosira sp, Nitzschia sp, Synedra sp, Navicula sp, Microcystis sp, Cyclotella meneghiniana, and Chlorella sp). The total DNA was extracted from the tissues and algae to amplify the specific fragment of algae followed by 8% polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis and sliver-staining. In the drowning group, algae was detected in the lungs (100%), liver (86%), and kidney (86%); algae was detected in the lungs in 2 rabbits in the postmortem group (13%) and none in the control group. The positivity rates of algae were significantly higher in the drowning group than in the postmortem group (Palgae, including sample that had been identified as diatom-negative by MD-VF-Auto SEM. All the 7 control algae samples yielded positive results in PCR. The PCR-based method has a high sensitivity in algae detection for drowning diagnosis and allows simultaneous detection of multiple algae species related with drowning.

Bio diesel production from algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khola, G.; Ghazala, B.

2011-01-01

Algae appear to be an emerging source of biomass for bio diesel that has the potential to completely displace fossil fuel. Two thirds of earth's surface is covered with water, thus alga e would truly be renewable option of great potential for global energy needs. This study discusses specific and comparative bio diesel quantitative potential of Cladophora sp., also highlighting its biomass (after oil extraction), pH and sediments (glycerine, water and pigments) quantitative properties. Comparison of Cladophora sp., with Oedogonium sp., and Spirogyra sp., (Hossain et al., 2008) shows that Cladophora sp., produce higher quantity of bio diesel than Spirogyra sp., whereas biomass and sediments were higher than the both algal specimens in comparison to the results obtained by earlier workers. No prominent difference in pH of bio diesel was found. In Pakistan this is a first step towards bio diesel production from algae. Results indicate that Cladophora sp., provide a reasonable quantity of bio diesel, its greater biomass after oil extraction and sediments make it a better option for bio diesel production than the comparing species. (author)

Chimpanzees routinely fish for algae with tools during the dry season in Bakoun, Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Boesch, Christophe; Kalan, Ammie K; Agbor, Anthony; Arandjelovic, Mimi; Dieguez, Paula; Lapeyre, Vincent; Kühl, Hjalmar S

2017-03-01

Wild chimpanzees regularly use tools, made from sticks, leaves, or stone, to find flexible solutions to the ecological challenges of their environment. Nevertheless, some studies suggest strong limitations in the tool-using capabilities of chimpanzees. In this context, we present the discovery of a newly observed tool-use behavior in a population of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) living in the Bakoun Classified Forest, Guinea, where a temporary research site was established for 15 months. Bakoun chimpanzees of every age-sex class were observed to fish for freshwater green algae, Spirogrya sp., from rivers, streams, and ponds using long sticks and twigs, ranging from 9 cm up to 4.31 m in length. Using remote camera trap footage from 11 different algae fishing sites within an 85-km 2 study area, we found that algae fishing occurred frequently during the dry season and was non-existent during the rainy season. Chimpanzees were observed algae fishing for as little as 1 min to just over an hour, with an average duration of 9.09 min. We estimate that 364 g of Spirogyra algae could be retrieved in this time, based on human trials in the field. Only one other chimpanzee population living in Bossou, Guinea, has been described to customarily scoop algae from the surface of the water using primarily herbaceous tools. Here, we describe the new behavior found at Bakoun and compare it to the algae scooping observed in Bossou chimpanzees and the occasional variant reported in Odzala, Republic of the Congo. As these algae are reported to be high in protein, carbohydrates, and minerals, we hypothesize that chimpanzees are obtaining a nutritional benefit from this seasonally available resource. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Accumulation of 95mTc by marine algae and sea urchin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Ryoichi; Nakahara, Motokazu; Matsuba, Mitsue; Suzuki, Yuzuru

1994-01-01

It is necessary to investigate the accumulation of technetium by marine algae popular in Japan and it is also important to examine the contribution of food to the accumulation of the nuclide by sea urchin which grazes algae. In the laboratory tracer experiment, some species of algae and sea urchin were kept separately for 7 days in sea water containing 95m Tc (uptake experiment) and then transferred into non-radioactive sea water to be held for 28 days with the frequent renewal of the sea water (excretion experiment). No food was given during the uptake experiment to prevent the urchins from accumulating 95m Tc through food. Another experiment was done by feeding urchins with 95m Tc labeled algae in the non-radioactive sea water. Five species of brown algae showed CFs in the range of 900 and 35000 but CFs of green and red algae were 1-4. Sea urchin accumulated more 95m Tc through food (brown algae) than directly from sea water, so that the main pathway of technetium accumulation by sea urchin was estimated to be brown algae which were the most favorite food of the organism. (author)

Metal removal from tailings ponds water using indigenous micro-algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahdavi, H.; Ulrich, A.; Liu, Y. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

2010-07-01

Each barrel of oil produced by oil sands produce 1.25 m{sup 3} of tailings. The tailings are collected in ponds located at mining sites. The tailing pond water (TPW) must be reclaimed and released into the environment. This PowerPoint presentation discussed a method of removing metals from tailings pond water that used indigenous micro-algae. The in situ experimental method used Parachlorella kessliri to treat 2 ponds. The TPW was enriched with low and high concentrations of nutrients. Dry cell biomass analyses were then conducted, and the pH of the resulting samples was compared. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis methods were used to determine the initial metal concentrations in the raw TPWs. The study showed that the micro-algae remove significantly more metals when high levels of nutrients are used. tabs., figs.

Phycobiliproteins: A Novel Green Tool from Marine Origin Blue-Green Algae and Red Algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Rashmi; Parra, Roberto; Iqbal, Hafiz M N

2017-01-01

Marine species are comprising about a half of the whole global biodiversity; the sea offers an enormous resource for novel bioactive compounds. Several of the marine origin species show multifunctional bioactivities and characteristics that are useful for a discovery and/or reinvention of biologically active compounds. For millennia, marine species that includes cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and red algae have been targeted to explore their enormous potential candidature status along with a wider spectrum of novel applications in bio- and non-bio sectors of the modern world. Among them, cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes, phylogenetically a primitive group of Gramnegative prokaryotes, ranging from Arctic to Antarctic regions, capable of carrying out photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. In the recent decade, a great deal of research attention has been paid on the pronouncement of bio-functional proteins along with novel peptides, vitamins, fine chemicals, renewable fuel and bioactive compounds, e.g., phycobiliproteins from marine species, cyanobacteria and red algae. Interestingly, they are extensively commercialized for natural colorants in food and cosmetics, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective agents and fluorescent neo-glycoproteins as probes for single particle fluorescence imaging fluorescent applications in clinical and immunological analysis. However, a comprehensive knowledge and technological base for augmenting their commercial utilities are lacking. Therefore, this paper will provide an overview of the phycobiliproteins-based research literature from marine cyanobacteria and red algae. This review is also focused towards analyzing global and commercial activities with application oriented-based research. Towards the end, the information is also given on the potential biotechnological and biomedical applications of phycobiliproteins. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please

ALGAE PROLIFERATION ON SUBSTRATES IMMERSED IN BIOLOGICALLY TREATED SEWAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Garbowski

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Due fast biomass production, high affinity for N and P and possibilities to CO2 sequestration microalgae are currently in the spotlight, especially in renewable energy technologies sector. The majority of studies focus their attention on microalgae cultivation with respect to biomass production. Fuel produced from algal biomass can contribute to reducing consumption of conventional fossil fuels and be a remedy for a rising energy crisis and global warming induced by air pollution. Some authors opt for possibilities of using sewage as a nutrient medium in algae cultivation. Other scientists go one step further and present concepts to introduce microalgal systems as an integral part of wastewater treatment plants. High costs of different microalgal harvesting methods caused introduction of the idea of algae immobilization in a form of periphyton on artificial substrates. In the present study the attention has focused on possibilities of using waste materials as substrates to proliferation of periphyton in biologically treated sewage that contained certain amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Freshwater algae of the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, W.D.; Giles, K.R.

1979-06-01

Fifty-two species of freshwater algae were identified in samples collected from the eight known natural springs of the Nevada Test Site. Although several species were widespread, 29 species were site specific. Diatoms provided the greatest variety of species at each spring. Three-fifths of all algal species encountered were diatoms. Well-developed mats of filamentous green algae (Chlorophyta) were common in many of the water tanks associated with the springs and accounted for most of the algal biomass. Major nutrients were adequate, if not abundant, in most spring waters - growth being limited primarily by light and physical habitat. There was some evidence of cesium-137 bioconcentration by algae at several of the springs

Salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) inhibition of the DIC-pump in unicellular algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goyal, A.; Tolbert, N.E.

1989-01-01

SHAM at 1 or 2 mM inhibits dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrating mechanisms in unicellular green algae as measured by photosynthetic oxygen evolution or by 14 C-inorganic carbon uptake (using silicone oil centrifugation techniques). This inhibition was reversed by high levels of DIC whereby the cells do not require the concentrating mechanism. SHAM inhibited the DIC-pump, which uses external CO 2 , in three species of algae, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and Scenedesmus obliquus when adapted to low CO 2 and assayed around neutral pH. Scenedesmus adapted to air at pH 9.0 to use external HCO 3 - were not affected by SHAM. It is important to establish low optimum concentrations of SHAM, which varied with the algal species. The mechanism of SHAM inhibition of the CO 2 concentrating process is unknown. SHAM inhibits alternative respiration in these algae, but SHAM may also inhibit other reactions involving H + gradients or transporters associated with the DIC-pump

Management of autotrophic mass cultures of micro-algae

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Toerien, DF

1987-01-01

Full Text Available Interest in the mass cultivation of micro-algae as feed and foodstuff has existed since the turn of the century (Robinson and Toerien, 1962). Experiments using algae in photosynthetic research (Warburg, 1919) also led to an appreciation...

Hydrothermal Treatment (HTT) of Microalgae: Evaluation of the Process As Conversion Method in an Algae Biorefinery Concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Garcia Alba, Laura; Torri, C.; Samori, C.; van der Spek, J.J.; Fabbri, D.; Kersten, Sascha R.A.; Brilman, Derk Willem Frederik

2012-01-01

The hydrothermal treatment (HTT) technology is evaluated for its potential as a process to convert algae and algal debris into a liquid fuel, within a sustainable algae biorefinery concept in which, next to fuels (gaseous and liquid), high value products are coproduced, nutrients and water are

60Co accumulation from sediment and planktonic algae by midge larvae (Chironomus luridus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baudin, J.P.; Nucho, R.

1992-01-01

This paper reports the results of several experiments carried out to evaluate uptake and retention by a limicolous midge larva of 60 Co retained in sediment, either adsorbed on mineral particles or bound to planktonic algae. In order to determine their relative contributions in radionuclide accumulation, the different vectors (water, algae and sediment) were first labelled individually and then simultaneously. 60 Co accumulation from water and from algae results in a maximum concentration factor of 30 and in a mean trophic transfer factor of 4·5 × 10 −3 . The level of contamination of midge larvae from sediment is markedly influenced by the presence of endogenous organic matter. Thus the radionuclide transfer factor is about twice as high for larvae placed in labelled raw sediment than for larvae placed in labelled incinerated sediment, in the presence as in the absence of contaminated planktonic algae. Irrespective of the contamination conditions, 60 Co depuration from midge larvae is a very rapid phenomenon that corresponds, in all cases, to a radionuclide half-life of only a few days

60Co accumulation from sediment and planktonic algae by midge larvae (Chironomus luridus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baudin, J.P.; Nucho, R.

1992-01-01

This paper reports the results of several experiments carried out to evaluate uptake and retention by a limicolous midge larva of 60 Co retained in sediment, either adsorbed on mineral particles or bound to planktonic algae. In order to determine their relative contributions in radionuclide accumulation, the different vectors (water, algae and sediment) were first labelled individually and then simultaneously. 60 Co accumulation from water and from algae results in a maximum concentration factor of 30 and in a mean trophic transfer factor of 4.5 x 10 -3 . The level of contamination of midge larvae from sediment is markedly influenced by the presence of endogenous organic matter. Thus the radionuclide transfer factor is about twice as high for larvae placed in labelled raw sediment than for larvae placed in labelled incinerated sediment, in the presence as in the absence of contaminated planktonic algae. Irrespective of the contamination conditions, 60 Co depuration from midge larvae is a very rapid phenomenon that corresponds, in all cases, to a radionuclide half-life of only a few days. (author)

Combining of radionuclides with constituent materials of marine algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Ryoichi; Nakahara, Motokazu; Ishii, Toshiaki; Ueda, Taishi; Shimizu, Chiaki.

1979-01-01

The relations between the accumulation-elimination of radionuclides and the constituent materials of marine algae were studied to determine more precisely the mechanism of the radioactive contamination of marine organisms. This will increase the information about the behavior of radionuclides in marine organisms in relation to the environmental conditions (temperature, physico-chemical state of radioisotope, and so on) and the biological conditions (feeding habits, species, and so on). Eisenia contaminated by 137 Cs and 106 Ru- 106 Rh was fractionated by solvent extraction into 6 fractions. The largest portion of 137 Cs was in the boiling water fraction; 106 Ru- 106 Rh was most extracted by 24% KOH solution. Elution patterns by Sephadex G-100 gel-filtration of samples differed largely from each other, both among the 3 kinds of radionuclides and between the 2 species of the algae. Therefore, the accumulation of the radionuclides by the marine algae was proved to be not only due to a physical absorption to the surface of the algae but also to the biological combining of the radionuclides with the constituents of the algae. Furthermore, it was found that radionuclides which combine with a few constituents of alga are not eliminated equally. This is considered to be useful for the physiological analysis of elimination curves. (author)

Synthesis of Biodiesel from the Oily Content of Marine Green Alga Ulva fasciata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A. M.; Fatima, N.

2015-01-01

The present study is focused on the chemical transformation of oils derived from the marine green alga Ulva fasciata Delile to biodiesel. The transesterification of algal oil was performed with a variety of alcohols using Na metal and NaOH as catalysts. Transesterification of algal oil by mechanical stirring yielded significant biodiesel within an hour at 60 degree C with NaOH and at room temperature with Na metal. In addition, microwave irradiated transesterification produced significant amount of biodiesel with NaOH and Na metal within 1-5 minutes. However, reaction of sodium metal in microwave oven was highly exothermic and uncontrollable that could also damage the radiation source. The reactivity order of alcohols was found to be methanol > ethanol > benzyl alcohol > 1-propanol > 1-butanol > 1-pentanol > 1-hexanol > 2-propanol. Isopropyl alcohol was found to be least reactive due to steric hindrance. Benzyl alcohol was found to be more reactive than 1-propyl alcohol due to the electron withdrawing effect of benzene ring. The highest % conversion of FAME and FAEE were found to be 97% and 98% respectively using Na metal through mechanical stirring. Biodiesel production was confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Furthermore, the fuel properties including density, kinematics viscosity, high heating value, acid value, free fatty acid (%), cloud point and pour point of U. fasciata oil and all the esters were determined and compared with the standard limits of biodiesel. Fatty acid methyl, ethyl, 1-propyl, 2-propyl, 1-butyl, 1-pentyl and 1-hexyl esters showed the fuel properties within the biodiesel standard limits therefore all of them were considered as the substitute of biodiesel. On the other hand, the fuel properties of benzyl ester were found to be above the limits of biodiesel specifications and thus it could not be considered as biodiesel. This research article will be helpful to overcome the current challenges of energy crisis, global warming and

Mapping of colored-snow area on glaciers by using spectral reflectance of algae

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaga, D.; Yasumoto, A.; Hatakeyama, S.; Hasegawa, K.; Imai, M.; Bilesan, A.; Takeuchi, N.; Sugiyama, S.; Terashima, M.; Kawamata, H.; Naruse, N.; Takahashi, Y.

2017-12-01

One of the reasons for accelerating recent glacier retreat is reported that algae generated on glaciers gives color to snow; Red snow algae on the Harding icefield in Alaska, and cryoconite, a black colored substance formed by algae tangling with mineral particles. The distribution of algae on the glacier can vary widely from year to year, depending on the season. Remote sensing will play an important role to know the area of colored snow. In previous studies, however, since the satellite images of low gradation were used, the brightness in the specific area was saturated due to the high reflectance of snow. In addition, it is difficult to distinguish the colored snow area from that of water and shadows. We aim to map using Landsat8 data and quantitatively evaluate the distribution of colored snow area on glaciers by newly creating a colored-snow-sensitive index from spectral reflectance of algae. Cryoconite has low (high) reflectance in the range of 450-500nm (850-900nm) corresponding to Band2 (Band5) in Landsat8.On the other hand, the reflectance of glacier ice exhibits the opposite tendency. Focusing on the difference in reflectance between the two wavelength ranges, we can create indices sensitive to cryoconite area. The image, mapped as the cryoconite region with large difference in brightness between band 2 and 5, was different from the water and shadow areas. The cryoconite area is also consistent with the results obtained in the filed survey of qaanaaq Glacier in Greenland. Using the similar analytical method, we will also present the map of red snow observed on the glacier.

SOIL ALGAE OF BLADE OF COIL IN DONETSK REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maltseva I.A.

2011-12-01

Full Text Available On territory of Donbass for more than 200 years the underground coal mining has produced, accompanied by the formation of the mine dumps. Finding ways to reduce their negative impact on the environment should be based on their comprehensive study. The soil algae are active participants in the syngenetic processes in industrial dumps of different origin. The purpose of this paper is to identify the species composition and dominant algae groups in dump mine SH/U5 “Western” in the western part of Donetsk.The test blade is covered with vegetation to the middle from all sides, and on the north side of 20-25 m to the top. The vegetation cover of the lower and middle tiers of all the exposures range in 70-80%. Projective vegetation cover of upper tiers of the northern, north-eastern and north-western exposures are in the range of 20-40%, other – 5-10%. We revealed some 38 algae species as a result of our research in southern, northern, western, and eastern slopes of the blade “Western”. The highest species diversity has Chlorophyta - 14 species (36.8% of the total number of species, then Cyanophyta - 9 (23,7%, Bacillariophyta - 7 (18,4%, Xantophyta - 5 (13.2%, and Eustigmatophyta - 3 (7.9%. The dominants are represented by Hantzschia amphyoxys (Ehrenberg Grunow in Cleve et Grunow, Bracteacoccus aerius, Klebsormidium flaccidum (Kützing Silva et al., Phormidium autumnale, Pinnularia borealis Ehrenberg, Planothidium lanceolatum (Brebisson in Kützing Bukhtiyarova, Xanthonema exile (Klebs Silva.It should be noted that the species composition of algae groups in different slopes of the blade was significantly different. Jacquard coefficient was calculated for algae communities varied in the range of 15,4-39,1%. The smallest number of algae species was observed on the southern slope of the blade (14 species, maximum was registered in the areas of north and west slopes. Differences in the species composition of algae were also observed in three

Two-step evolution of endosymbiosis between hydra and algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Masakazu; Shimizu, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Masafumi; Ikeo, Kazuho; Gojobori, Takashi

2016-10-01

In the Hydra vulgaris group, only 2 of the 25 strains in the collection of the National Institute of Genetics in Japan currently show endosymbiosis with green algae. However, whether the other non-symbiotic strains also have the potential to harbor algae remains unknown. The endosymbiotic potential of non-symbiotic strains that can harbor algae may have been acquired before or during divergence of the strains. With the aim of understanding the evolutionary process of endosymbiosis in the H. vulgaris group, we examined the endosymbiotic potential of non-symbiotic strains of the H. vulgaris group by artificially introducing endosymbiotic algae. We found that 12 of the 23 non-symbiotic strains were able to harbor the algae until reaching the grand-offspring through the asexual reproduction by budding. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial genome sequences showed that all the strains with endosymbiotic potential grouped into a single cluster (cluster γ). This cluster contained two strains (J7 and J10) that currently harbor algae; however, these strains were not the closest relatives. These results suggest that evolution of endosymbiosis occurred in two steps; first, endosymbiotic potential was gained once in the ancestor of the cluster γ lineage; second, strains J7 and J10 obtained algae independently after the divergence of the strains. By demonstrating the evolution of the endosymbiotic potential in non-symbiotic H. vulgaris group strains, we have clearly distinguished two evolutionary steps. The step-by-step evolutionary process provides significant insight into the evolution of endosymbiosis in cnidarians. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-Step Evolution of Endosymbiosis between Hydra and Algae

KAUST Repository

Ishikawa, Masakazu

2016-07-09

In the Hydra vulgaris group, only 2 of the 25 strains in the collection of the National Institute of Genetics in Japan currently show endosymbiosis with green algae. However, whether the other non-symbiotic strains also have the potential to harbor algae remains unknown. The endosymbiotic potential of non-symbiotic strains that can harbor algae may have been acquired before or during divergence of the strains. With the aim of understanding the evolutionary process of endosymbiosis in the H. vulgaris group, we examined the endosymbiotic potential of non-symbiotic strains of the H. vulgaris group by artificially introducing endosymbiotic algae. We found that 12 of the 23 non-symbiotic strains were able to harbor the algae until reaching the grand-offspring through the asexual reproduction by budding. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial genome sequences showed that all the strains with endosymbiotic potential grouped into a single cluster (cluster γ). This cluster contained two strains (J7 and J10) that currently harbor algae; however, these strains were not the closest relatives. These results suggest that evolution of endosymbiosis occurred in two steps; first, endosymbiotic potential was gained once in the ancestor of the cluster γ lineage; second, strains J7 and J10 obtained algae independently after the divergence of the strains. By demonstrating the evolution of the endosymbiotic potential in non-symbiotic H. vulgaris group strains, we have clearly distinguished two evolutionary steps. The step-by-step evolutionary process provides significant insight into the evolution of endosymbiosis in cnidarians.

Detection of viability of micro-algae cells by optofluidic hologram pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Junsheng; Yu, Xiaomei; Wang, Yanjuan; Pan, Xinxiang; Li, Dongqing

2018-03-01

A rapid detection of micro-algae activity is critical for analysis of ship ballast water. A new method for detecting micro-algae activity based on lens-free optofluidic holographic imaging is presented in this paper. A compact lens-free optofluidic holographic imaging device was developed. This device is mainly composed of a light source, a small through-hole, a light propagation module, a microfluidic chip, and an image acquisition and processing module. The excited light from the light source passes through a small hole to reach the surface of the micro-algae cells in the microfluidic chip, and a holographic image is formed by the diffraction light of surface of micro-algae cells. The relation between the characteristics in the hologram pattern and the activity of micro-algae cells was investigated by using this device. The characteristics of the hologram pattern were extracted to represent the activity of micro-algae cells. To demonstrate the accuracy of the presented method and device, four species of micro-algae cells were employed as the test samples and the comparison experiments between the alive and dead cells of four species of micro-algae were conducted. The results show that the developed method and device can determine live/dead microalgae cells accurately.

Using the marine unicellular algae in biological monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kapkov V. I.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The possibility of using marine unicellular algae from natural plankton community in biomonitoring of pollution by heavy metals has been investigated. Algae of different taxa from the Mediterranean Sea have been allocated to culture. In the laboratory the culture conditions – i. e. growth medium, temperature, photoperiod, level of artificial light and initial density – have been selected for every species. The impact of heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb in the form of chloride salts on the growth of axenic algae culture has been studied in the modelling experiments. The unicellular marine algae have a very short life cycle, therefore it is possible to use them in the experiments of studying the effect of anthropogenic factors at cellular and population levels on the test-object. With biomonitoring pollution of marine environment by heavy metals and others dangerous toxicants, the major indicators of algae community condition are the cellular cycle and the condition of the photosynthetic apparatus of the cell. The subsequent lysis of cells under the influence of heavy metals leads to the excretion of secondary metabolites which can essentially affect the metal toxicity. The established scales of threshold and lethal concentration of heavy metals for algae of different taxon make it possible to use the ratio of sensitive and resistant species to heavy metals as biological markers when forecasting ecological consequences of pollution of the marine environment by heavy metals. Distinctions in the resistance of different taxon to heavy metals can result in implementing the strategy of selection of test-objects depending on the purposes of the research.

Dynamic Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope Freeze Drying Observation for Fresh Water Algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsen, H.T.; Ghaly, W.A.; Zahran, N.F.; Helal, A.I.

2010-01-01

A new perpetration method for serving in dynamic examinations of the fresh water algae is developed in connection with the Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope (LV-SEM) freeze drying technique. Specimens are collected from fresh water of Ismailia channel then transferred directly to freeze by liquid nitrogen and dried in the chamber of the scanning electron microscope in the low vacuum mode. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the drying method presented the microstructure of algae. Dehydration in a graded ethanol series is not necessary in the new method. Dried algae specimen is observed in SEM high vacuum mode after conductive coating at higher resolution. Low-vacuum SEM freeze drying technique is a simple, time-saving and reproducible method for scanning electron microscopy that is applicable to various aquatic microorganisms covered with soft tissues.

Analysis of micro matter reference materials of lichen and algae by SRXRF and PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Sha Xin; Wang Jian Liu; Zhang Peiqun

2002-01-01

In the present work two nuclear micro analysis techniques, synchrotron radiation (SRXRF) and macro proton induced X ray emission (macro PIXE), were used in the homogeneity test of Algae IAEA-413 and Lichen IAEA-338, and the certification of their elemental contents too. Finally, the Ingamell's sampling constant Ks and the relative homogeneity factor HE of some elements in these two RMs were estimated on the base of our macro PIXE results. (author)

DRY BIOMASS OF FRESH WATER ALGAE OF CHLORELLA GENUS IN THE COMBINED FORAGES FOR LAYING HENS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SVETLANA GRIGOROVA

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Dry biomass of algae is a good source of nutrients and biologically active substances, which in the last years attracted the interest of the specialists in their search for natural, ecologically and healthy sound foods for the animals. The aim of the present study was to characterize the chemical composition and the nutritive value of the dry biomass of fresh water algae of Chlorella genus cultivated in Bulgaria and to establish its effect on the laying hen productivity and the morphological characteristics of the table eggs. The tested product was analyzed for its crude protein content – 55 % to available wet, crude fats – 9,6 %, crude fi bres – 6,4 %, xanthophylls – 0,6 g/kg, essential amino acids: lysine – 5,5 %, methionine – 1,2 %, triptophan – 1,2 %. Adding 2 % and 10 % of dry biomass of fresh water algae of Chlorella genus to the combined forages for laying hens led to the improvement of the bird productivity and the morphological characteristics of the eggs and the egg yolk pigmentation was more intensive by 2,5 units by the Roche’s scale.

Effect of light and nutrient availability on the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by Caribbean turf algae

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mueller, B.; den Haan, J.; Visser, P.M.; Vermeij, M.J.A.; van Duyl, F.C.

2016-01-01

Turf algae increasingly dominate benthic communities on coral reefs. Given their abundance and high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release rates, turf algae are considered important contributors to the DOC pool on modern reefs. The release of photosynthetically fixed carbon as DOC generally, but not

Genomics of Volvocine Algae

Science.gov (United States)

Umen, James G.; Olson, Bradley J.S.C.

2015-01-01

Volvocine algae are a group of chlorophytes that together comprise a unique model for evolutionary and developmental biology. The species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri represent extremes in morphological diversity within the Volvocine clade. Chlamydomonas is unicellular and reflects the ancestral state of the group, while Volvox is multicellular and has evolved numerous innovations including germ-soma differentiation, sexual dimorphism, and complex morphogenetic patterning. The Chlamydomonas genome sequence has shed light on several areas of eukaryotic cell biology, metabolism and evolution, while the Volvox genome sequence has enabled a comparison with Chlamydomonas that reveals some of the underlying changes that enabled its transition to multicellularity, but also underscores the subtlety of this transition. Many of the tools and resources are in place to further develop Volvocine algae as a model for evolutionary genomics. PMID:25883411

Arsenic uptake, transformation, and release by three freshwater algae under conditions with and without growth stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Shaowen; Liu, Jinxin; Yang, Fen; Feng, Hanxiao; Wei, Chaoyang; Wu, Fengchang

2018-05-04

This study was carried out using indoor controlled experiments to study the arsenic (As) uptake, biotransformation, and release behaviors of freshwater algae under growth stress. Three freshwater algae, Microcystis aeruginosa, Anabaena flosaquae, and Chlorella sp., were chosen. Two types of inhibitors, e.g., Cu 2+ and isothiazolinone, were employed to inhibit the growth of the algae. The algae were cultivated to a logarithmic stage in growth media containing 0.1 mg/L P; then, 0.8 mg/L As in the form of arsenate (iAs V ) was added, while both inhibitors were simultaneously added at dosages of 0.1 and 0.3 mg/L, with no addition of inhibitors in the control. After 2 days of exposure, the average growth rate (μ 2d ) was measured to represent the growth rates of the algae cells; the extra- and intracellular As concentrations in various forms, i.e., arsenate, arsenite (iAs III ), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA), were also measured. Without inhibitors, the average growth rate followed the order of M. aeruginosa, Chlorella sp., and A. flosaquae, with the growth rate of M. aeruginosa significantly higher than that of the other two algae. However, when Cu 2+ was added as an external inhibitor, the order of the average growth rate for the three algae became partially reversed, suggesting differentiation of the algae in response to the inhibitor. This differentiation can be seen by the reduction in the average growth rate of M. aeruginosa, which was as high as 1730% at the 0.3-mg/L Cu 2+ dosage when compared with the control, while for the other two algae, much fewer changes were seen. The great reduction in M. aeruginosa growth rate was accompanied by increases in extracellular iAs V and iAs III and intracellular iAs V concentrations in the algae, indicating that As transformation is related to the growth of this algae. Much fewer or neglectable changes in growth were observed that were consistent with the few changes in the extra- and intracellular

Identifying the interacting roles of stressors in driving the global loss of canopy-forming to mat-forming algae in marine ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Strain, Elisabeth M A; Thomson, Russell J; Micheli, Fiorenza; Mancuso, Francesco P; Airoldi, Laura

2014-11-01

Identifying the type and strength of interactions between local anthropogenic and other stressors can help to set achievable management targets for degraded marine ecosystems and support their resilience by identifying local actions. We undertook a meta-analysis, using data from 118 studies to test the hypothesis that ongoing global declines in the dominant habitat along temperate rocky coastlines, forests of canopy-forming algae and/or their replacement by mat-forming algae are driven by the nonadditive interactions between local anthropogenic stressors that can be addressed through management actions (fishing, heavy metal pollution, nutrient enrichment and high sediment loads) and other stressors (presence of competitors or grazers, removal of canopy algae, limiting or excessive light, low or high salinity, increasing temperature, high wave exposure and high UV or CO2 ), not as easily amenable to management actions. In general, the cumulative effects of local anthropogenic and other stressors had negative effects on the growth and survival of canopy-forming algae. Conversely, the growth or survival of mat-forming algae was either unaffected or significantly enhanced by the same pairs of stressors. Contrary to our predictions, the majority of interactions between stressors were additive. There were however synergistic interactions between nutrient enrichment and heavy metals, the presence of competitors, low light and increasing temperature, leading to amplified negative effects on canopy-forming algae. There were also synergistic interactions between nutrient enrichment and increasing CO2 and temperature leading to amplified positive effects on mat-forming algae. Our review of the current literature shows that management of nutrient levels, rather than fishing, heavy metal pollution or high sediment loads, would provide the greatest opportunity for preventing the shift from canopy to mat-forming algae, particularly in enclosed bays or estuaries because of the

Marine algae as biomonitors for heavy metals accumulation at the Red Sea Sudanese coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.Y.A.

2007-09-01

The concentration of heavy trace elements chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead was measured in three main groups of alage, green, brown and red from the Sudanese coastal water of the Red Sea at seven main locations. The analyses were performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and x-ray fluorescence. Based on the overall average concentration (ppm), manganese was the most abundant element, (range 22.64-144.77) followed by chromium (rang 8.40-14.51), zinc (range 5.82-14.23), nickel (range 4.27-6.48) copper (range 2.83-7.75) lead range (1.29-1.80) and cadmium (rang 0.05-0.15). On comparing samples results at all locations, the results showed that Sawakin locations (1) and (2) algae have a highest content of trace elements. The concentration of trace elements in marine algae at, Sawakin (1), Klanieb and Sawakin (2) shows the higher uptake of lead giving the average of 1.69, 1.70, and 1.80, respectively compared with other locations, where the lowest concentration of manganese is observed at Sawakin (1) (38.19 ppm) and Sawakin (2) (41.04 ppm) with relative excess of lead concentration (1.69 and 1.80 ppm). Data obtained in this study were treated using classical descriptive statistics to explain the measuring central tendency. Correlation coefficient was also used to examine the relationship of different elements. Upon comparing the elemental concentration of the Red Sea alage with published literature, marine algae collected from the study area showed relative agreement with data reported but Sawakin harbor can be considered as slightly contaminated area by heavy metals. The study showed that the red algae has higher uptake of trace elements studied than brown and green algae with some variations of metal concentrations in some species which were apparently related to the specific accumulation capacity of each particular species. These species suggest their suitability for utilization as biomonitor for heavy metals in the Red Sea coastal

Marine algae as biomonitors for heavy metals accumulation at the Red Sea Sudanese coast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ali, A Y.A. [Red Sea University, Department of Chemistry, Port Sudan (Sudan)

2007-09-15

The concentration of heavy trace elements chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead was measured in three main groups of alage, green, brown and red from the Sudanese coastal water of the Red Sea at seven main locations. The analyses were performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and x-ray fluorescence. Based on the overall average concentration (ppm), manganese was the most abundant element, (range 22.64-144.77) followed by chromium (rang 8.40-14.51), zinc (range 5.82-14.23), nickel (range 4.27-6.48) copper (range 2.83-7.75) lead range (1.29-1.80) and cadmium (rang 0.05-0.15). On comparing samples results at all locations, the results showed that Sawakin locations (1) and (2) algae have a highest content of trace elements. The concentration of trace elements in marine algae at, Sawakin (1), Klanieb and Sawakin (2) shows the higher uptake of lead giving the average of 1.69, 1.70, and 1.80, respectively compared with other locations, where the lowest concentration of manganese is observed at Sawakin (1) (38.19 ppm) and Sawakin (2) (41.04 ppm) with relative excess of lead concentration (1.69 and 1.80 ppm). Data obtained in this study were treated using classical descriptive statistics to explain the measuring central tendency. Correlation coefficient was also used to examine the relationship of different elements. Upon comparing the elemental concentration of the Red Sea alage with published literature, marine algae collected from the study area showed relative agreement with data reported but Sawakin harbor can be considered as slightly contaminated area by heavy metals. The study showed that the red algae has higher uptake of trace elements studied than brown and green algae with some variations of metal concentrations in some species which were apparently related to the specific accumulation capacity of each particular species. These species suggest their suitability for utilization as biomonitor for heavy metals in the Red Sea coastal

Development of biotic ligand models for chronic manganese toxicity to fish, invertebrates, and algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Adam; Lofts, Stephen; Merrington, Graham; Brown, Bruce; Stubblefield, William; Harlow, Keven

2011-11-01

Ecotoxicity tests were performed with fish, invertebrates, and algae to investigate the effect of water quality parameters on Mn toxicity. Models were developed to describe the effects of Mn as a function of water quality. Calcium (Ca) has a protective effect on Mn toxicity for both fish and invertebrates, and magnesium (Mg) also provides a protective effect for invertebrates. Protons have a protective effect on Mn toxicity to algae. The models derived are consistent with models of the toxicity of other metals to aquatic organisms in that divalent cations can act as competitors to Mn toxicity in fish and invertebrates, and protons act as competitors to Mn toxicity in algae. The selected models are able to predict Mn toxicity to the test organisms to within a factor of 2 in most cases. Under low-pH conditions invertebrates are the most sensitive taxa, and under high-pH conditions algae are most sensitive. The point at which algae become more sensitive than invertebrates depends on the Ca concentration and occurs at higher pH when Ca concentrations are low, because of the sensitivity of invertebrates under these conditions. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations have very little effect on the toxicity of Mn to aquatic organisms. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Metabolic studies with NMR spectroscopy of the alga Dunaliella salina trapped within agarose beads.

Science.gov (United States)

Bental, M; Pick, U; Avron, M; Degani, H

1990-02-22

A technique for the entrapment of the unicellular algae Dunaliella salina in agarose beads and their perfusion during NMR measurements is presented. The trapped cells maintained their ability to proliferate under normal growth conditions, and remained viable and stable under steady-state conditions for long periods during NMR measurements. Following osmotic shock in the dark, prominent changes were observed in the intracellular level of ATP and polyphosphates, but little to no changes in the intracellular pH or orthoposphate content. When cells were subjected to hyperosmotic shock, the ATP level decreased. The content of NMR-visible polyphosphates decreased as well, presumably due to the production of longer, NMR-invisible structures. Following hypoosmotic shock, the ATP content increased and longer polyphosphates were broken down to shorter, more mobile polymers.

KAROTENOID PADA ALGAE: KAJIAN TENTANG BIOSINTESIS, DISTRIBUSI SERTA FUNGSI KAROTENOID

OpenAIRE

Merdekawati, Windu; Karwur, Ferry F.; Susanto, A. B.

2017-01-01

ABSTRAK   Karotenoid terdistribusi pada archaea, bakteri, jamur, tumbuhan, hewan serta algae. Karotenoid dihasilkan dari komponen isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) yang mengalami proses secara bertahap untuk membentuk beragam jenis karotenoid. Terdapat dua kelompok karotenoid yaitu karoten dan xantofil dengan berbagai jenis turunannya. Struktur kimia pada karotenoid algae yaitu allene, acetylene serta acetylated carotenoids. Algae mempunyai karotenoid spesifik yang menarik untuk dipe...

The adsorption potential and recovery of thallium using green micro-algae from eutrophic water sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Birungi, Z S; Chirwa, E M N

2015-12-15

Thallium (Tl) is a highly volatile and toxic heavy metal regarded to cause pollution even at very low concentrations of several parts per million. Despite the extremely high risk of Tl in the environment, limited information on removal/recovery exists. The study focussed on the use of green algae to determine the sorption potential and recovery of Tl. From the study, removal efficiency was achieved at 100% for lower concentrations of ≥150 mg/L of Tl. At higher concentrations in a range of 250-500 mg/L, the performance of algae was still higher with sorption capacity (qmax) between 830 and 1000 mg/g. Generally, Chlorella vulgaris was the best adsorbent with a high qmax and lower affinity of 1000 mg/g and 1.11 L/g, respectively. When compared to other studies on Tl adsorption, the tested algae showed a better qmax than most adsorbents. The kinetic studies showed better correlation co-efficient of ≤0.99 for Pseudo-second order model than the first order model. Recovery was achieved highest for C. vulgaris using nitric acid at 93.3%. The strongest functional groups responsible for Tl binding on the algal cell wall were carboxyl and phenols. Green algae from freshwater bodies showed significant potential for Tl removal/recovery from industrial wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of calcareous algae and monensin in Nellore cattle subjected to an abrupt change in diet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Ferreira Carvalho

2016-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Additives are used in high concentrate diets to prevent metabolic disorders in cattle. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of calcium sources and monensin on the control of ruminal acidosis in Nellore cattle that were abruptly shifted to a high (92.3% concentrate diet. Eight cannulated steers were randomly assigned to two contemporary 4x4 Latin square. Treatments involved the addition of a calcium source, either limestone (LI or a product derived from calcareous algae (CA, to the basic diet with or without the presence of monensin. Calcareous alga (Lithothamnium calcareum is a natural and renewable product and a source of calcium carbonate. The quantity of added limestone, calcareous algae and monensin was 7.1g kg-1, 7.4g kg-1 and 30mg kg-1 DM, respectively. There was no effect of calcium source (P=0.607 or monensin (P=0.294 on feed intake or on the concentration of short chain fatty acids. Treatments with calcareous algae resulted in a higher mean ruminal pH (P=0.039, a shorter amount of time with the ruminal pH under 5.2 (P<0.001 and a better control of blood pH (P=0.006. Treatments with monensin also resulted in a shorter amount of time with the ruminal pH below 5.2 (P=0.023. Calcareous algae were shown to be effective in controlling adverse changes in the rumen and in blood variables for Nellore cattle that were subjected to an abrupt change to a high concentrate diet.

New methodologies for the integration of power plants with algae ponds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, K.; Gijp, S. van der; Stel, R.W van der; Goetheer, E.L.V.

2013-01-01

It is generally recognized that algae could be an interesting option for reducing CO2 emissions. Based on light and CO2, algae can be used for the production various economically interesting products. Current algae cultivation techniques, however, still present a number of limitations. Efficient

Freshwater algae competition and correlation between their growth and microcystin production.

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez, Xana; Valero, Enrique; Cancela, Ángeles; Sánchez, Ángel

2016-11-01

There are some different freshwater algae in Eutrophic reservoirs which bloom with specific environmental conditions, and some of them are cyanobacteria. In this investigation, we have cultivated microalgae present in natural water samples from a eutrophic reservoir. Variations in temperature and light were evaluated, as well as the competition among different green algae and cyanobacteria. There were three different freshwater algae growing together, Scenedesmus sp., Kirchneriella sp. and Microcystis aeruginosa, this cyanobacterium was the algae that reached the highest development and growth during the culture. While the algae grew, the concentration of toxin (microcystin-LR) increased until it reached the highest levels at 570 μg g -1 . Blooms occurred at temperatures of 28 ± 1.5 °C and light cycles of longer hours of light than dark. This took place during the summer months, from June to September (in the study area). At temperatures below 18 °C, algae did not grow. Blooms were reproduced to a laboratory scale in different conditions in order to understand the development of freshwater algae, as well as to help decision-making about water supply from that reservoir.

Community dynamics of bottom-ice algae in Dease Strait of the Canadian Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, K.; Mundy, C. J.; Landy, J. C.; Delaforge, A.; Michel, C.; Rysgaard, S.

2016-12-01

Sea ice algae are a characteristic feature in ice-covered seas, contributing a significant fraction of the total primary production in many areas and providing a concentrated food source of high nutritional value to grazers in the spring. Algae respond to physical changes in the sea ice environment by modifying their cellular carbon, nitrogen and pigment content, and by adjusting their photophysiological characteristics. In this study we examined how the ratios of particulate organic carbon (POC) to nitrogen (PON), and POC to chlorophyll a (chl a), responded to the evolving snow-covered sea ice environment near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, during spring 2014. We also estimated photosynthesis-irradiance (PI) curves using oxygen-optodes and evaluated the resulting time-series of PI parameters under thin and thick snow-covered sites. There were no significant differences in PI parameters between samples from different overlying snow depths, and only the maximum photosynthetic rates in the absence of photoinhibition (PsB) and photoacclimation (IS) parameters changed significantly over the spring bloom. Furthermore, we found that both these parameters increased over time in response to increasing percent transmission of photosynthetically active radiation (TPAR) through the ice, indicating that light was a limiting factor of photosynthesis and was an important driver of temporal (over the spring) rather than spatial (between snow depths) variability in photophysiological response. However, we note that spatial variability in primary production was evident. Higher TPAR over the spring and under thin snow affected the composition of algae over both time and space, causing greater POC:chl a estimates in late spring and under thin snow cover. Nitrogen limitation was pronounced in this study, likely reducing PsB and algal photosynthetic rates, and increasing POC:PON ratios to over six times the Redfield average. Our results highlight the influence of both light and nutrients on

Association of thraustochytrids and fungi with living marine algae

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghukumar, C.; Nagarkar, S.; Raghukumar, S.

only in C. clavulatum, Sargassum cinereum and Padina tetrastromatica whilst mycelial fungi occurred in all. Growth experiments in the laboratory indicated that the growth of thraustochytrids was inhibited on live algae, whereas killed algae supported...

Method and apparatus for iterative lysis and extraction of algae

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Geoffrey; Boggs, Tabitha; Dykes, Jr., H. Waite H.; Doherty, Stephen J.

2015-12-01

A method and system for processing algae involves the use of an ionic liquid-containing clarified cell lysate to lyse algae cells. The resulting crude cell lysate may be clarified and subsequently used to lyse algae cells. The process may be repeated a number of times before a clarified lysate is separated into lipid and aqueous phases for further processing and/or purification of desired products.

Bio sorption of copper ions with biomass of algae and dehydrated waste of olives; Biosorcion de iones cobre con biomasa de algas y orujos deshidratados

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tapia, P.; Santander, M.; Pavez, O.; Valderrama, L.; Guzman, D.; Romero, L.

2011-07-01

They were carried out experiments of biosorption batch and in continuous to remove copper from aqueous solutions using as adsorbents green algae and olive residues under virgins conditions and chemically activated. The results of batch bio sorption indicate that the algae present mayor elimination capacities than the waste of olives, with uptakes of copper of the order of 96 % using activated algae with dissolution of Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4} under the optimum conditions. The results of the columns tests show that the virgin algae permits the removal of more copper ions than the activate algae, with removal efficiency of 98 % during the firth 20 min, a breakthrough time of 240 min and a saturation at time of 600 min. In the second cycle the regenerated biomass showed a best performance indicating that they can be used for another bio sorption cycle. (Author) 42 refs.

A review of the taxonomical and ecological studies on Netherlands’ Algae

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koster, Joséphine Th.

1939-01-01

The earliest account of the Netherlands’ Algae appeared in 1781 in D. de Gorter, Flora VII Prov. Belgii foederati indigen. Here, however, in the Algae lichens and liverworts have been incorporated. The true Algae, of which 35 are enumerated, are principally marine, though also aërophytical and

Algae-bacteria interactions: Evolution, ecology and emerging applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramanan, Rishiram; Kim, Byung-Hyuk; Cho, Dae-Hyun; Oh, Hee-Mock; Kim, Hee-Sik

2016-01-01

Algae and bacteria have coexisted ever since the early stages of evolution. This coevolution has revolutionized life on earth in many aspects. Algae and bacteria together influence ecosystems as varied as deep seas to lichens and represent all conceivable modes of interactions - from mutualism to parasitism. Several studies have shown that algae and bacteria synergistically affect each other's physiology and metabolism, a classic case being algae-roseobacter interaction. These interactions are ubiquitous and define the primary productivity in most ecosystems. In recent years, algae have received much attention for industrial exploitation but their interaction with bacteria is often considered a contamination during commercialization. A few recent studies have shown that bacteria not only enhance algal growth but also help in flocculation, both essential processes in algal biotechnology. Hence, there is a need to understand these interactions from an evolutionary and ecological standpoint, and integrate this understanding for industrial use. Here we reflect on the diversity of such relationships and their associated mechanisms, as well as the habitats that they mutually influence. This review also outlines the role of these interactions in key evolutionary events such as endosymbiosis, besides their ecological role in biogeochemical cycles. Finally, we focus on extending such studies on algal-bacterial interactions to various environmental and bio-technological applications. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geographic variation in the damselfish-red alga cultivation mutualism in the Indo-West Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background On coral reefs, damselfish defend their territories from invading herbivores and maintain algal turfs, from which they harvest filamentous algae. In southern Japan, intensive weeding of indigestible algae by Stegastes nigricans results in overgrowth by one filamentous alga, Polysiphonia sp. 1. Because this alga is highly susceptible to grazing and is competitively inferior to other algae, it survives only within the protective territories of this fish species, suggesting an obligate mutualism between damselfish and their cultivated alga. The wide distribution of damselfish species through the Indo-Central Pacific raises the question of whether this species-specific mutualism is maintained throughout the geographic range of the fish. To address this question, from all 18 damselfish species we conducted comprehensive surveys of algal flora within their territories throughout the Indo-West Pacific, and identified species of Polysiphonia using morphological examination and gene sequencing data. Results Several species of the genus Polysiphonia were observed as a major crop in territories throughout the geographic range of S. nigricans. Polysiphonia sp. 1 occurred only in territories of S. nigricans in central areas of the Indo-Pacific. However, its occurrence was low from the Great Barrier Reef and Mauritius. In contrast, other indigenous Polysiphonia species, which formed a clade with Polysiphonia sp. 1, occurred in the territories of fishes from Egypt, Kenya, and the Maldives. The other Polysiphonia species in the clade only inhabited damselfish territories and were never found elsewhere. Conclusions Cultivation mutualism between the damselfish S. nigricans and algae of Polysiphonia was maintained throughout the Indo-West Pacific, although algal crop species and the mode of cultivation (e.g., presence/absence of selective weeding, the species composition of algal turfs) varied among localities. This finding implies that damselfish utilize indigenous

Geographic variation in the damselfish-red alga cultivation mutualism in the Indo-West Pacific

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Watanabe Katsutoshi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background On coral reefs, damselfish defend their territories from invading herbivores and maintain algal turfs, from which they harvest filamentous algae. In southern Japan, intensive weeding of indigestible algae by Stegastes nigricans results in overgrowth by one filamentous alga, Polysiphonia sp. 1. Because this alga is highly susceptible to grazing and is competitively inferior to other algae, it survives only within the protective territories of this fish species, suggesting an obligate mutualism between damselfish and their cultivated alga. The wide distribution of damselfish species through the Indo-Central Pacific raises the question of whether this species-specific mutualism is maintained throughout the geographic range of the fish. To address this question, from all 18 damselfish species we conducted comprehensive surveys of algal flora within their territories throughout the Indo-West Pacific, and identified species of Polysiphonia using morphological examination and gene sequencing data. Results Several species of the genus Polysiphonia were observed as a major crop in territories throughout the geographic range of S. nigricans. Polysiphonia sp. 1 occurred only in territories of S. nigricans in central areas of the Indo-Pacific. However, its occurrence was low from the Great Barrier Reef and Mauritius. In contrast, other indigenous Polysiphonia species, which formed a clade with Polysiphonia sp. 1, occurred in the territories of fishes from Egypt, Kenya, and the Maldives. The other Polysiphonia species in the clade only inhabited damselfish territories and were never found elsewhere. Conclusions Cultivation mutualism between the damselfish S. nigricans and algae of Polysiphonia was maintained throughout the Indo-West Pacific, although algal crop species and the mode of cultivation (e.g., presence/absence of selective weeding, the species composition of algal turfs varied among localities. This finding implies that

Detection of weed algae in open pond cultures of Cyanobacterium aponinum using PAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominik Winckelmann

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The potential use of non-arable land in the al-Wusta region of the Sultanate of Oman for the production of algae biomass was examined. Brackish cleaned production water from oil production supplemented with commercial fertilizer was used as growth medium. The indigenous isolate Cyanobacterium aponinum WP7(1 was grown in open ponds using batch or semi-continuous cultivation. Biomass production rates of 15–24 g/m2/day were achieved. The change of salinity due to evaporation, which was thought to be a major challenge, did not exceed 35 ppt. All cultures showed contaminations with weed algae. Contaminations with green algae or diatoms were detectable using fluorescence pattern excited by four different wavelengths using a pulse-amplitude-modulation chlorophyll fluorometer (PAM. It is possible to estimate the health level and the mayor groups of which a culture is composed using the PAM method. Therefore, the fluorescence of the photosynthetically inactive sample is compared with the fluorescence after all copies of photosystem II were closed by exposing the sample to a high-intensity light beam. A detection limit of one weed algae cell in a hundred cells was achieved.

Genomic analysis of organismal complexity in the multicellular green alga Volvox carteri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prochnik, Simon E.; Umen, James; Nedelcu, Aurora; Hallmann, Armin; Miller, Stephen M.; Nishii, Ichiro; Ferris, Patrick; Kuo, Alan; Mitros, Therese; Fritz-Laylin, Lillian K.; Hellsten, Uffe; Chapman, Jarrod; Simakov, Oleg; Rensing, Stefan A.; Terry, Astrid; Pangilinan, Jasmyn; Kapitonov, Vladimir; Jurka, Jerzy; Salamov, Asaf; Shapiro, Harris; Schmutz, Jeremy; Grimwood, Jane; Lindquist, Erika; Lucas, Susan; Grigoriev, Igor V.; Schmitt, Rudiger; Kirk, David; Rokhsar, Daniel S.

2010-07-01

Analysis of the Volvox carteri genome reveals that this green alga's increased organismal complexity and multicellularity are associated with modifications in protein families shared with its unicellular ancestor, and not with large-scale innovations in protein coding capacity. The multicellular green alga Volvox carteri and its morphologically diverse close relatives (the volvocine algae) are uniquely suited for investigating the evolution of multicellularity and development. We sequenced the 138 Mb genome of V. carteri and compared its {approx}14,500 predicted proteins to those of its unicellular relative, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Despite fundamental differences in organismal complexity and life history, the two species have similar protein-coding potentials, and few species-specific protein-coding gene predictions. Interestingly, volvocine algal-specific proteins are enriched in Volvox, including those associated with an expanded and highly compartmentalized extracellular matrix. Our analysis shows that increases in organismal complexity can be associated with modifications of lineage-specific proteins rather than large-scale invention of protein-coding capacity.

WASP7 BENTHIC ALGAE - MODEL THEORY AND USER'S GUIDE

Science.gov (United States)

The standard WASP7 eutrophication module includes nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, dissolved oxygen-organic matter interactions, and phytoplankton kinetics. In many shallow streams and rivers, however, the attached algae (benthic algae, or periphyton, attached to submerged substr...

An Artificial Neural Network Based Short-term Dynamic Prediction of Algae Bloom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao Junyang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a method of short-term prediction of algae bloom based on artificial neural network. Firstly, principal component analysis is applied to water environmental factors in algae bloom raceway ponds to get main factors that influence the formation of algae blooms. Then, a model of short-term dynamic prediction based on neural network is built with the current chlorophyll_a values as input and the chlorophyll_a values in the next moment as output to realize short-term dynamic prediction of algae bloom. Simulation results show that the model can realize short-term prediction of algae bloom effectively.

Bacterial community changes in an industrial algae production system.

Science.gov (United States)

Fulbright, Scott P; Robbins-Pianka, Adam; Berg-Lyons, Donna; Knight, Rob; Reardon, Kenneth F; Chisholm, Stephen T

2018-04-01

While microalgae are a promising feedstock for production of fuels and other chemicals, a challenge for the algal bioproducts industry is obtaining consistent, robust algae growth. Algal cultures include complex bacterial communities and can be difficult to manage because specific bacteria can promote or reduce algae growth. To overcome bacterial contamination, algae growers may use closed photobioreactors designed to reduce the number of contaminant organisms. Even with closed systems, bacteria are known to enter and cohabitate, but little is known about these communities. Therefore, the richness, structure, and composition of bacterial communities were characterized in closed photobioreactor cultivations of Nannochloropsis salina in F/2 medium at different scales, across nine months spanning late summer-early spring, and during a sequence of serially inoculated cultivations. Using 16S rRNA sequence data from 275 samples, bacterial communities in small, medium, and large cultures were shown to be significantly different. Larger systems contained richer bacterial communities compared to smaller systems. Relationships between bacterial communities and algae growth were complex. On one hand, blooms of a specific bacterial type were observed in three abnormal, poorly performing replicate cultivations, while on the other, notable changes in the bacterial community structures were observed in a series of serial large-scale batch cultivations that had similar growth rates. Bacteria common to the majority of samples were identified, including a single OTU within the class Saprospirae that was found in all samples. This study contributes important information for crop protection in algae systems, and demonstrates the complex ecosystems that need to be understood for consistent, successful industrial algae cultivation. This is the first study to profile bacterial communities during the scale-up process of industrial algae systems.

Serpins in plants and green algae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roberts, Thomas Hugh; Hejgaard, Jørn

2008-01-01

. Serpins have been found in diverse species of the plant kingdom and represent a distinct clade among serpins in multicellular organisms. Serpins are also found in green algae, but the evolutionary relationship between these serpins and those of plants remains unknown. Plant serpins are potent inhibitors...... of mammalian serine proteinases of the chymotrypsin family in vitro but, intriguingly, plants and green algae lack endogenous members of this proteinase family, the most common targets for animal serpins. An Arabidopsis serpin with a conserved reactive centre is now known to be capable of inhibiting...

P-32 uptake in lentic algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strange, J.R.; Williamson, G.D.; Fletcher, D.J.

1975-01-01

A study of the Flat Creek Embayment of Lake Sidney Lanier near Gainesville, Georgia revealed three genera of algae, Chlorococcum, Fragillaria and Nostoc, to be prominent in this eutrophic region of the lake. The algae was grown in phosphate-rich media and subsequently labelled with P-32. All species incorporated luxury amounts of phosphorus as determined by the uptake of P-32. The results indicate that the P-32 uptake is proportional to the surface-per-volume ratio. The higher surface-per-volume ratio resulted in greater uptake of P-32

Algas: cosmética y salud

OpenAIRE

Arenas, Patricia Marta; Guayta, Silvina L.

1998-01-01

El uso de las algas con fines estéticos y terapéuticos tiene su origen en tiempos muy antiguos. El auge de la utilización de “productos naturales” ha llevado a sobrevalorar las propiedades de los vegetales en general y de las algas en particular. Por tal razón, las mismas gozan de un elevado prestigio, incluso cuando las propiedades reales son en gran medida superadas por las popularmente atribuidas. De allí que surja la necesidad de abordar estudios interdisciplinarios y de naturaleza aplica...

Algae Production from Wastewater Resources: An Engineering and Cost Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schoenung, Susan [Longitude 122 West, Inc.; Efroymson, Rebecca Ann [ORNL

2018-03-01

Co-locating algae cultivation ponds near municipal wastewater (MWW) facilities provides the opportunity to make use of the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the wastewater as nutrient sources for the algae. This use benefits MWW facilities, the algae biomass and biofuel or bioproduct industry, and the users of streams where treated or untreated waste would be discharged. Nutrient compounds can lead to eutrophication, hypoxia, and adverse effects to some organisms if released downstream. This analysis presents an estimate of the cost savings made possible to cultivation facilities by using the nutrients from wastewater for algae growth rather than purchase of the nutrients. The analysis takes into consideration the cost of pipe transport from the wastewater facility to the algae ponds, a cost factor that has not been publicly documented in the past. The results show that the savings in nutrient costs can support a wastewater transport distance up to 10 miles for a 1000-acre-pond facility, with potential adjustments for different operating assumptions.

Microbial community structures in high rate algae ponds for bioconversion of agricultural wastes from livestock industry for feed production.

Science.gov (United States)

Mark Ibekwe, A; Murinda, Shelton E; Murry, Marcia A; Schwartz, Gregory; Lundquist, Trygve

2017-02-15

Dynamics of seasonal microbial community compositions in algae cultivation ponds are complex. However, there is very limited knowledge on bacterial communities that may play significant roles with algae in the bioconversion of manure nutrients to animal feed. In this study, water samples were collected during winter, spring, summer, and fall from the dairy lagoon effluent (DLE), high rate algae ponds (HRAP) that were fed with diluted DLE, and municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent which was included as a comparison system for the analysis of total bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and microalgae communities using MiSeq Illumina sequencing targeting the 16S V4 rDNA region. The main objective was to examine dynamics in microbial community composition in the HRAP used for the production of algal biomass. DNA was extracted from the different sample types using three commercially available DNA extraction kits; MoBio Power water extraction kit, Zymo fungi/bacterial extraction kit, and MP Biomedicals FastDNA SPIN Kit. Permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) using distance matrices on each variable showed significant differences (P=0.001) in beta-diversity based on sample source. Environmental variables such as hydraulic retention time (HRT; P<0.031), total N (P<0.002), total inorganic N (P<0.002), total P (P<0.002), alkalinity (P<0.002), pH (P<0.022), total suspended solid (TSS; P<0.003), and volatile suspended solids (VSS; P<0.002) significantly affected microbial communities in DLE, HRAP, and WWTP. Of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified to phyla level, the dominant classes of bacteria identified were: Cyanobacteria, Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, Epsilon-, and Delta-proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes. Our data suggest that microbial communities were significantly affected in HRAP by different environmental variables, and care must be taken in extraction procedures when evaluating specific groups of microbial communities for

Ecological studies on algae isolated from the effluents of an oil refinery, a fertilizer factory and a brewery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, H D [Banarus Hindu Univ.; Bisaria, G P; Bhandari, L M; Rana, B C; Sharma, V

1974-07-01

Tha algal flora and physico-chemical characteristics of the effluents of the Indian Oil Refinery, Barauni; the Sindri Fertilizer Factory, Sindri; and the Mohan Meakin Brewery, Ghaziabad were studied. The studies indicate that algae can tolerate and grow in highly polluted waters. The blue-green algae, flagellates and euglenoids are mostly associated with organically rich effluents, low in dissolved oxygen, whereas waters rich in nitrogenous compounds favor the growth of green algae, e.g., Chlorella. A combination of algal and chemical characteristics may be successfully employed to evaluate the water quality of a given habitat.

Feasibility study of micro-filtration for algae separation in an innovative nuclear effluents decontamination process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouvion Saint Cyr, D. de; Wisniewski, C.; Schrive, L.; Farhi, E.; Rivasseau, C.

2014-01-01

Bio-remediation technologies often offer efficiency, cost and environmental impact benefits against physico-chemical technologies. Concerning the remediation of radionuclide-containing water, a few bio-based technologies have been proposed but none is currently operational in highly radioactive environments. A new radio-tolerant micro-alga, isolated from a nuclear facility, possesses properties that offer new decontamination prospects for the nuclear industry or for the clean-up of environmental water. A pilot-scale treatment unit based on this alga is currently under development for the decontamination of radioactive water. It includes separation and/or concentration steps relying on membrane filtration. This work aims at verifying the feasibility of micro-filtration as separation step for the targeted algae separation. Recommendations about the choice of operating conditions limiting and/or controlling the membrane fouling are provided with the objective to enhance the separation efficiency. Lab-scale dead-end filtration tests were implemented and the key factors involved in the separation performances were investigated. Membrane characteristics, biomass composition, and hydrodynamic conditions were considered. Organic membranes provided adequate filtration performance. Membrane fouling was essentially induced by a rapid reversible algae deposit and to a lesser extent by irreversible pore blockage caused by smaller particles and dissolved organic matter. To cancel the reversible fouling, hydrodynamic actions such as stirring and back-flush efficiently prevented algae deposit, allowing higher filtration productivity. This study demonstrates the feasibility of membrane separation for micro-algae harvesting at laboratory-scale and specifies the suitable working conditions. (authors)

Concentration factors for Cs-137 in marine algae from Japanese coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateda, Yutaka; Koyanagi, Taku.

1994-01-01

Concentration factors (CF: Bq·kg -1 in wet algae/Bq·kg -1 in filtered seawater) for Cs-137 in Japanese coastal algae, were investigated during 1984-1990. Cs-137/Cs (stable) atom ratios were also examined to clarify the distribution equilibrium of Cs-137 in marine algae and sea water. The CFs in marine algae were within the range of 5.4-92, and the geometric mean of CF was 28±2 (standard error) in Japanese coastal species. The CFs in edible species were within the range of 5.4-67, and the geometric means of CF was 26±4 (standard error). The values of Cs-137/Cs atom ratios in marine algae and sea water indicated that Cs-137 reached an equilibrium state in partition between algae and sea water. Therefore, the CF value obtained in the present study can be regarded as an equilibrated value. Our results showed that hte CF for Cs-137 in Japanese coastal algae were consistent with the Japanese guideline CFs, but were smaller than the recommended value by IAEA. (author)

Rare species of fungi parasiting on algae. III.

OpenAIRE

Joanna Z. Kadłubowska

2014-01-01

The investigations csrried out on algae revealed the following species of fungi from the order of Chytridialis Hawksworth et al. (1995) parasitizing on algae: Rhizophydium subgulosum, R. ganlosporum, R. planctonicum, Entophlyctis rhizina and Harpochytrium hedinii. These species arc new to Poland. The figure of resting spore of Entophlyctis rhizina is the fint graphic documentation of this species.

The role of algal organic matter in the separation of algae and cyanobacteria using the novel "Posi" - Dissolved air flotation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanumanth Rao, Narasinga Rao; Yap, Russell; Whittaker, Michael; Stuetz, Richard M; Jefferson, Bruce; Peirson, William L; Granville, Anthony M; Henderson, Rita K

2018-03-01

Algae and cyanobacteria frequently require separation from liquid media in both water treatment and algae culturing for biotechnology applications. The effectiveness of cell separation using a novel dissolved air flotation process that incorporates positively charged bubbles (PosiDAF) has recently been of interest but has been shown to be dependent on the algae or cyanobacteria species tested. Previously, it was hypothesised that algal organic matter (AOM) could be impacting the separation efficiency. Hence, this study investigates the influence of AOM on cell separation using PosiDAF, in which bubbles are modified using a commercially available cationic polyelectrolyte poly(N, N-diallyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC). The separation of Chlorella vulgaris CS-42/7, Mychonastes homosphaera CS-556/01 and two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa (CS-564/01 and CS-555/1), all of which have similar cell morphology but different AOM character, was investigated. By testing the cell separation in the presence and absence of AOM, it was determined that AOM enhanced cell separation for all the strains but to different extents depending on the quantity and composition of carbohydrates and proteins in the AOM. By extracting AOM from the strain for which optimal separation was observed and adding it to the others, cell separation improved from 90%. This was attributed to elevated levels of acidic carbohydrates as well as glycoprotein-carbohydrate conjugations, which in turn were related to the nature and quantity of proteins and carbohydrates present in the AOM. Therefore, it was concluded that process optimisation requires an in-depth understanding of the AOM and its components. If culturing algae for biotechnology applications, this indicates that strain selection is not only important with respect to high value product content, but also for cell separation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the quality of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon through dietary incorporation of algae as a source of natural pigment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kunal Mondal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tiger shrimp is one of the major candidate species for export oriented aquaculture which dominates the seafood market in regions of European Union, Japan and USA. Carotenoid content in seafood has now become one of the important criteria in determining the quality of edible product. Recent trends in supplementing fish diets with natural pigment source are an alternative to the utilization of expensive synthetic pigments. In this context, green algae Enteromorpha intestinalis was selected as a source of natural pigment for inclusion in the diet of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. Astaxanthin being an important category of carotenoid pigment was monitored in shrimp muscle tissue during the feeding trial. Significant variation (p<0.05 was observed between the experimental groups as confirmed through ANOVA thus exhibiting higher astaxanthin content of shrimps (18.70 Å} 4.48 ppm fed with E. intestinalis incorporated diet as compared to control (15.80 Å} 2.33 ppm. The present programme therefore emphasizes on the quality improvement of aquaculture product by dietary inclusion of algae as a natural pigment source.

The role of algae in agriculture: a mathematical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, P K; Misra, A K; Venturino, Ezio

2017-06-01

Synthetic fertilizers and livestock manure are nowadays widely used in agriculture to improve crop yield but nitrogen and phosphorous runoff resulting from their use compromises water quality and contributes to eutrophication phenomena in waterbeds within the countryside and ultimately in the ocean. Alternatively, algae could play an important role in agriculture where they can be used as biofertilizers and soil stabilizers. To examine the possible reuse of the detritus generated by dead algae as fertilizer for crops, we develop three mathematical models building upon each other. A system is proposed in which algae recover waste nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) for reuse in agricultural production. The results of our study show that in so doing, the crop yield may be increased and simultaneously the density of algae in the lake may be reduced. This could be a way to mitigate and possibly solve the environmental and economic issues nowadays facing agriculture.

An unexpectedly large and loosely packed mitochondrial genome in the charophycean green alga Chlorokybus atmophyticus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemieux Claude

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Streptophyta comprises all land plants and six groups of charophycean green algae. The scaly biflagellate Mesostigma viride (Mesostigmatales and the sarcinoid Chlorokybus atmophyticus (Chlorokybales represent the earliest diverging lineages of this phylum. In trees based on chloroplast genome data, these two charophycean green algae are nested in the same clade. To validate this relationship and gain insight into the ancestral state of the mitochondrial genome in the Charophyceae, we sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA of Chlorokybus and compared this genome sequence with those of three other charophycean green algae and the bryophytes Marchantia polymorpha and Physcomitrella patens. Results The Chlorokybus genome differs radically from its 42,424-bp Mesostigma counterpart in size, gene order, intron content and density of repeated elements. At 201,763-bp, it is the largest mtDNA yet reported for a green alga. The 70 conserved genes represent 41.4% of the genome sequence and include nad10 and trnL(gag, two genes reported for the first time in a streptophyte mtDNA. At the gene order level, the Chlorokybus genome shares with its Chara, Chaetosphaeridium and bryophyte homologues eight to ten gene clusters including about 20 genes. Notably, some of these clusters exhibit gene linkages not previously found outside the Streptophyta, suggesting that they originated early during streptophyte evolution. In addition to six group I and 14 group II introns, short repeated sequences accounting for 7.5% of the genome were identified. Mitochondrial trees were unable to resolve the correct position of Mesostigma, due to analytical problems arising from accelerated sequence evolution in this lineage. Conclusion The Chlorokybus and Mesostigma mtDNAs exemplify the marked fluidity of the mitochondrial genome in charophycean green algae. The notion that the mitochondrial genome was constrained to remain compact during charophycean

Instrumental neutron activation analysis study of elemental concentrations in some species of marine algae form different regions of Libyan coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abugassa, I. O.; Al-Dalem, B. S.

2012-12-01

Algae are an ideal marine species to study responses to different environmental factors free complication inherent in research with more complex higher plants. One of the advantages of environmental study using algae is the possibility to achieve and observe many generations during relative short time period. Algae materials have been used as ecological and environmental indicators to monitor and control in many fields of study such as freshwater and marine ecosystems, soil fertility, industrial applications, etc. It also has been shown that algae assemblages could be used as indicators of clean or polluted water. Previous studies proved high sensitivity of the most algae towards changing of environmental conditions, especially as consequences of water pollution. Algae respond rapidly and predictably to a wide range of pollutants and potentially use full early warning signals of deteriorating conditions and possible causes. Because of their nutritional needs and their position at the base of aquatic food web, algae indicators provide relativity unique information concerning ecosystem conditions compared with commonly used animal indicators. In most cases ecologically relevant signals of ecosystem changes are being provided that can be used to distinguish acceptable from unacceptable environmental conditions. Algae indicators are also a cost-effective monitoring tool as well. (Author)

Isotopic Evidence of Nitrate Sources and its Relationship to Algae in the San Joaquin River, California

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, S. R.; Kendall, C.; Young, M. B.; Stringfellow, W. T.; Borglin, S. E.; Kratzer, C. R.; Dahlgren, R. A.; Schmidt, C.; Rollog, M. E.

2007-12-01

Many competing demands have been placed on the San Joaquin River including deep water shipping, use as agricultural and drinking water, transport of agricultural and urban runoff, and recreation. These long-established demands limit the management options and increase the importance of understanding the river dynamics. The relationships among sources of water, nitrate, and algae in the San Joaquin River must be understood before management decisions can be made to optimize aquatic health. Isotopic analyses of water samples collected along the San Joaquin River in 2005-2007 have proven useful in assessing these relationships: sources of nitrate, the productivity of the San Joaquin River, and the relationship between nitrate and algae in the river. The San Joaquin River receives water locally from wetlands and agricultural return flow, and from three relatively large tributaries whose headwaters are in the Sierra Nevada. The lowest nitrate concentrations occur during periods of high flow when the proportion of water from the Sierra Nevada is relatively large, reflecting the effect of dilution from the big tributaries and indicating that a large fraction of the nitrate is of local origin. Nitrogen isotopes of nitrate in the San Joaquin River are relatively high (averaging about 12 per mil), suggesting a significant source from animal waste or sewage and/or the effects of denitrification. The d15N of nitrate varies inversely with concentration, indicating that these high isotopic values are also a local product. The d15N values of nitrate from most of the local tributaries is lower than that in the San Joaquin suggesting that nitrate from these tributaries does not account for a significant fraction of nitrate in the river. The source of the non-tributary nitrate must be either small unmeasured surface inputs or groundwater. To investigate whether groundwater might be a significant source of nitrate to the San Joaquin River, groundwater samples are being collected

Algae: America's Pathway to Independence

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Custer, James

2007-01-01

.... Oil dependency is an unacceptable risk to U.S. national strategy. This paper advocates independence from foreign oil by converting the national transportation fleet to biodiesel derived from algae...

Role of algae in water quality regulation in NPP water reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klenus, V.G.; Kuz'menko, M.I.; Nasvit, O.I.

1985-01-01

Investigations, carried out in Chernobyl NPP water reservoir, show that sewage water inflow, being not sufficiently purified, enriched by mineral and organic substances, is accompanied by a considerable increase of algae productivity. The algae play a determining role in accumulation of radionuclides and their transformation into bottom depositions. Comparative investigation of accumulation intensity in alga cells 12 C and 14 C gives evidence that the rate of radioactive nuclide inclusions is practically adequate to the rate of inclusions of their stable analogues. Bacterial destruction of organic contaminations occurs more intensively under aerobic conditions, which are mainly provided due to photosynthetizing activity of algae

Characteristics of Red Algae Bioplastics/Latex Blends under Tension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Nizar Machmud

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Cassava, corn, sago and the other food crops have been commonly used as raw materials to produce green plastics. However, plastics produced from such crops cannot be tailored to fit a particular requirement due to their poor water resistance and mechanical properties. Nowadays, researchers are hence looking to get alternative raw materials from the other sustainable resources to produce plastics. Their recent published studies have reported that marine red algae, that has been already widely used as a raw material for producing biofuels, is one of the potential algae crops that can be turned into plastics. In this work, Eucheuma Cottonii, that is one of the red alga crops, was used as raw material to produce plastics by using a filtration technique. Selected latex of Artocarpus altilis and Calostropis gigantea was separately then blended with bioplastics derived from the red algae, to replace use of glycerol as plasticizer. Role of the glycerol and the selected latex on physical and mechanical properties of the red algae bioplastics obtained under a tensile test performed at room temperature are discussed. Tensile strength of some starch-based plastics collected from some recent references is also presented in this paperDoi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.81-88 [How to cite this article: Machmud, M.N., Fahmi, R.,  Abdullah, R., and Kokarkin, C.  (2013. Characteristics of Red Algae Bioplastics/Latex Blends under Tension. International Journal of Science and Engineering, 5(2,81-88. Doi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.81-88

Are algae relevant to the detritus-based food web in tank-bromeliads?

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Olivier Brouard

Full Text Available We assessed the occurrence of algae in five species of tank-bromeliads found in contrasting environmental sites in a Neotropical, primary rainforest around the Nouragues Research Station, French Guiana. The distributions of both algal abundance and biomass were examined based on physical parameters, the morphological characteristics of bromeliad species and with regard to the structure of other aquatic microbial communities held in the tanks. Algae were retrieved in all of the bromeliad species with mean densities ranging from ∼10(2 to 10(4 cells/mL. Their biomass was positively correlated to light exposure and bacterial biomass. Algae represented a tiny component of the detrital food web in shaded bromeliads but accounted for up to 30 percent of the living microbial carbon in the tanks of Catopsis berteroniana, located in a highly exposed area. Thus, while nutrient supplies are believed to originate from wind-borne particles and trapped insects (i.e., allochtonous organic matter, our results indicate that primary producers (i.e., autochtonous organic matter are present in this insectivorous bromeliad. Using a 24-h incubation of size-fractionated and manipulated samples from this plant, we evaluated the impact of mosquito foraging on algae, other microorganisms and rotifers. The prey assemblages were greatly altered by the predation of mosquito larvae. Grazing losses indicated that the dominant algal taxon, Bumilleriopsis sp., like protozoa and rotifers, is a significant part of the diet of mosquito larvae. We conclude that algae are a relevant functional community of the aquatic food web in C. berteroniana and might form the basis of a complementary non-detrital food web.

Nutrient Content, Phytonutrient Composition, Alpha Amylase, Alpha Glucosidase Inhibition Activity and Antioxidant Activity of the Stoechospermum Marginatum Collected in Pre Monsoon Season

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Reka Palanivel

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the nutrient content, phytonutrient composition, physicochemical properties, alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibition activity and antioxidant activity of the brown algae Stoechospermum marginatum collected from Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu, India in pre monsoon season (June- September, 2015. Six and eight hours of ethanol and aqueous extract of Stoechospermum marginatum were used for phytonutrient screening, alpha amylase, alpha glucosidase inhibition activity and antioxidant activity. From the results of the study it is understood that Stoechospermum marginatum contain a high amount of carbohydrate, protein, crude fiber and phytonutrients like tannin, flavonoid, saponin, alkaloid, terpenoids, steroid and total phenolic content. The physicochemical properties namely Water absorption and Swelling power were very promising. Alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibition activity was recorded to be high in both aqueous and ethanol extracts of eight hour extraction than in extracts taken from six hours extraction. Antioxidant activity was detected using DPPH, FRAP, beta carotene scavenging and H2O2 assay and found to have a high radical scavenging activity. Stoechospermum marginatum possess a valuable amount of total phenolic content and other phytonutrients and physicochemical properties, it may the reason for the potential inhibition of alpha amylase, alpha glucosidase and antioxidant activity. It is concluded from the study that the brown algae may be incorporated into foods to enhance their nutritional and therapeutic value.

Sustainable Algae Biodiesel Production in Cold Climates

OpenAIRE

Baliga, Rudras; Powers, Susan E.

2010-01-01

This life cycle assessment aims to determine the most suitable operating conditions for algae biodiesel production in cold climates to minimize energy consumption and environmental impacts. Two hypothetical photobioreactor algae production and biodiesel plants located in Upstate New York (USA) are modeled. The photobioreactor is assumed to be housed within a greenhouse that is located adjacent to a fossil fuel or biomass power plant that can supply waste heat and flue gas containing CO2 as a ...

Photobiological hydrogen production with switchable photosystem-II designer algae

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, James Weifu

2014-02-18

A process for enhanced photobiological H.sub.2 production using transgenic alga. The process includes inducing exogenous genes in a transgenic alga by manipulating selected environmental factors. In one embodiment inducing production of an exogenous gene uncouples H.sub.2 production from existing mechanisms that would downregulate H.sub.2 production in the absence of the exogenous gene. In other embodiments inducing an exogenous gene triggers a cascade of metabolic changes that increase H.sub.2 production. In some embodiments the transgenic alga are rendered non-regenerative by inducing exogenous transgenes for proton channel polypeptides that are targeted to specific algal membranes.

Techno-Economic Assessment of Micro-Algae Production Systems

OpenAIRE

Hoffman, Justin

2016-01-01

Global oil consumption is rising at an unprecedented rate renewing interest in alternative fuels. Micro-algae represents a promising feedstock due to inherent advantages such as high solar energy efficiencies, large lipid fractions, and utilization of various waste streams including industrial flue gas. Current technological challenges have limited the commercial viability of microalgae based biofuel production systems. This study directly evaluates and compares the economic viability of biom...

Algae biotechnology: products and processes

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bux, F; Chisti, Yusuf

2016-01-01

This book examines the utilization of algae for the development of useful products and processes with the emphasis towards green technologies and processes, and the requirements to make these viable...

Adsorption Studies of Lead by Enteromorpha Algae and Its Silicates Bonded Material

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Hassan H. Hammud

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Lead adsorption by green Enteromorpha algae was studied. Adsorption capacity was 83.8 mg/g at pH 3.0 with algae (E and 1433.5 mg/g for silicates modified algae (EM. FTIR and thermal analysis of algae materials were studied. Thomas and Yoon-Nelson column model were best for adsorbent (E and algae after reflux (ER and Yan model for (EM with capacity 76.2, 71.1, and 982.5 mg/g, respectively. (ER and (EM show less swelling and better flow rate control than (E. Nonlinear methods are more appropriate technique. Error function calculations proved valuable for predicting the best adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and column models.

Rare species of fungi parasiting on algae. III.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Z. Kadłubowska

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The investigations csrried out on algae revealed the following species of fungi from the order of Chytridialis Hawksworth et al. (1995 parasitizing on algae: Rhizophydium subgulosum, R. ganlosporum, R. planctonicum, Entophlyctis rhizina and Harpochytrium hedinii. These species arc new to Poland. The figure of resting spore of Entophlyctis rhizina is the fint graphic documentation of this species.

Turf algae-mediated coral damage in coastal reefs of Belize, Central America

KAUST Repository

Wild, Christian; Jantzen, Carin; Kremb, Stephan Georg

2014-01-01

Many coral reefs in the Caribbean experienced substantial changes in their benthic community composition during the last decades. This often resulted in phase shifts from scleractinian coral dominance to that by other benthic invertebrate or algae. However, knowledge about how the related role of coral-algae contacts may negatively affect corals is scarce. Therefore, benthic community composition, abundance of algae grazers, and the abundance and character of coral-algae contacts were assessed in situ at 13 Belizean reef sites distributed along a distance gradient to the Belizean mainland (12–70 km): Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (inshore), Turneffe Atoll (inner and outer midshore), and Lighthouse Reef (offshore). In situ surveys revealed significantly higher benthic cover by scleractinian corals at the remote Lighthouse Reef (26–29%) when compared to the other sites (4–19%). The abundance of herbivorous fish and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum significantly increased towards the offshore reef sites, while the occurrence of direct coral-algae contacts consequently increased significantly with decreasing distance to shore. About 60% of these algae contacts were harmful (exhibiting coral tissue damage, pigmentation change, or overgrowth) for corals (mainly genera Orbicella and Agaricia), particularly when filamentous turf algae were involved. These findings provide support to the hypothesis that (turf) algae-mediated coral damage occurs in Belizean coastal, near-shore coral reefs.

Competitive interactions between corals and turf algae depend on coral colony form.

Science.gov (United States)

Swierts, Thomas; Vermeij, Mark Ja

2016-01-01

Turf algae are becoming more abundant on coral reefs worldwide, but their effects on other benthic organisms remain poorly described. To describe the general characteristics of competitive interactions between corals and turf algae, we determined the occurrence and outcomes of coral-turf algal interactions among different coral growth forms (branching, upright, massive, encrusting, plating, and solitary) on a shallow reef in Vietnam. In total, the amount of turf algal interaction, i.e., the proportion of the coral boundary directly bordering turf algae, was quantified for 1,276 coral colonies belonging to 27 genera and the putative outcome of each interaction was noted. The amount of turf algal interaction and the outcome of these interactions differed predictably among the six growth forms. Encrusting corals interacted most often with turf algae, but also competed most successfully against turf algae. The opposite was observed for branching corals, which rarely interacted with turf algae and rarely won these competitive interactions. Including all other growth forms, a positive relationship was found between the amount of competitive interactions with neighboring turf algae and the percentage of such interaction won by the coral. This growth form dependent ability to outcompete turf algae was not only observed among coral species, but also among different growth forms in morphologically plastic coral genera (Acropora, Favia, Favites, Montastrea, Montipora, Porites) illustrating the general nature of this relationship.

Turf algae-mediated coral damage in coastal reefs of Belize, Central America.

Science.gov (United States)

Wild, Christian; Jantzen, Carin; Kremb, Stephan Georg

2014-01-01

Many coral reefs in the Caribbean experienced substantial changes in their benthic community composition during the last decades. This often resulted in phase shifts from scleractinian coral dominance to that by other benthic invertebrate or algae. However, knowledge about how the related role of coral-algae contacts may negatively affect corals is scarce. Therefore, benthic community composition, abundance of algae grazers, and the abundance and character of coral-algae contacts were assessed in situ at 13 Belizean reef sites distributed along a distance gradient to the Belizean mainland (12-70 km): Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (inshore), Turneffe Atoll (inner and outer midshore), and Lighthouse Reef (offshore). In situ surveys revealed significantly higher benthic cover by scleractinian corals at the remote Lighthouse Reef (26-29%) when compared to the other sites (4-19%). The abundance of herbivorous fish and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum significantly increased towards the offshore reef sites, while the occurrence of direct coral-algae contacts consequently increased significantly with decreasing distance to shore. About 60% of these algae contacts were harmful (exhibiting coral tissue damage, pigmentation change, or overgrowth) for corals (mainly genera Orbicella and Agaricia), particularly when filamentous turf algae were involved. These findings provide support to the hypothesis that (turf) algae-mediated coral damage occurs in Belizean coastal, near-shore coral reefs.

Turf algae-mediated coral damage in coastal reefs of Belize, Central America

KAUST Repository

Wild, Christian

2014-09-16

Many coral reefs in the Caribbean experienced substantial changes in their benthic community composition during the last decades. This often resulted in phase shifts from scleractinian coral dominance to that by other benthic invertebrate or algae. However, knowledge about how the related role of coral-algae contacts may negatively affect corals is scarce. Therefore, benthic community composition, abundance of algae grazers, and the abundance and character of coral-algae contacts were assessed in situ at 13 Belizean reef sites distributed along a distance gradient to the Belizean mainland (12–70 km): Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (inshore), Turneffe Atoll (inner and outer midshore), and Lighthouse Reef (offshore). In situ surveys revealed significantly higher benthic cover by scleractinian corals at the remote Lighthouse Reef (26–29%) when compared to the other sites (4–19%). The abundance of herbivorous fish and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum significantly increased towards the offshore reef sites, while the occurrence of direct coral-algae contacts consequently increased significantly with decreasing distance to shore. About 60% of these algae contacts were harmful (exhibiting coral tissue damage, pigmentation change, or overgrowth) for corals (mainly genera Orbicella and Agaricia), particularly when filamentous turf algae were involved. These findings provide support to the hypothesis that (turf) algae-mediated coral damage occurs in Belizean coastal, near-shore coral reefs.

A novel membrane bioreactor inoculated with symbiotic sludge bacteria and algae: Performance and microbial community analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Li; Tian, Yu; Zhang, Jun; Li, Lipin; Zhang, Jian; Li, Jianzheng

2018-03-01

This study combined sludge MBR technology with algae to establish an effective wastewater treatment and low membrane fouling system (ASB-MBR). Compared with control-MBR (C-MBR), the amelioration of microbial activity and the improvement of sludge properties and system environment were achieved after introducing algae resulting in high nutrients removal in the combined system. Further statistical analysis revealed that the symbiosis of algae and sludge displayed more remarkable impacts on nutrients removal than either of them. Additionally, membrane permeability was improved in ASB-MBR with respect to the decreased concentration, the changed of characteristics and the broken particular functional groups of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). Moreover, the algae inoculation reduced sludge diversity and shifted sludge community structure. Meantime, the stimulated bacteria selectively excite algal members that would benefit for the formation of algal-bacterial consortia. Consequently, the stimulated or inhibited of some species might be responsible for the performance of ASB-MBR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benthic Algae Communities in the Rivers of Different Water Quality in Lithuania

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Irma Vitonytė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Investigation into benthic algae communities was carried out in the Lithuanian rivers of different water quality during the period 2004–2006. The structure of benthic algae communities in the rivers of different water quality slightly differs. The community of Cladophora glomerata–Vaucheria sessilis–Fontinalis antipyretica mainly dominated in the rivers. Algae communities reiterate in unpolluted rivers (II class, according to biogenes such as Akmena, Babrungas, Bražuolė and Siesartis where Cladophora glomerata–Fontinalis antipyretica, Amblystegium riparium–Cladophora glomerata, and Fontinalis antipyretica–Cladophora glomerata communities predominate. In slightly and moderately polluted rivers, algae communities are unreiteratable. Differences in river water quality could be better determined by frequently appearing algae species in algae communities: in unpolluted rivers – Hildenbrandia rivularis, Audouinella chalybea and A. Hermanii, in slightly polluted – Vaucheria sessilis and Fontinalis antipyretica, and in moderately polluted – Stigeoclonium nanum, S. tenue, Aulacoseira islandica and Melosira varians.The variety of the structure of benthic algae communities could be determined by abiotic environmental factors such as the heterogenity of substratum, stream velocity and depth, the intensity of light and biogenes concentration.Article in Lithuanian

Studies on allergenic algae of Delhi area: botanical aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Mittal, A; Agarwal, M K; Shivpuri, D N

1979-04-01

To study distribution of algae in and around Delhi aerobiological surveys were undertaken for two consecutive years (September, 1972, to August, 1974). The surveys were accomplished by (a) slide exposure method and (b) culture plate exposure method. A total of 850 slides were exposed using Durham's gravity sampling device. Of these, 560 slides were exposed during 1973 (272 slides at two meter and 288 at ten meter height) and the rest (290 slides) were exposed during 1974 at ten meter height. A total of 858 culture plates were exposed (276 for one hour and 282 for two hours) during 1973 and the rest (300 culture plates) were exposed during 1974 at ten meter height for two hours duration only. Air was found to be rich in algae flora during the months of September to November. The dominant forms of algae present were all blue greens. This might be due to the relative greater resistance of blue green algae to unfavorable conditions.

Switchable photosystem-II designer algae for photobiological hydrogen production

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, James Weifu

2010-01-05

A switchable photosystem-II designer algae for photobiological hydrogen production. The designer transgenic algae includes at least two transgenes for enhanced photobiological H.sub.2 production wherein a first transgene serves as a genetic switch that can controls photosystem II (PSII) oxygen evolution and a second transgene encodes for creation of free proton channels in the algal photosynthetic membrane. In one embodiment, the algae includes a DNA construct having polymerase chain reaction forward primer (302), a inducible promoter (304), a PSII-iRNA sequence (306), a terminator (308), and a PCR reverse primer (310). In other embodiments, the PSII-iRNA sequence (306) is replaced with a CF.sub.1-iRNA sequence (312), a streptomycin-production gene (314), a targeting sequence (316) followed by a proton-channel producing gene (318), or a PSII-producing gene (320). In one embodiment, a photo-bioreactor and gas-product separation and utilization system produce photobiological H.sub.2 from the switchable PSII designer alga.

DISTRIBUTIONAND DIVERSITY OF MACRO ALGAE COMMUNITIES IN THE AMBON BAY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Litaay

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Water conditions affected by natural and anthropogenic parameters such as sedimentation and solid waste disposal can influence the growth and distribution of macro algae. Sustainable management efforts can reduce damage on the Gulf coast of Ambon due to human activities and land clearing. This study was conducted in October 2008 using the transect method with 3 replicates in five locations i.e., Tantui, Air Salobar, Hative Besar, Halong, and Lateri. The interior and exterior waters of Ambon Bay contained different habitat conditions due to  sedimentation processes. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and diversity of macro algae communities in the Ambon Bay. The results found 21 species of macro- algae consisting of 10 species of Rhodhophyceae, 6 species of Chlorophyceae, and 5 species of Phaeophyceae. The highest density value of seaweed in Tantui was 389.0 g/m² of Chlorophyceae of Halimeda genus. In Air Salobar and Halong, the highest density value was Rhodophyceae of Gracilaria genus of 172.0 g/m² and 155.0 g/m², respectively. For the other genus in the Tantui and Lateri regions were dominated by Ulva at 92.10 gr/m2 and Padina of 20.0 gr/m2, respectively. The highest dominance of macro algae in the Hative Besar was found Chlorophyceae of Halimeda genus of 2.93 %, in the Air Salobar of Phaeophyceae of Turbinaria genus of 1.43 %. The difference values in density and the dominance of macro algae indicated an influence of habitat and environment due to seasons, sediment, and solid waste disposal to the diversity of macro algae. Keywords: Diversity, macro algae, Ambon Bay.

BEBERAPA MARGA ALGA BENANG DAN HUBUNGANNYA DENGAN KEBERADAAN VEKTOR MALARIA DI BALI UTARA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. G. Seregeg

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A study of filamentous algae and its relation to malaria vector control was conducted during the dry season in several lagoons at the north coast of Bali. Floating masses of these algae under the sunshine barricated the spread of solar-triton larvicide, reducing tremendously the effectiveness of the larvicide. Identification of the genera of these algae under the subphyllum of CYANOPHYTA (Blue Algae in the family of Cyanophyceae were Oscillatoria, Spirulina, Phormidium, Rivularia, Nostoc, and Anabaena; under the subphyllum of CHLOROPHYTA (Green Algae in the family of Chlorophyceae were Enteromorpha, Spirogyra, Mougeotia, Zygnema, and Oedogonium. The surface of water in between the floating masses of algae were an exellent breeding place of mosquitoes mainly Anopheles sundaicus. The density of Enteromorpha, the main attractant of An sundaicus compared to other filamantous algae, has no direct relation on the density of An. sundaicus larva. Hence Enteromorpha could only be considered as the indicator of the presence of larvae and not as the indicator of population densities of larvae Lagoons surrounded with mangrove plantations did not harbour filamentous algae and larvae of An. sundaicus were not found.

Lab on a chip technologies for algae detection : a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaap, A.M.; Rohrlack, T.; Bellouard, Y.J.

2012-01-01

Over the last few decades, lab on a chip technologies have emerged as powerful tools for high-accuracy diagnosis with minute quantities of liquid and as tools for exploring cell properties in general. In this paper, we present a review of the current status of this technology in the context of algae

Modelization of tritium transfer into the organic compartments of algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonotto, S.; Gerber, G.B.; Arapis, G.; Kirchmann, R.

1982-01-01

Uptake of tritium oxide and its conversion into organic tritium was studied in four different types of algae with widely varying size and growth characteristics (Acetabularia acetabulum, Boergesenia forbesii, two strains of Chlamydomonas and Dunaliella bioculata). Water in the cell and the vacuales equilibrates rapidly with external tritium water. Tritium is actively incorporated into organically bound form as the organisms grow. During the stationary phase, incorporation of tritium is slow. There exists a discrimination against the incorporation of tritium into organically bound form. A model has been elaborated taking in account these different factors. It appears that transfer of organic tritium by algae growing near the sites of release would be significant only for actively growing algae. Algae growing slowly may, however, be useful as cumulative indicators of discontinuous tritium release. (author)

Isolation and Characterization of Blue Green Algae from Egyptian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

meldemellawy

2014-02-20

Feb 20, 2014 ... aminotransferase (AMT) domains of the mycE and ndaF genes (Jungblut et al., 2006) allowing detection of microcystin and nodularin-producing cyanobacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Isolation and cultivation of blue green algae. Blue green algae had been isolated from soil of Rice field in river.

A UAV and S2A data-based estimation of the initial biomass of green algae in the South Yellow Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Fuxiang; Gao, Zhiqiang; Jiang, Xiaopeng; Shang, Weitao; Ning, Jicai; Song, Debin; Ai, Jinquan

2018-03-01

Previous studies have shown that the initial biomass of green tide was the green algae attaching to Pyropia aquaculture rafts in the Southern Yellow Sea. In this study, the green algae was identified with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an biomass estimation model was proposed for green algae biomass in the radial sand ridge area based on Sentinel-2A image (S2A) and UAV images. The result showed that the green algae was detected highly accurately with the normalized green-red difference index (NGRDI); approximately 1340 tons and 700 tons of green algae were attached to rafts and raft ropes respectively, and the lower biomass might be the main cause for the smaller scale of green tide in 2017. In addition, UAV play an important role in raft-attaching green algae monitoring and long-term research of its biomass would provide a scientific basis for the control and forecast of green tide in the Yellow Sea. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical contact and carbon transfer between a lichen-forming Trebouxia alga and a novel Alphaproteobacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, Mieko; Tanabe, Hideyuki; Ohmura, Yoshihito; Satta, Yoko; Terai, Yohey

2017-05-01

Recent progress in molecular techniques has begun to alter traditional recognition of lichens as symbiotic organisms comprised of a fungus and photosynthetic partners (green algae and/or cyanobacteria). Diverse organisms, especially various non-photosynthetic bacteria, are now indicated to be integral components of lichen symbiosis. Although lichen-associated bacteria are inferred to have functions that could support the symbiosis, little is known about their physical and nutritional interaction with fungi and algae. In the present study, we identified specific interaction between a lichen-forming alga and a novel bacterium. Trebouxia alga was isolated from a lichen, Usnea hakonensis, and kept as a strain for 8 years. Although no visible bacterial colonies were observed in this culture, high-throughput sequencing of DNA isolated from the culture revealed that the strain is composed of a Trebouxia alga and an Alphaproteobacterium species. In situ hybridization showed that bacterial cells were localized on the surface of the algal cells. Physiological assays revealed that the bacterium was able to use ribitol, glucose and mannitol, all of which are known to exist abundantly in lichens. It was resistant to three antibiotics. Bacteria closely related to this species were also identified in lichen specimens, indicating that U. hakonensis may commonly associate with this group of bacteria. These features of the novel bacterium suggest that it may be involved in carbon cycling of U. hakonensis as a member of lichen symbiosis and less likely to have become associated with the alga after isolation from a lichen.

A mathematical model for 137Cs uptake and release by filamentous algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svadlenkova, M.; Dvorak, Z.; Slavik, O.; Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Prague; Jaslovske Bohunice

1989-01-01

A mathematical model of the dynamics of radiocaesium transport in the aquatic phase-algae system is suggested in this work. Allowance is made for algae growth and for both reversible and irreversible absorption of this radionuclide by the algae. The algae biomass is divided hypothetically into two compartments with different exchange kinetics. The parameters of the model are time dependent. The model is quantified using experimental data for the concentrations of 137 Cs in Cladophora glomerata filamentous algae and in water, obtained in situ in the environment of a nuclear power station. The model fits the data resonably well and can be applied, for example, in bioindication of radioactivity in aquatic recipients in the environment of nuclear power stations. (author)

Biodegradation of an oily bilge waste using algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carpenter, M.J.

1987-01-01

A mixed community of microogranisms was collected from the harbor at the North Island Navy Base and was monitored in a test ecosystem containing an oily bilge waste obtained from off-loading ships. Cultures were examined in the presence and absence of the algae. It was thought that the algae might enhance the degradation of the oil waste by providing oxygen and possibly a nutrient source from dying phytoplankton for the bacterial community. The change in community structure was monitored by isolating the various groups of organisms and determining the biomass change over time for the algae, bacteria and yeasts/fungi subjected to the bilge waste. The biomass (i.e., colony forming units) of the yeasts and fungi increased 100 fold in a 6 week test period. The community containing only the bacteria and fungi/yeasts lost the fungal component of the population, although active bacteria biomass increased more than 10 fold during exposure to the waste. The test ecosystem was subjected to a radiolabeled compound (/sup 14/C-phenol) and bilge waste mixture to ascertain the ability of the communities to mineralize the phenol and/or assimilate the labeled hydrocarbon. The community containing the algae started mineralizing the phenol (measure by /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ production) 24 hours after exposure to the waste/phenol mixture. The bacteria/yeast-fungi community had a lag period of 384 hours before extensive catabolism of the labeled compound occurred. Current data indicate algae may enhance the biodegradation rate of oil bilge waste in a mixed microbial community.

Tracking polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lichens: It's all about the algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Augusto, Sofia; Sierra, Jordi; Nadal, Martí; Schuhmacher, Marta

2015-01-01

Lichens, symbioses of fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria, have the remarkable ability to uptake and accumulate semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC) from air, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but the mechanism of accumulation is still unknown. Understanding these mechanisms is critical to standardize the use of lichens as environmental bioindicators and to further integrate them in air monitoring networks. Through a series of experiments we show that gas phase PAHs easily cross lichen's surface and accumulate in the photosynthetic algal layer of lichens. Once accumulated, they remain in the algal layer and not within the fungus hyphae, or adhered to lichen's surface, as it was previously supposed to happen. Additionally, when lichens are washed, gas phase PAHs still remain in the algal layer. Our results reveal that lichens may be utilized as bioindicators of gas phase PAHs, overcoming current limitations of air monitoring. - Highlights: • Gas phase PAHs accumulate in the photosynthetic algal layer of lichens. • When lichens are washed by rain, gas phase PAHs remain in the algal layer. • Algae content may be a source of variability when interpreting PAH data in lichens. - Gas phase PAHs easily cross lichen's surface and accumulate in the photosynthetic algal layer of lichens.

Spectroscopic investigation of ionizing-radiation tolerance of a Chlorophyceae green micro-alga

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farhi, E; Compagnon, E; Marzloff, V; Ollivier, J; Boisson, A M; Natali, F; Russo, D [Institut Laue-Langevin, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Rivasseau, C; Gromova, M; Bligny, R [CEA, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Vegetale, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Coute, A [Museum National d' Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Cryptogamie, 2 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris (France)

2008-03-12

Micro-organisms living in extreme environments are captivating in the peculiar survival processes they have developed. Deinococcus radiodurans is probably the most famous radio-resistant bacteria. Similarly, a specific ecosystem has grown in a research reactor storage pool, and has selected organisms which may sustain radiative stress. An original green micro-alga which was never studied for its high tolerance to radiations has been isolated. It is the only autotrophic eukaryote that develops in this pool, although contamination possibilities coming from outside are not unusual. Studying what could explain this irradiation tolerance is consequently very interesting. An integrative study of the effects of irradiation on the micro-algae physiology, metabolism, internal dynamics, and genomics was initiated. In the work presented here, micro-algae were stressed with irradiation doses up to 20 kGy (2 Mrad), and studied by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, looking for modifications in the metabolism, and on the IN13 neutron backscattering instrument at the ILL, looking for both dynamics and structural macromolecular changes in the cells.

Spectroscopic investigation of ionizing-radiation tolerance of a Chlorophyceae green micro-alga

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhi, E; Compagnon, E; Marzloff, V; Ollivier, J; Boisson, A M; Natali, F; Russo, D; Rivasseau, C; Gromova, M; Bligny, R; Coute, A

2008-01-01

Micro-organisms living in extreme environments are captivating in the peculiar survival processes they have developed. Deinococcus radiodurans is probably the most famous radio-resistant bacteria. Similarly, a specific ecosystem has grown in a research reactor storage pool, and has selected organisms which may sustain radiative stress. An original green micro-alga which was never studied for its high tolerance to radiations has been isolated. It is the only autotrophic eukaryote that develops in this pool, although contamination possibilities coming from outside are not unusual. Studying what could explain this irradiation tolerance is consequently very interesting. An integrative study of the effects of irradiation on the micro-algae physiology, metabolism, internal dynamics, and genomics was initiated. In the work presented here, micro-algae were stressed with irradiation doses up to 20 kGy (2 Mrad), and studied by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, looking for modifications in the metabolism, and on the IN13 neutron backscattering instrument at the ILL, looking for both dynamics and structural macromolecular changes in the cells

New records of marine algae in Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Le Hau, Nhu; Ly, Bui Minh; Van Huynh, Tran; Trung, Vo Thanh

2015-06-01

In May, 2013, a scientific expedition was organized by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEBRAS) through the frame of the VAST-FEBRAS International Collaboration Program. The expedition went along the coast of Vietnam from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang. The objective was to collect natural resources to investigate the biological and biochemical diversity of the territorial waters of Vietnam. Among the collected algae, six taxa are new records for the Vietnam algal flora. They are the red algae Titanophora pikeana (Dickie) Feldmann from Cu Lao Xanh Island, Laurencia natalensis Kylin from Tho Chu Island, Coelothrix irregularis (Harvey) Børgesen from Con Dao Island, the green algae Caulerpa oligophylla Montagne, Caulerpa andamanensis (W.R. Taylor) Draisma, Prudhomme et Sauvage from Phu Quy Island, and Caulerpa falcifolia Harvey & Bailey from Ly Son Island. The seaweed flora of Vietnam now counts 833 marine algal taxa, including 415 Rhodophyta, 147 Phaeophyceae, 183 Chlorophyta, and 88 Cyanobacteria.

ALDUO(TM) Algae Cultivation Technology for Delivering Sustainable Omega-3s, Feed, and Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Xuemei [Cellana LLC

2012-09-24

* ALDUO(TM) Algae Production Technology Cellana?s Proprietary, Photosynthetic, & Proven * ALDUO(TM) Enables Economic Algae Production Unencumbered by Contamination by Balancing Higher-Cost PBRs with Lower-Cost Open Ponds * ALDUO(TM) Advantages * ALDUO(TM) Today o Large collection of strains for high value co-products o Powerful Mid-scale Screening & Optimization System o Solution to a Conflicting Interest o Split Pond Yield Enhancement o Heterotrophy & mixotrophy as a "finishing step" o CO2 Mitigation-flue Gas Operation o Worldwide Feed Trials with Livestock & Aquatic Species * ALDUO(TM) Technology Summarized

Variations of floc morphology and extracellular organic matters (EOM) in relation to floc filterability under algae flocculation harvesting using polymeric titanium coagulants (PTCs).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weijun; Song, Rongna; Cao, Bingdi; Yang, Xiaofang; Wang, Dongsheng; Fu, Xingmin; Song, Yao

2018-05-01

The work evaluated the algae cells removal efficiency using titanium salt coagulants with different degree of polymerization (PTCs), and the algae cells aggregates and extracellular organic matter (EOM) under chemical flocculation were investigated. The results indicated that PTCs performed well in algae cells flocculation and separation. The main mechanism using PTCs of low alkalisation degree for algae flocculation was associated with charge neutralization, while adsorption bridging and sweep flocculation was mainly responsible for algae removal by PTCs of high alkalisation degree treatment. In addition, the flocs formed by PTC 1.0 showed the best filtration property, and EOM reached the minimum at this time, indicating the flocs formed by PTC 1.0 were more compact than other PTCs, which can be confirmed by SEM analysis. Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence (3D-EEM) and high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) revealed that the EOMs were removed under PTCs flocculation, which improved floc filterability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biotransformation of arsenic by a Yellowstone thermoacidophilic eukaryotic alga.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Jie; Lehr, Corinne R; Yuan, Chungang; Le, X Chris; McDermott, Timothy R; Rosen, Barry P

2009-03-31

Arsenic is the most common toxic substance in the environment, ranking first on the Superfund list of hazardous substances. It is introduced primarily from geochemical sources and is acted on biologically, creating an arsenic biogeocycle. Geothermal environments are known for their elevated arsenic content and thus provide an excellent setting in which to study microbial redox transformations of arsenic. To date, most studies of microbial communities in geothermal environments have focused on Bacteria and Archaea, with little attention to eukaryotic microorganisms. Here, we show the potential of an extremophilic eukaryotic alga of the order Cyanidiales to influence arsenic cycling at elevated temperatures. Cyanidioschyzon sp. isolate 5508 oxidized arsenite [As(III)] to arsenate [As(V)], reduced As(V) to As(III), and methylated As(III) to form trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) and dimethylarsenate [DMAs(V)]. Two arsenic methyltransferase genes, CmarsM7 and CmarsM8, were cloned from this organism and demonstrated to confer resistance to As(III) in an arsenite hypersensitive strain of Escherichia coli. The 2 recombinant CmArsMs were purified and shown to transform As(III) into monomethylarsenite, DMAs(V), TMAO, and trimethylarsine gas, with a T(opt) of 60-70 degrees C. These studies illustrate the importance of eukaryotic microorganisms to the biogeochemical cycling of arsenic in geothermal systems, offer a molecular explanation for how these algae tolerate arsenic in their environment, and provide the characterization of algal methyltransferases.

Dinitrogen fixation by blue-green algae from paddy fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Joseph

1977-01-01

Recent work using radioactive nitrogen on the blue-green algae of paddy fields has been reviewed. These algae fix dinitrogen and photoassimilate carbon evolving oxygen, thereby augmenting nitrogen and carbon status of the soil and also providing oxygen to the water-logged rice paddies. Further studies using radioactive isotopes 13 N, 24 Na and 22 Na on their nitrogen fixation, nitrogen assimilation pathways; regulation of nitrogenase, heterocysts production and sporulation and sodium transport and metabolism have been carried out and reported. The field application of blue green algae for N 2 fixation was found to increase the status of soil nitrogen and yield of paddy. (M.G.B.)

Method and apparatus using an active ionic liquid for algae biofuel harvest and extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Salvo, Roberto Di; Reich, Alton; Dykes, Jr., H. Waite H.; Teixeira, Rodrigo

2012-11-06

The invention relates to use of an active ionic liquid to dissolve algae cell walls. The ionic liquid is used to, in an energy efficient manner, dissolve and/or lyse an algae cell walls, which releases algae constituents used in the creation of energy, fuel, and/or cosmetic components. The ionic liquids include ionic salts having multiple charge centers, low, very low, and ultra low melting point ionic liquids, and combinations of ionic liquids. An algae treatment system is described, which processes wet algae in a lysing reactor, separates out algae constituent products, and optionally recovers the ionic liquid in an energy efficient manner.

Evaluation of the activated carbon prepared from the algae ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evaluation of the activated carbon prepared from the algae Gracilaria for the biosorption of Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... This study shows the benefit of using activated carbon from marine red algae as a low cost sorbent for the removal of copper from aqueous solution wastewater.

Oxidative stability and microstructure of 5% fish-oil-enriched granola bars added natural antioxidants derived from brown algaFucus vesiculosus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karadağ, Ayşe; Hermund, Ditte Baun; Jensen, Louise Helene Søgaard

2017-01-01

The aims of this study were to; 1) investigate the ability of Icelandic brown algae Fucus vesiculosus extracts to inhibit lipid oxidation in granola bars fortified with fish oil-in-water emulsion; 2) investigate whether addition of the seaweed extracts affected the physical microstructure...... efficacy of these two extracts was among other related to an improved incorporation of the fish oil-in-water emulsions in the bars, high total phenolic content, high radical scavenging activity together with high interfacial affinity of phenolic compounds and probably regeneration of tocopherol. Practical...... applications: The work showed the application potential of Fucus vesiculosus extracts as a natural antioxidant in low-moisture foods such as granola bars. These findings implied that the multi-functional nature of these extracts provides not only oxidative stability of the food but also a physical stability....

Cycloartane triterpenes from marine green alga Cladophora fascicularis

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xinping; Zhu, Xiaobin; Deng, Liping; Deng, Zhiwei; Lin, Wenhan

2006-12-01

Six cycloartanes were isolated from ethanol extract of marine green alga Cladophora fascicularis by column chromatography. Procedure of isolation and description of these compounds are given in this paper. The structures were elucidated as (1). 24-hydroperoxycycloart-25- en-3β-ol; (2). cycloart-25-en-3β 24-diol; (3). 25-hydroperoxycycloart-23-en-3β-ol; (4). cycloart-23-en-3β, 25-diol; (5). cycloart-23, 25-dien-3β-ol; and (6). cycloart-24-en-3β-ol by spectroscopic (MS, ID and 2D NMR) data analysis. Cycloartane derivatives are widely distributed in terrestrial plants, but only few were obtained in the alga. All these compounds that have been isolated from terrestrial plants, were found in the marine alga for the first time.

Algae of economic importance that accumulate cadmium and lead: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila O. Souza

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Currently, algae and algae products are extensively applied in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Algae are the main organisms that take up and store heavy metals. Therefore, the use of compounds derived from algae by the pharmaceutical industry should be closely monitored for possible contamination. The pollution generated by heavy metals released by industrial and domestic sources causes serious changes in the aquatic ecosystem, resulting in a loss of biological diversity and a magnification and bioaccumulation of toxic agents in the food chain. Since algae are at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, they are the most important vector for transfer of pollution to upper levels of the trophic chain in aquatic environments. Moreover, microalgae are also used for the bioremediation of wastewater, a process that does not produce secondary pollution, that enables efficient recycling of nutrients and that generates biomass useful for the production of bioactive compounds and biofuel.

Algae of economic importance that accumulate cadmium and lead: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila O. Souza

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Currently, algae and algae products are extensively applied in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Algae are the main organisms that take up and store heavy metals. Therefore, the use of compounds derived from algae by the pharmaceutical industry should be closely monitored for possible contamination. The pollution generated by heavy metals released by industrial and domestic sources causes serious changes in the aquatic ecosystem, resulting in a loss of biological diversity and a magnification and bioaccumulation of toxic agents in the food chain. Since algae are at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, they are the most important vector for transfer of pollution to upper levels of the trophic chain in aquatic environments. Moreover, microalgae are also used for the bioremediation of wastewater, a process that does not produce secondary pollution, that enables efficient recycling of nutrients and that generates biomass useful for the production of bioactive compounds and biofuel.

Volume 90, Issue1 (February 2005)Articles in the Current Issue:Original PaperSeasonal Dynamics of Benthic and Planktonic Algae in a Nutrient-Rich Lowland River (Spree, Germany)

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Petra; Köhler, Jan

2005-02-01

We studied chlorophyll a (chl. a), biovolume and species composition of benthic algae and phytoplankton in the eutrophic lower River Spree in 1996. The chl. a concentration was estimated as 3.5 (2.7-4.5) μg/cm2 for epipsammon, 9.4 (7.4-11.9) μg/cm2 for epipelon and 6.7 (5.7-7.8) μg/cm2 for the epilithon (median and 95% C. L.). The mean total biomass of benthic algae was significantly higher (6.0 μg chl. a/cm2) than the areal chl. a content of the pelagic zone (1.6 μg chl. a/cm2). Although certain phytoplankton taxa were abundant in the periphyton, benthic taxa generally dominated the assemblages. Seasonal dynamics of benthic algae were probably controlled by light and nitrate supply (sand), discharge fluctuations (sand, mud) and invertebrate grazing (stones). This paper shows the importance of benthic algae even in phytoplankton-rich lowland rivers with sandy or muddy sediments.

Extreme Low Light Requirement for Algae Growth Underneath Sea Ice: A Case Study From Station Nord, NE Greenland

Science.gov (United States)

Hancke, Kasper; Lund-Hansen, Lars C.; Lamare, Maxim L.; Højlund Pedersen, Stine; King, Martin D.; Andersen, Per; Sorrell, Brian K.

2018-02-01

Microalgae colonizing the underside of sea ice in spring are a key component of the Arctic foodweb as they drive early primary production and transport of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean interior. Onset of the spring bloom of ice algae is typically limited by the availability of light, and the current consensus is that a few tens-of-centimeters of snow is enough to prevent sufficient solar radiation to reach underneath the sea ice. We challenge this consensus, and investigated the onset and the light requirement of an ice algae spring bloom, and the importance of snow optical properties for light penetration. Colonization by ice algae began in May under >1 m of first-year sea ice with ˜1 m thick snow cover on top, in NE Greenland. The initial growth of ice algae began at extremely low irradiance (automated high-frequency temperature profiles. We propose that changes in snow optical properties, caused by temperature-driven snow metamorphosis, was the primary driver for allowing sufficient light to penetrate through the thick snow and initiate algae growth below the sea ice. This was supported by radiative-transfer modeling of light attenuation. Implications are an earlier productivity by ice algae in Arctic sea ice than recognized previously.

Ion and metabolite transport in the chloroplast of algae: lessons from land plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchand, Justine; Heydarizadeh, Parisa; Schoefs, Benoît; Spetea, Cornelia

2018-06-01

Chloroplasts are endosymbiotic organelles and play crucial roles in energy supply and metabolism of eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms (algae and land plants). They harbor channels and transporters in the envelope and thylakoid membranes, mediating the exchange of ions and metabolites with the cytosol and the chloroplast stroma and between the different chloroplast subcompartments. In secondarily evolved algae, three or four envelope membranes surround the chloroplast, making more complex the exchange of ions and metabolites. Despite the importance of transport proteins for the optimal functioning of the chloroplast in algae, and that many land plant homologues have been predicted, experimental evidence and molecular characterization are missing in most cases. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge about ion and metabolite transport in the chloroplast from algae. The main aspects reviewed are localization and activity of the transport proteins from algae and/or of homologues from other organisms including land plants. Most chloroplast transporters were identified in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, reside in the envelope and participate in carbon acquisition and metabolism. Only a few identified algal transporters are located in the thylakoid membrane and play role in ion transport. The presence of genes for putative transporters in green algae, red algae, diatoms, glaucophytes and cryptophytes is discussed, and roles in the chloroplast are suggested. A deep knowledge in this field is required because algae represent a potential source of biomass and valuable metabolites for industry, medicine and agriculture.

Classification of Antarctic algae by applying Kohonen neural network with 14 elements determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balbinot, L. [Departamento de Quimica Analitica-Instituto de Quimica-Unicamp, PO Box 6154, CEP: 13083-971, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Smichowski, P. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Unidad de Actividad Quimica, Centro Atomico Constituyentes, Av. Gral Paz 1499, B1650KNA, San Martin, Provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Farias, S. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Unidad de Actividad Quimica, Centro Atomico Constituyentes, Av. Gral Paz 1499, B1650KNA, San Martin, Provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Arruda, M.A.Z. [Departamento de Quimica Analitica-Instituto de Quimica-Unicamp, PO Box 6154, CEP: 13083-971, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Vodopivez, C. [Instituto Antartico Argentino, Cerrito 1010, C1248AAZ, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Poppi, R.J. [Departamento de Quimica Analitica-Instituto de Quimica-Unicamp, PO Box 6154, CEP: 13083-971, Campinas, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: ronei@iqm.unicamp.br

2005-06-30

Optical emission spectrometers can generate results, which sometimes are not easy to interpret, mainly when the analyses involve classifications. To make simultaneous data interpretation possible, the Kohonen neural network is used to classify different Antarctic algae according to their taxonomic groups from the determination of 14 analytes. The Kohonen neural network architecture used was 5x5 neurons, thus reducing 14-dimension input data to two-dimensional space. The input data were 14 analytes (As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, V) with their concentrations, determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry in 11 different species of algae. Three taxonomic groups (Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Cholorophyta) can be differentiated and classified through only their Cu content.

Classification of Antarctic algae by applying Kohonen neural network with 14 elements determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balbinot, L.; Smichowski, P.; Farias, S.; Arruda, M.A.Z.; Vodopivez, C.; Poppi, R.J.

2005-01-01

Optical emission spectrometers can generate results, which sometimes are not easy to interpret, mainly when the analyses involve classifications. To make simultaneous data interpretation possible, the Kohonen neural network is used to classify different Antarctic algae according to their taxonomic groups from the determination of 14 analytes. The Kohonen neural network architecture used was 5x5 neurons, thus reducing 14-dimension input data to two-dimensional space. The input data were 14 analytes (As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, V) with their concentrations, determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry in 11 different species of algae. Three taxonomic groups (Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Cholorophyta) can be differentiated and classified through only their Cu content

Multi-scale Characterization of Improved Algae Strains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dale, Taraka T. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-04-01

This report relays the important role biofuels such as algae could have in the energy market. The report cites that problem of crude oil becoming less abundant while the demand for energy continues to rise. There are many benefits of producing energy with biofuels such as fewer carbon emissions as well as less land area to produce the same amount of energy compared to other sources of renewable fuels. One challenge that faces biofuels right now is the cost to produce it is high.

Toxicity of nano-TiO2 on algae and the site of reactive oxygen species production.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fengmin; Liang, Zhi; Zheng, Xiang; Zhao, Wei; Wu, Miao; Wang, Zhenyu

2015-01-01

Given the extensive use of nanomaterials, they may enter aquatic environments and harm the growth of algae, which are primary producers in an aquatic ecosystem. Thus, the balance of an aquatic ecosystem may be destroyed. In this study, Karenia brevis and Skeletonema costatum were exposed to nano-TiO2 (anatase, average particle size of 5-10 nm, specific surface area of 210±10 m(2) g(-1)) to assess the effects of nano-TiO2 on algae. The findings of transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate aggregation of nano-TiO2 in the algal suspension. Nano-TiO2 was also found to be inside algal cells. The growth of the two species of algae was inhibited under nano-TiO2 exposure. The 72 h EC50 values of nano-TiO2 to K. brevis and S. costatum were 10.69 and 7.37 mg L(-1), respectively. TEM showed that the cell membrane of K. brevis was destroyed and its organelles were almost undistinguished under nano-TiO2 exposure. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of K. brevis and S. costatum significantly increased compared with those of the control (pTiO2 exposure was explored with the addition of inhibitors of different electron transfer chains. This study indicated that nano-TiO2 in algal suspensions inhibited the growth of K. brevis and S. costatum. This effect was attributed to oxidative stress caused by ROS production inside algal cells. The levels of anti-oxidative enzymes changed, which destroyed the balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation. Thus, algae were damaged by ROS accumulation, resulting in lipid oxidation and inhibited algae growth. The inhibitors of the electron transfer chain showed that the site of ROS production and accumulation in K. brevis cells was the chloroplast. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extreme Low Light Requirement for Algae Growth Underneath Sea Ice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hancke, Kasper; Lund-Hansen, Lars C.; Lamare, Maxim L.

2018-01-01

Microalgae colonizing the underside of sea ice in spring are a key component of the Arctic foodweb as they drive early primary production and transport of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean interior. Onset of the spring bloom of ice algae is typically limited by the availability of light......, and the current consensus is that a few tens-of-centimeters of snow is enough to prevent sufficient solar radiation to reach underneath the sea ice. We challenge this consensus, and investigated the onset and the light requirement of an ice algae spring bloom, and the importance of snow optical properties...... for light penetration. Colonization by ice algae began in May under >1 m of first-year sea ice with approximate to 1 m thick snow cover on top, in NE Greenland. The initial growth of ice algae began at extremely low irradiance (...

Acclimation of green algae to sulfur deficiency: underlying mechanisms and application for hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Antal, Taras K; Krendeleva, Tatyana E; Rubin, Andrew B

2011-01-01

Hydrogen is definitely one of the most acceptable fuels in the future. Some photosynthetic microorganisms, such as green algae and cyanobacteria, can produce hydrogen gas from water by using solar energy. In green algae, hydrogen evolution is coupled to the photosynthetic electron transport in thylakoid membranes via reaction catalyzed by the specific enzyme, (FeFe)-hydrogenase. However, this enzyme is highly sensitive to oxygen and can be quickly inhibited when water splitting is active. A problem of incompatibility between the water splitting and hydrogenase reaction can be overcome by depletion of algal cells of sulfur which is essential element for life. In this review the mechanisms underlying sustained hydrogen photoproduction in sulfur deprived C. reinhardtii and the recent achievements in studying of this process are discussed. The attention is focused on the biophysical and physiological aspects of photosynthetic response to sulfur deficiency in green algae.

An Overview of Algae Biofuel Production and Potential Environmental Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Algae are among the most potentially significant sources of sustainable biofuels in the future of renewable energy. A feedstock with virtually unlimited applicability, algae can metabolize various waste streams (e.g., municipal wastewater, carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas)...

Report on a survey in fiscal 1999. Survey on trends in new carbon dioxide fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae. (3); 1999 nendo saikin sorui wo riyoshita atarashii nisanka tanso kotei gijutsu no doko chosa. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

In order to achieve collection and effective utilization of CO2 as the representative greenhouse effect gas, through use of microorganism functions, a survey was performed on problems when the CO2 fixation system is applied to factories, based on the results of surveys in fiscals 1997 and 1998 and the supplementary surveys therein. Discussions were given on feasibility and effect of introducing the in situ CO2 fixation systems. With regard to the current status and problems in technologies to fix and utilize effectively CO2 by use of photosynthetic bacteria and micro algae by means of solar beam, the paper summarizes the 'searches and breeding of bacteria and algae' and the 'research and development of a high-density and large-quantity cultivation system such as for CO2 fixation and useful substance production'. The paper also describes problems in the CO2 fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae. With regard to the CO2 fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae, the paper summarized the contents of the survey on CO2 fixation by using photosynthetic bacteria, clostridium bacteria, and coryne bacteria. Surveys were performed inside and outside the country on kinds and existence quantities of unutilized organic wastes in which microorganisms that fix CO2 can be utilized. The CO2 fixation systems can be considered of their possibilities of being introduced into foodstuff factories where organic waste water with high concentration can be obtained. (NEDO)

Report on a survey in fiscal 1999. Survey on trends in new carbon dioxide fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae. (3); 1999 nendo saikin sorui wo riyoshita atarashii nisanka tanso kotei gijutsu no doko chosa. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

In order to achieve collection and effective utilization of CO2 as the representative greenhouse effect gas, through use of microorganism functions, a survey was performed on problems when the CO2 fixation system is applied to factories, based on the results of surveys in fiscals 1997 and 1998 and the supplementary surveys therein. Discussions were given on feasibility and effect of introducing the in situ CO2 fixation systems. With regard to the current status and problems in technologies to fix and utilize effectively CO2 by use of photosynthetic bacteria and micro algae by means of solar beam, the paper summarizes the 'searches and breeding of bacteria and algae' and the 'research and development of a high-density and large-quantity cultivation system such as for CO2 fixation and useful substance production'. The paper also describes problems in the CO2 fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae. With regard to the CO2 fixation technologies utilizing bacteria and algae, the paper summarized the contents of the survey on CO2 fixation by using photosynthetic bacteria, clostridium bacteria, and coryne bacteria. Surveys were performed inside and outside the country on kinds and existence quantities of unutilized organic wastes in which microorganisms that fix CO2 can be utilized. The CO2 fixation systems can be considered of their possibilities of being introduced into foodstuff factories where organic waste water with high concentration can be obtained. (NEDO)

Persistence and proliferation of some unicellular algae in drinking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Drinking water systems have a complex structure and are characterised by the absence of light, the presence of disinfectants and by low levels of nutrients. Several kinds of bacteria, protozoa, algae and fungi can be found in tap water. Little is known about the ecology of algae in drinking water systems, although their ...

The study of LED light source illumination conditions for ideal algae cultivation

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Chun-Chin; Huang, Chien-Fu; Chen, Cin-Fu; Yue, Cheng-Feng

2017-02-01

Utilizing LED light source modules with 3 different RGB colors, the illumination effect of different wavelengths had been investigated on the growth curve of the same kind of micro algae. It was found that the best micro algae culturing status came out with long wavelength light such as red light (650 670 nm). Based on the same condition for a period of 3 weeks , the grown micro algae population density ratio represented by Optical Density (O.D.) ratio is 1?0.4?0.7 corresponding to growth with Red, Green, Blue light sources, respectively. Mixing 3 types and 2 types of LEDs with different parameters, the grown micro algae population densities were compared in terms of O.D. Interestingly enough, different light sources resulted in significant discoloration on micro algae growth, appearing yellow, brown, green, etc. Our experiments results showed such discoloration effect is reversible. Based on the same lighting condition, micro algae growth can be also affected by incubator size, nutrition supply, and temperature variation. In recent years, micro algae related technologies have been international wise a hot topic of energy and environmental protection for research and development institutes, and big energy companies among those developed countries. There will be an economically prosperous future. From this study of LED lighting to ideal algae cultivation, it was found that such built system would be capable of optimizing artificial cultivation system, leading to economic benefits for its continuous development. Since global warming causing weather change, accompanying with reducing energy sources and agriculture growth shortage are all threatening human being survival.

Toxicity of nano-TiO2 on algae and the site of reactive oxygen species production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Fengmin; Liang, Zhi; Zheng, Xiang; Zhao, Wei; Wu, Miao; Wang, Zhenyu

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The growth of two species of algae was inhibited under nano-TiO 2 exposure. • Oxidative stress was one of the mechanisms of toxicity of nano-TiO 2 on algae. • The site of ROS production was the electron transfer chain of chloroplast. - Abstract: Given the extensive use of nanomaterials, they may enter aquatic environments and harm the growth of algae, which are primary producers in an aquatic ecosystem. Thus, the balance of an aquatic ecosystem may be destroyed. In this study, Karenia brevis and Skeletonema costatum were exposed to nano-TiO 2 (anatase, average particle size of 5–10 nm, specific surface area of 210 ± 10 m 2 g −1 ) to assess the effects of nano-TiO 2 on algae. The findings of transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate aggregation of nano-TiO 2 in the algal suspension. Nano-TiO 2 was also found to be inside algal cells. The growth of the two species of algae was inhibited under nano-TiO 2 exposure. The 72 h EC 50 values of nano-TiO 2 to K. brevis and S. costatum were 10.69 and 7.37 mg L −1 , respectively. TEM showed that the cell membrane of K. brevis was destroyed and its organelles were almost undistinguished under nano-TiO 2 exposure. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of K. brevis and S. costatum significantly increased compared with those of the control (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities (CAT) of K. brevis and S. costatum changed in different ways. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in both species were significantly higher than those of the control (p < 0.05). The site of ROS production and accumulation in K. brevis and S. costatum under nano-TiO 2 exposure was explored with the addition of inhibitors of different electron transfer chains. This study indicated that nano-TiO 2 in algal suspensions inhibited the growth of K. brevis and S. costatum. This effect was attributed to oxidative

Design and construction of the microalgal pilot facility AlgaePARC

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosma, R.; Vree, de J.H.; Slegers, P.M.; Janssen, M.G.J.; Wijffels, R.H.; Barbosa, M.J.

2014-01-01

Microalgae gained much interest from industry as promising sustainable feedstock for the production of food, feed, bulk chemicals, and biofuels. Pilot scale research on microalgae is needed to bridge the gap between laboratory scale research and commercial applications. The AlgaePARC (Algae

Efficiency of using green algae as biological controllers against toxic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Efficiency of using green algae as biological controllers against toxic algal taxa in cultured ... of two green algal species as biological control of the growth of toxic blue-green algae. ... African Journal of Aquatic Science 2014, 39(4): 443–450 ...

Effects of Environmental Factors and Nutrient Availability on the Biochemical Composition of Algae for Biofuels Production: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ganti S. Murthy

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Due to significant lipid and carbohydrate production as well as other useful properties such as high production of useful biomolecular substrates (e.g., lipids and the ability to grow using non-potable water sources, algae are being explored as a potential high-yield feedstock for biofuels production. In both natural and engineered systems, algae can be exposed to a variety of environmental conditions that affect growth rate and cellular composition. With respect to the latter, the amount of carbon fixed in lipids and carbohydrates (e.g., starch is highly influenced by environmental factors and nutrient availability. Understanding synergistic interactions between multiple environmental variables and nutritional factors is required to develop sustainable high productivity bioalgae systems, which are essential for commercial biofuel production. This article reviews the effects of environmental factors (i.e., temperature, light and pH and nutrient availability (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace metals as well as cross-interactions on the biochemical composition of algae with a special focus on carbon fixation and partitioning of carbon from a biofuels perspective.

Analysis on the formation condition of the algae-induced odorous black water agglomerate.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guofang; Li, Xianning; Fang, Yang; Huang, Rui

2014-12-01

The algae-induced odorous black water agglomerate (OBWA) is a phenomenon in which water turns black and emits odorous gas. It is an ecological and environmental problem that has occurred several times in Taihu, a large eutrophic shallow lake in China. In this study, the collected eutrophic water with different algae densities was used to simulate OBWA. The results revealed that the massive accumulation and death of algae was the substrate source for OBWA. When the algae density reached 1.0 × 10(8) cells/L in the static and dark condition, at a constant high temperature (30 ± 2 °C), OBWA happened. There was a time difference between the water stinking and blackening with the stinking first. When the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value was between -250 and -50 mV, Dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), the main contributor to the water stinking at the initial stage, and other odorous organics were produced. Water blackening was closely related to the increases of sulfide and dissolved Fe(2+) concentration. When the ORP value was between -350 and -300 mV, heavy metal containing sulfides such as FeS formed. Therefore, the condition when the water ORP value decreased to about -300 mV was considered the precursor for OBWA formation.

Gain and loss of polyadenylation signals during evolution of green algae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glöckner Gernot

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Viridiplantae (green algae and land plants consist of two monophyletic lineages: the Chlorophyta and the Streptophyta. Most green algae belong to the Chlorophyta, while the Streptophyta include all land plants and a small group of freshwater algae known as Charophyceae. Eukaryotes attach a poly-A tail to the 3' ends of most nuclear-encoded mRNAs. In embryophytes, animals and fungi, the signal for polyadenylation contains an A-rich sequence (often AAUAAA or related sequence 13 to 30 nucleotides upstream from the cleavage site, which is commonly referred to as the near upstream element (NUE. However, it has been reported that the pentanucleotide UGUAA is used as polyadenylation signal for some genes in volvocalean algae. Results We set out to investigate polyadenylation signal differences between streptophytes and chlorophytes that may have emerged shortly after the evolutionary split between Streptophyta and Chlorophyta. We therefore analyzed expressed genes (ESTs from three streptophyte algae, Mesostigma viride, Klebsormidium subtile and Coleochaete scutata, and from two early-branching chlorophytes, Pyramimonas parkeae and Scherffelia dubia. In addition, to extend the database, our analyses included ESTs from six other chlorophytes (Acetabularia acetabulum, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Helicosporidium sp. ex Simulium jonesii, Prototheca wickerhamii, Scenedesmus obliquus and Ulva linza and one streptophyte (Closterium peracerosum. Our results indicate that polyadenylation signals in green algae vary widely. The UGUAA motif is confined to late-branching Chlorophyta. Most streptophyte algae do not have an A-rich sequence motif like that in embryophytes, animals and fungi. We observed polyadenylation signals similar to those of Arabidopsis and other land plants only in Mesostigma. Conclusion Polyadenylation signals in green algae show considerable variation. A new NUE (UGUAA was invented in derived chlorophytes and replaced

Gain and loss of polyadenylation signals during evolution of green algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Wodniok, Sabina; Simon, Andreas; Glöckner, Gernot; Becker, Burkhard

2007-04-18

The Viridiplantae (green algae and land plants) consist of two monophyletic lineages: the Chlorophyta and the Streptophyta. Most green algae belong to the Chlorophyta, while the Streptophyta include all land plants and a small group of freshwater algae known as Charophyceae. Eukaryotes attach a poly-A tail to the 3' ends of most nuclear-encoded mRNAs. In embryophytes, animals and fungi, the signal for polyadenylation contains an A-rich sequence (often AAUAAA or related sequence) 13 to 30 nucleotides upstream from the cleavage site, which is commonly referred to as the near upstream element (NUE). However, it has been reported that the pentanucleotide UGUAA is used as polyadenylation signal for some genes in volvocalean algae. We set out to investigate polyadenylation signal differences between streptophytes and chlorophytes that may have emerged shortly after the evolutionary split between Streptophyta and Chlorophyta. We therefore analyzed expressed genes (ESTs) from three streptophyte algae, Mesostigma viride, Klebsormidium subtile and Coleochaete scutata, and from two early-branching chlorophytes, Pyramimonas parkeae and Scherffelia dubia. In addition, to extend the database, our analyses included ESTs from six other chlorophytes (Acetabularia acetabulum, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Helicosporidium sp. ex Simulium jonesii, Prototheca wickerhamii, Scenedesmus obliquus and Ulva linza) and one streptophyte (Closterium peracerosum). Our results indicate that polyadenylation signals in green algae vary widely. The UGUAA motif is confined to late-branching Chlorophyta. Most streptophyte algae do not have an A-rich sequence motif like that in embryophytes, animals and fungi. We observed polyadenylation signals similar to those of Arabidopsis and other land plants only in Mesostigma. Polyadenylation signals in green algae show considerable variation. A new NUE (UGUAA) was invented in derived chlorophytes and replaced not only the A-rich NUE but the complete poly