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Algal biotechnology: facts, fiction and future prospects
John G Day
Coordination Centre:Scottish Association for Marine Science,
Oban, Scotland
T: +44 (0)1631 559000F: +44 (0)1631 559001E:
[email protected]: www.biomara.org
Project supported by the INTERREG IVA Programme managed by
SEUPB
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Why bother with Algae?
• Algae are debatably the most diverse group of organisms on
earth
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Why bother with Algae?• Algae are responsible for
the oxygen in every second breath you take• They form the basis of
the food chain for approx 70% of the worlds biomass• Without algae
the world dies!
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If algae are such a big deal, how come we never hear about them?
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Algal exploitation: Historical perspective
Seaweed being
harvested in 19th century for use as a fertiliser
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Kelp Burning: a biotechnology process from the 18th
& 19th
centuries to produce soda, potash &
iodine
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Phyco‐colloidsAgar7,500 tonnes of agar with a wholesale value of US$250 million.
Alginates>$120M excluding China
Carrageenan> 50,000 tonnes in 2007/8 with a value of over US$600 million (excluding China)
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Alginate: A Natural Chemicalwith Diverse Uses
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Alginates are jelly‐like carbohydrates used for water retention, gelling, emulsifying and stabilising.
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Used in food, drink, cosmetics, medical and chemical industries
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Currently there are some 250 applications
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ISP Alginates Plant, Girvan
Girvan one of the world’s largest alginate plant
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More than 20 species are used in everyday cookery in Japan, six
of them since the 8th century.
Seaweed accounts for some 10% of the Japanese diet
Most important food species in Japan are Nori (Porphyraspecies),
Kombu (Laminaria species), and Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida)
Nori a $1 billion Industry
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Seaweed Products
http://www.tavay-organics.fsnet.co.uk/soil_improver.html
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What about Microalgae?
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Historical use of algae:
Food-supplement in central Africa & Central America
Spirullina /Arthrospira
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•Chaetoceros calcitrans
•Isochrysis sp. (Tahitian)
•Nannochloris atomus
•Pavlova lutheri CCAP
•Rhinomonas reticulata var. reticulata
•Skeletonema costatum
•Tetraselmis chui
Thalassiosira pseudonana
Aquaculture a multi-billion $ Industry
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Current uses of microalgae“Witchcraft”
Dietary supplements
Health foods
Neutraceuticals
Pigments & specialist chemicals
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Microalgae & cyanobacteriaCOMMERCIALLY
exploited and
grown at large scale
Chlorella spp
Aphanizomenon flos aquae
Arthrospira/ Spirullina spp
Dunaliella salina
Haematococcus pluvialis
Cryptothecodinium cohenii
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Production systems: Open
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Production systems: closed
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Future Prospects – Industrial needs•
Pharmaceutical
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New bio‐active molecules with novel modes of action / chemical structure
(new chemical scaffolds).
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Need for new drugs (emerging diseases / drug resistance)
• Nutraceuticals•
Functional foods (Fatty acids ‐micro algae) –
heart
health, obesity control, immuno health.•
Probiotics (animal and human)• Anti‐oxidants
• Industrial• Biofuels•
New sources of enzymes –
biotransformation of
chemicals• .New Cosmetics (cosmoceuticals)
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Future product areas
• Biofuels• Foods• Bioactives/ Pharmaceuticals
• Novel enzymes• Specialist chemicals•
Green fertilizers• Green insecticides •
Bioremediation
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Bioactives: pharmaceuticals
•They are, as yet, a largely unexploited biotechnological
“treasure store”
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ConstraintsTechnological constraints• Production systems
engineering problems• Downstream processing/ product
extraction/purification/formulation• Production strain
productivity• Production strain stability
Can you protect your IP?• Yes… Can you afford to defend
challenges to your patents?• No… Can you protect your know-how by
some other method?
Do not forget the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) &
the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)!• Are you a
BioPirate?
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Future prospectsAlgal production- parallels with penicillin
production:
March 14, 1942 the first patient was treated for streptococcal
septicaemia with U.S.-made penicillin used half of the total supply
produced.
By Spring of 1944 the USA to produce 2.3 million doses in time
for the invasion of Normandy.
$1000/Kg $100/Kg $10/Kg $1/Kg c/Kg
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Reality check:Market driven or technology driven?
Production economics…
Investment…
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Conclusions:
There must be a market need.
Production must be reliable AND COST EFFECTIVE.
The technology must be robust and reliable.
Ideally the technology should be a platform for a suite of products.
The technology should be protectable.
Get it right and……. $
Algal biotechnology: facts, fiction and future prospects Algal
exploitation: �Historical perspective.Alginate: A Natural
Chemical�with Diverse UsesISP Alginates Plant, GirvanFuture
Prospects – Industrial needsFuture product areasBioactives:
pharmaceuticalsConstraintsFuture prospectsAlgal biotechnology:
facts, fiction and future prospects Algal exploitation: �Historical
perspective.Alginate: A Natural Chemical�with Diverse UsesISP
Alginates Plant, GirvanFuture Prospects – Industrial needsFuture
product areasBioactives: pharmaceuticalsConstraintsFuture
prospects
