CHAPTER 18 ALGAE

Introduction
Aquatic terrestrial habitats. Occur in F.W & S. Water. Hot springs poles. Plankton kelps. Symbiotic association, with fungi, corals & Sea anemone. Used as, food, gelling agent, medicine, animal food, fertilizer, industry.
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Why arent they plants?

Have Chl. & build CHO & proteins yet different by their sexual apparatus: - Lack multicellular sex organs. - Gametes are present in unicellular containers or multicellular containers where each cell is fertile. - Asexual rep, fragmentation, nonmotile spores.
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Classification, K. Protista
Phycologists classify them depending: Pigmentation Flagella. Nuclei. Chloroplast. pyrenoids

Blue green algae =cynaobacteria, K. Monera,

prokaryotic. First photosynthesizing org= - Release O2. - Formation ozone layer. N2 fixation.

Importance algae in water systems

Primary producers. Release O2. in water. Maintain global CO2 balance. Underutilized food source.

Algae as food
160 edible spp., main Porphyra, Laminaria & Undaria. Eaten as food, for color, flavor & texture. 20-25 % soluble CHO & edible proteins. Rich in Vit. C, A, D, B, B12, E, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic (Acetyl CoA) & folic acids (cofactor) & trace elements such as Iodine.
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Porphyra, Red algae

Nori wrappers, used to make sushi. Grows on bamboo shoots in rivers. Started cultivation, planting bamboo shoots in intertidal zones in early fall & harvest after few months. Rest of year ?? Spores ?? Dr K. Drew (filamentous macrophyte) diploid conchospores haploid Alternation of generation.
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Macrophyte

Artificial cultivation
Oyster shells placed in S.W. tanks. Fertile spore bearing fronds are placed in the tank. Dec. T, inc. light induce release of spores. Spores germinate & attach to shells. Shells are rotated to insure some exposure to light (intertidal zone), so reduce desiccation & so conchospores grow. After 50 days, fronds are cut placed in water, then placed in net frames to make sheets.
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 Problem; Early harvest of nori had better flavor, softer texture, & a greater nutritional value. Problem is solved.

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Laminaria, brown algae

Kombu (delight). Spores germinate on a substrate in cool T. If Temp. is warm, spores germinate in lab at cool T to form plantlets. Plantlets transferred to coast to grow warm T. Harvested, left on beach to dry. Boil in water with Fe, Cu & malachite green. Dry algae shredded, soup & brewed beverage.
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Laminaria & Fucus, brown algae

Dried & ground to from animal food. Rich in carotenoids, that give golden yolk & yellow body fat in poultry. Dunliella bardawil , very rich in - carotene & glycerol.

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Spirulina, bluegreen algae, microalgae

Major source of protein (72% dry wt.). Good AA balance, mildly deficient in S containing AA. Yields more protein/acre than grain or cattle. [10 Tons/acre vs. 0.16 T vs. 0.016 T] Rich in protein & carotene, additives for chicken feed. Cultivated in artificial ponds.
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Industrial Uses
Traditionally, Iodine (photography & medicine) & soda ash (glass & gunpowder). Today, Phycocolloids extraction, hydrogels used as emulsifier in food, cosmetics & pharmaceutical industries Alginates, Carrageenans, & Agar.

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Alginates
Alginates= Alginic acid & its salts. Components of algal cell walls & mucilaginous matrix between the cells. Provides strength & flexibility to withstand tidal action. Gelatinous substance that can absorb water (300X its wt.). Extracted from Phaeophyta
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Kelp Mechanical Harvesting

Reciprocating cutter

Kelps underwater
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Commercial Production

Extract soluble mineral salts

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Uses, Na & K alginates

Water soluble & form thick fluids in solution. Paper industry, sizing & polishing. In paint, keep pigments in solution over a wide temp. range. Adhesives, making charcoal briquettes. In medicine, cosmetics & food, a suspending agents . Prevents ice crystal formation in ice cream. Foam stabilizer in beer. Emulsifier in salad dressing. 21

Uses, Alginate salts with metal ions

Poor water solubility & form gels. Used for canning of fruits. Manufacture of artificial foods, fake cherries, imitation caviar & onion rings. Provide pseudo plasticity to paint & allow fast drying.

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Uses, Alginates with heavy metal

With Co, Hg, Be, Cu, water insoluble. Can be molded when wet & change to a hard state, good for manufacturing of plastics. Improved products can form alginate fibers can be spun & woven to cloth ( do not dissolve in soap). Alginate gels, used for dental impressions.
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Carrageenans
Phycocolloids extracted from Chondrus crispus (red algae). Simple processing, weeds washed, dried & bleached in the sun. digested with hot Ca(OH)2 & NaOH, cells swell & component of cell walls dissolve into solution.
[removes SO2 from polysach. Chains & it enhances gel strength & reactivity to proteins]

Value= gelling is thermally reversible. Can bond with casein protein in milk , creamy thick.
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Uses of Carrageenans
Replaced alginates in producing chocolate milk. Milk products, yogurt, ice cream etc.. High M.pt. , makes dessert gels in hotter climate. Sizing agent in the textile & leather industries. Immune to enz. Degradation, used for making tooth pastes. Suspend oil based inks.

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Agars, Gelidium (red alga).

1st reference in Japan,Kanten = cold sky Cleaned (sand, pigments, epiphytes) chem./ mech. Heated in hot water to extract water-soluble agar. Centrifuged or filtered to remove insoluble residues & concentrate compd. Purified by freezing & thawing, & using hydraulic press to remove water & impurities.
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Agar & carrageenan, are chem. similar,

BUT
Agar solidifies at smaller conc. Big capacity to reverse states [liquid

gel].

Uses =
Microrg. & tissue cultures. Agarose used for chrom. & electroph. gels. Hydrophilic, keeps bakery products moist. Complexes with proteins, used to purify wine, juices & vinegar. In medicine, binder for tablets & laxative.
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Cyanobacteria [fertilizer] & Algae [soil conditioner]

Algae (Chlamydomonas) release mucilage, loosen compact soil & allow O2 & water to pass. Seaweeds are rich in K & N, low PO4, perfect compliment to manure (rich PO4). No pathogens. Calcareous algae reduce soil acidity. N2 fixing blue-green algae to enrich rice fields. Ex. Anabaena azolla lives in ferns (6x heterocyst), used in rice fields.
-limited use, due to P demand, nonrenewable source. -Select strains that have limited P requirements.
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Heterocysts are: - Impermeable to O2. - Can fix N2 & C.

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Harvesting fossil algae

-Frustules, porous cell walls, SiO2, filtering agent to flea & Enamel polish. -Diatomaceous earth, used light wt. bricks= dome Hagia Sophia. Diatomite= - Germany, started commercial mining, as polishing agents. -UK, used to filter sewage, later to filter sugar liquors. - A. Nobel, found out that it stabilizes nitroglycerin in dynamite. - Match heads, control burning In cigars. - Reduce glossiness in paints. - pet furs to reduce flea attacks .

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Algae in waste water treatment

1 treatment, settle solid fraction. 2 treatment, fungi & bacteria convert soluble O.M to insoluble form. Reduce B.O.D.
[Amount O2 for ox. decomposition of wastes dumped in water sy.].

Bio-oxidation process (algae & bacteria), - soluble O.M insoluble form. - Algae release O2 maintain aerobic bacteria. - absorbs N2 & P to grow. thus effecting 3treatment.
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Algae in Medicine
Phycocolloids used as binders & emulsifiers. Polym. Alginate fibers =Ca alginate wool used as wound dressing. Chelating agent , it binds to metals to treat metal & radioactive poisoning. Laminaria stipes inserted in cervical canal, Laminaria tent absorbs fluids & swells 5 x.

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Algae in Medicine, Contd 2

Treatment of parasites, cough, gout, goiter, hypertension, venereal disease, tumor growth. Laminaria, goiter treatment [I2 deficiency]. Deginea contains Kainic acid, vermifuge [parasite treatment]. Red algae, contain polysach. that prevents virus from attaching to human cell membranes, Herpes treatment, active comp. in the drug Zovirax. Alginic acid= Nomozan, to inoculate crops against viruses.
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Algae in Medicine, Contd 3

Spirulina inhibit growth of oral cancer. - Calcium-spirulan inhibit HIV-1 replication & enhances the activity of immune system. Phycocyanin pigments boost immune system by inc. no. spleen lymphocytes. Cyanobact. has antiviral compds. Lyngbya, has Curacin-A inhibits cell division. Nostoc, has Cyanovirin-N (CVN), a protein that binds irrev. to HIV & prevents it from infecting cells. [can not be used as a vaccine]
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Algae in Medicine, Contd 4

Seaweeds with sterols reduce cholesterol levels & lower Bld. P. Spirulina appetite suppressant & has high levels of B vitamins.

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Toxins from Algae

Toxic seaweeds in tropics, acts to deter herbivory. Chondria spp. has pesticide properties. Algal blooms (high PO4 & low salinity, high T), promotes dinoflagellate growth & germination of hypnocysts. Swimmers itch, Silicosis, lung infection due to silica dust. Red Tides due to O2 depletion or due to changing permeability of gill membranes. Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), poisons that block the movement of Na in the nerves.

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 Final exam: Thursday June 12 at 3:00 p.m. in Chem 001. Good Luck to all.

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