Search results for "algae"
showing 10 items of 403 documents
Osmotrophic glucose and leucine assimilation and its impact on EPA and DHA content in algae
2020
The uptake of dissolved organic compounds, that is, osmotrophy, has been shown to be an efficient nutritional strategy for algae. However, this mode of nutrition may affect the biochemical composition, for example, the fatty acid (FA) contents, of algal cells. This study focused on the osmotrophic assimilation of glucose and leucine by selected seven algal strains belonging to chlorophytes, chrysophytes, cryptophytes, dinoflagellates and euglenoids. Our laboratory experiments with stable isotope labeling showed that osmotrophy occurred in four of the selected seven strains. However, only three of these produced long chain omega-3 FAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5ω3) and docosahexaenoic a…
European Union legislation on macroalgae products
2021
AbstractMacroalgae-based products are increasing in demand also in Europe. In the European Union, each category of macroalgae-based products is regulated separately. We discuss EU legislation, including the law on medicinal products, foods including food supplements and food additives, feed and feed additives, cosmetics, packaging materials, fertilizers and biostimulants, as well as biofuels. Product safety and consumer protection are the priorities with any new products. Macroalgae products can be sold as traditional herbal medicines. The novel food regulation applies to macroalgae foods that have not previously been used as food, and organic macroalgae are a specific regulatory category. …
Settlement dynamics and recruitment responses of Mediterranean gorgonians larvae to different crustose coralline algae species
2020
International audience; Sessile marine species such as Anthozoans act as ecosystem engineers due to their three-dimensional structure. Gorgonians, in particular, can form dense underwater forests that give shelter to other species increasing local biodiversity. In the last decades, several Mediterranean gorgonian populations have been affected by natural and anthropogenic impacts which drastically reduced their size. However, some species showed unexpected resilience, mainly due to the supply of new individuals. To understand the mechanisms underlying recovery processes, studies on the first life history stages (i.e. larval dispersal, settlement and recruitment) are needed. In tropical cora…
Biorefinery process for hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae powered by a concentrating solar plant: A conceptual study
2017
Abstract A conceptual analysis of coupling a concentrating solar power plant with a biorefinery process consisting in the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae to biocrude was performed. The configuration of the CSP-HTL plant was designed to allow continuous operation considering 10 kT of microalgae processed each year using, for the first time, a ternary nitrate mixture as heat transfer fluid and storage medium in the temperature range of 340–410 °C. With adopted models, the capital and operating costs of the solar plant marginally affect the minimum fuel selling prize (MFSP) of biocrude that decreases with the size of the solar field and of the thermal storage system provided that…
Sewage sludge as cheap alternative to microalgae as feedstock of catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction processes
2019
Abstract Production of biocrude through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sewage sludge (SS) and Chlorella vulgaris was investigated. NiMo/Al2O3 (KF 851), CoMo/Al2O3 (KF 1022) and activated carbon felt, tested as catalysts at 598 K for 30 min, did not change the biocrude yield but significantly improved its quality. Quantitative sulfur removal and lower oxygen content were found in biocrude when KF 851 and KF 1022 were used with C. vulgaris. The same catalysts decreased O/C and S/C ratio of the biocrude from SS. The highest HHV (38.19 MJ/kg) and H/C ratio (1.65) and the lowest O/C (0.11) of the biocrude from SS were obtained with the cheaper activated carbon felt. A new product phase, prob…
Symbiosis between river and dry lands: phycobiont dynamics on river gravel bars
2020
AbstractRiver gravel bars are dynamic and heterogeneous habitats standing on transition between aquatic and terrestrial environment. Periodical flooding, low nutrient content, frost, missing safe sites, drought, and heat on the ground surface significantly influence life in these habitats. Mutualistic symbiosis may be a successful strategy for organisms to survive and to proliferate under harsh conditions. The lichen genus Stereocaulon was selected as a model symbiotic system among the organisms living on river gravel bars. The aim of our work was to determine effect of this dynamic environment on a phycobiont (i.e., green eukaryotic photobiont) community structure. We analysed 147 Stereoca…
Novel, automated, semi-industrial modular photobioreactor system for cultivation of demanding microalgae that produce fine chemicals - The next story…
2021
Abstract Recently, there has been increased interest in the use of microorganisms in the production of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and energy supply products, which is due to their rapid growth rate and ability to biosynthesize fine chemicals or biotransform specific xenobiotics. To achieve the desired scale of production and optimization of microbial cultures, it is necessary to design bioreactors that enable process automation, control of working parameters, reduction of microbial and chemical contaminations, and culture independence of climate conditions. In response to this need, an original, modular airlift-type photobioreactor system was designed and manufactured. This novel semit…
AphaMax®, an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
2020
Background: Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a unicellular cyanobacterium considered to be a &ldquo
Natural Compounds as Beneficial Antioxidant Agents in Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Focus on Alzheimer’s Disease
2019
The positive role of nutrition in chronic neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) suggests that dietary interventions represent helpful tools for preventing NDs. In particular, diets enriched with natural compounds have become an increasingly attractive, non-invasive, and inexpensive option to support a healthy brain and to potentially treat NDs. Bioactive compounds found in vegetables or microalgae possess special properties able to counteract oxidative stress, which is involved as a triggering factor in neurodegeneration. Here, we briefly review the relevant experimental data on curcuminoids, silymarin, chlorogenic acid, and compounds derived from the microalga Aphanizomenon flos aquae (AFA) whi…
A New Niche for Anoxygenic Phototrophs as Endoliths
2018
ABSTRACT Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APBs) occur in a wide range of aquatic habitats, from hot springs to freshwater lakes and intertidal microbial mats. Here, we report the discovery of a novel niche for APBs: endoliths within marine littoral carbonates. In a study of 40 locations around Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico, and Menorca, Spain, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of endolithic community DNA revealed the presence of abundant phylotypes potentially belonging to well-known APB clades. An ad hoc phylogenetic classification of these sequences enabled us to refine the assignments more stringently. Even then, all locations contained such putative APBs, often reaching a significant pro…