Emienour Muzalina Mustafa 1,2, Siew Moi Phang2, Siti Aishah Abdullah @ Christine Abellana Orosco3 & Abol Munafi Ambok Bolong4

1 School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

2Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 3 School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

4 Institute of Tropical Aquaculture, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Algae and their Environmental Applications

■ The algae are a heterogeneous assemblage of organisms that range in size from tiny single cells to giant seaweeds and that belong to diverse evolutionary lineages. As a result, the algae are largely defined by ecological traits ■ In addition, the algae lack the body and reproductive features of the land plants that represent adaptations to terrestrial life. ■ This concept of the algae includes both photosynthetic protist, which are eukaryotes, and the prokaryotic cynobacteria (blue-green algae).

Figure : Eukaryotic supergroup and some eukaryotic algal phyla or classes (in bold) (Graham et al., 2016)

Algae Body Type: Microalgae Algae bodies can be so small that a microscope is needed to observed them

Chlorococcum sp.

Unicells Scenedesmus sp.

Colonies

Pediastrum sp.

Coenobia

Platydorina sp.

Flagellates

Mougeotia sp.

Filament

Stigeoclonium sp.

Branch Filaments

Microcystis sp.

Coccoid

Microalgae Body Types

Algae Body Type: Macroalgae (seaweed) Algae bodies that are large enough to be seen with the unaided eye

Macroalgae (Seaweed) Body Type

Coenocytic / siphonous bodies

Parenchymatous bodies

Pseudoparenchymatous body

Caulerpa sp.

Codium sp. Gracilaria sp. Ulva sp.

Algal Reproductive Types : Asexual Reproduction

(Graham et al., 2016)

Algal Reproductive Types : Sexual Reproduction

(Graham et al., 2016)

Algal Diversity

Green Algae

Caulerpa sp.

Photosynthetic Stramenopiles

Cymbella sp.

Red Algae

Gelidium sp.

Dinoflagellates

Woloszynski halophila

Haptophytes

Emiliania sp.

Cryptomonads

Cryptomonas sp.

Euglenoids

Trachelomonas sp.

Glaucophytes

Glaucocystis sp.

Chlorarachniophytes

Gymnochlora sp.

Cynobacteria

Merismopedia sp.

■ The algae are mostly photosynthetic species that produced oxygen and live in aquatic habitats. ■ As a results of photosynthetic activities, algae have generated a large fraction of the oxygen present in Earth’s atmosphere and produce an enormous quantity of organic carbon. ■ Organic carbon arising from algae has provided other organisms with food for billions of years.

Photosynthesis can be represented using balanced chemical equation: Light energy

6CO2 + 6H2O ------------------- C6H12O6 + 6O2 Carbon water chlorophyll glucose oxygen dioxide

(a) Light reactions : H20 + NADP+ + ADP + Pi ----------O2 + ATP + NADPH

(b) Dark reactions : CO2 + NADPH+ + H+ + ATP CH2O (carbohydrate) + NADP+ + H2O + ADP + Pi

THE ROLE OF ALGAE

IN BIOGEOCHEMISTRY

Cyanobacteria and the origin of an oxygen-

rich atmosphere

Algae & carbon cycle

Mineral limitation of algae growth

Algae & nitrogen

cycle

Iron limitation of algae

growth in the oceans

Algae & sulfur cycle

Algal production

of halocarbon compounds

Alg

ae in

Bio

tic

Ass

oci

atio

ns

Algae in Food Web

Algae as Sources of Dissolved Organic Material & Detritus

Herbivores

Algal food quality

Algal defenses against herbivory

Algae in Symbiotic Associations

Parasites & Pathogen of algae

Algae as parasites or patogens

Algae as epibionts

Algae in mutualistic symbioses

http://marinebio.mbhs.edu/algae.php

Digital.wwwnorton.com

Isolation of microalgae & the establishment and maintenance of starter cultures

Isolation techniques • Selective enrichment media techniques

• Centrifuge-washing and streak-plating technique

• Taxis technique

Establishing & maintaining starter cultures •microalgae are grown and maintained in enriched culture media.

•Media contain macronutrients (N &P) & micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Co, Cd, Mo, Vitamin)

Preservation of microalgae cultures •maintained on agar slopes or plates enriched with nutrient media

•Cell suspensions may also be cryopreserved and then freezing with, and storage in, liquid or vapour-phase nitrogen

Isolation Process A culture is a genetically homogenous clone propagated from one individual cell or filament, isolation of which involves the following steps:

Selection of Sources of Microalgae

Enrichment of a Culture

Direct Isolation

Producing axenic cultures

Enrichment is the process of providing a suitable environment for the growth and reproduction of a special group of microalgae while being inhibitory or lethal for non-target organisms. Morphologically distinct isolates are picked up and transferred to a fresh agar medium until identical colonies are obtained on a plate.

Axenic cultures are pure, i.e. unialgal as well as free of other organisms (bacteria, protozoa). Basic purification techniques are using cell washing, density gradient centrifugation, UV irradiation, Filtration & antibiotics.

Single cells or filaments can be picked up under a dissecting microscope, using micropipettes. The individual cells are transferred to agar medium or fresh sterile medium for isolation. Trachelomonas sp. Mougeotia sp. Pediastrum sp. diatom.

Water and soil samples collected from diverse habitats, such as river, estuaries, ponds are likely to yield very different algal isolates.

Iso

lati

on

Tec

hn

iqu

es

separation using micropipettes

serial dilution cultures

successive plating on agar media

centrifugation techniques

Algal strains can be maintained in liquid or on solid agar media. To maintain an algal strain, the culture can be kept at low irradiance, at temperature (25+1⁰C) and transferred once in every six months.

Establishing & maintaining starter cultures: microalgae are grown and maintained in enriched

culture media. Media contain macronutrients (N &P) &

micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Co, Cd, Mo, Vitamin) Preservation of microalgae cultures: maintained on agar slopes or plates

enriched with nutrient media most algae have to be kept at 25+10⁰C

temperature Cell suspensions may also be cryopreserved

and then freezing with, and storage in, liquid or vapour-phase nitrogen for long-term storage

Mass scale production of microalgae

CULTIVATION SYSTEMS FOR ALGAE

Open Cultivation Systems

Closed Cultivation Systems

Sea-based Cultivation

Systems

Photobioreactor Raceway Pond Floating cultivation system

• A photobioreactor or an algae bioreactor is used to cultivate algae to produce biomass or fix carbon dioxide emissions. • Algae bioreactors are used for the production of fuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel for the reduction of pollutants such as CO2 and NOx in flue gases emitted from power plants. • These photobioreactors are based on the photosynthetic reaction performed by algae containing chlorophyll. With the help of sunlight and dissolved carbon dioxide, CO2 is made accessible by dispersing it into the reactor.

Technological Application of

Algae

Algae as Research

Tools

Algae Culture

Collections

Algae ‘Omics’

Algae as Environmental

Monitors

Algae Bioassays Algae as

Paleoecological

Indicators

Algae as Sources of Food and Other

Products

Uses of Algae in

Aquaculture and as Human

Food

Gelling Agents from

seaweeds

Pharmaceuticals from

Algae

Algae as Sources of

Biofuels

Algae in Wastewater Treatment

Genetic Engineering

of Algae

Technological Application of Algae

1. ALGAE AS RESEARCH TOOLS

1.1 Algal Culture Collections

• Culture collections offer algae of known source and identity for use in research and technology. When investigators perform research with cultures from established public collections, other researchers can obtain and study the same cultures, thereby enhancing repeatability. • Culture collections expand by the addition of newly isolated algal species. When new microalgal species are formally described in the literature, it is customary and often required that the discoverers deposit cultures in a public culture collection. • Most cultures in collections are of microalgae that readily grow in small containers, though certain macroalgae may also be available. • Some collections focus on marine phytoplankton and others on freshwater algal species. (www.sams.ac.uk)

• Algal culture collections located in the World: (a) The University of Texas Algal Culture Collection (UTEX), (b) The Bigelow U. S. National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota. (c) The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (d) Culture Collection of Algae at Goettingen (SAG) in Germany, (e) Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), (f) Roscoff Culture Collection of Marine Phytoplankton (France), (g) Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) Culture Collection of Algae, (h) Scandinavian Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa at the University of Copenhagen, (i) CSIRO Australian National Algae Culture Collection, (j) Freshwater Algae Culture Collection at the Institute of Hydrobiology (Wuhan, China), (k) National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Japan.

• These organizations maintain websites that typically include lists of available cultures and their original sources, images, recommended growth conditions, culture media composition, and other useful information. • Culture collections have greatly fostered the ability of investigators to obtain whole genome sequences of algae, and to sequence RNA molecules to understand which genes are transcribed under particular environmental conditions, a process known as transcriptomics. • The availability in culture collections of algal species for which whole genomic and/or transcriptomic sequencing has been accomplished allows other workers to extend knowledge with additional “omics” approaches.

photo by Sascha Bubner

UNIVERSITY MALAYA ALGAE CULTURE COLLECTION

● University of Malaya Algae Culture Collection (UMACC) was established for the repository of microalgal cultures. More than150 microalgal isolates holds by the UMACC and is the biggest microalgae culture collection in Malaysia (Phang & Chu, 1999).

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU ALGAE CULTURE COLLECTION

1.2 Algal “Omics”

• Genomic approaches have become fundamental to understanding evolutionary diversification of the algae, learning how gene expression networks operate during development and respond to environmental changes, and genetic engineering (Bhattacharya et al. 2015; Guarnieri and Pienkos 2015).

• Modern methods for generating genomic sequence data employ machines that generate very large amounts of sequence data, and so are known as high-throughput sequencing or next generation (“next-gen”) sequencing.

• The type of sequencing machine that is used is known as the sequencing platform. Some platforms generate a vast amount of relatively short sequences and others produce comparatively fewer but longer the various types of software in a process known as sequence informatics.

• Genomic data are archived in web-based databases, such as those maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy—sponsored Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

• Full genome sequences are now available or in development for multiple species of cyanobacteria (Shih et al. 2013) and eukaryotic algae belonging to diverse groups.

2. ALGAE AS ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORS

• Changes in algal community composition can be used as indicators of environmental change.

• Algae are important components of systems for water-quality monitoring (Lavoie et al. 2008; Stevenson 2014).

• Algae or their products can also be used in laboratory bioassays to monitor the quality of water that will be used for drinking or other purposes.

• In addition, the microscopic remains of certain algae are used in paleoecological studies to infer changes in water quality of lakes over time. Such remains are also

used to detect instances of climate change affecting lake or ocean algal communities.

2.1 Algal Bioassays

• A bioassay is a procedure that uses organisms and their responses to estimate the effects of physical and chemical agents in the environment.

• Algal biomonitors are widely used to monitor both nutrients that would foster algal blooms and substances that are toxic to algae and other organisms.

• Algae are effective in bioassays because they are more sensitive than animals to some pollutants, including detergents, textile-manufacturing effluents, dyes, and especially herbicides.

• Algal toxicity tests have become important components of aquatic safety assessments for chemicals and effluents and are required by Section 304(h) of the U.S. Federal Water Pollution Control Act and in the registration of pesticides (Lewis 1990). Some other countries have similar requirements.

2.2 Algae as Paleoecological Indicators

• Such scientists take samples of sediments with hollow, tubular devices from which long cores of sediment are extruded. The cores can be cut in half lengthwise so that one-half can be archived for later reference and the other half can be sliced

crosswise for analysis. A database of modern algal species’ responses to environmental conditions of various types is necessary in order to use the remains of ancient algae to infer ecological conditions of the past.

• In lakes, for example, the topmost centimeter of sediment may have accumulated over the past five years. The more distant from the sediment surface, the longer ago the algal remains were deposited. This layering of algal fossils in

sediments, along with other information, allows paleolimnologists or paleooceanographers to infer the relative age of sedimentary deposits (Smol 2007).

• Together with diatom walls, calcified scales of coccolithophorid algae, silica skeletons of silicoflagellates, and decay-resistant cysts of dinoflagellates persist in ocean sediments for millions of years. These algal remains pile up in layers that

can be used to deduce past environmental changes, such as climate shifts or other ecological disturbance by humans (Smol and Cumming 2000; Siver et al. 2015).

• Examples of algal materials that often occur in lake sediments include distinctively ornamented silica scales and walls of resting stages (known as stomatocysts) of freshwater chrysophyceans and diatoms.

• As algae die, their decay-resistant remains may accumulate in lake or ocean sediments.

ALGAE TOXICITY TEST : EFFECT OF SELECTED ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSOR ON GROWTH,

BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION, DNA DAMAGE AND SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE ACTIVITY IN ALGAE

Objective:

To assess the physiological responds and adaptation of microalgae & seaweed to environmental stressor such as chemicals contaminants (metal, pesticides,

textile dye, agro-industrial effluents), ocean acidification, eutrophication & elevated temperature, irradiance & carbon dioxide level)

Contaminants are defined as : “substances (i.e. chemical elements and compounds) or groups of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bio-accumulate and other substances or groups of substances which give rise to an equivalent level of concern” [Water Framework Directive, Article 2(29)]

There are many different ways of inputs of chemical contaminants into the marine environment: (i) direct discharge of chemical contaminants into the ocean; (ii) runoff into waters due to rain (iii) contaminants that are released from the atmosphere.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS IN AQUATIC SYSTEM

Sources of chemical contamination in marine environment:

Natural or anthropogenic

Industrial discharge Industrial gases emission

(Atmospheric deposition)

Agricultural farm

discharge and run off

Human waste

and servicing

Emissions from the

combustion of fossil fuels

from ships, ferries and boat

Oil pollution

from land-based

& sea-based

activities

Shipping accident

Source of

chemical

contamination in

aquatic system

Consequence of

chemical

contamination in

aquatic system

Biodiversity

reduction or loss

Contamination

in aquatic food

chains

Excess release of toxicant

acutely toxic

especially to non- target

marine biota

Reduce deep water

oxygen level

Appearance of

Harmful Algal Bloom

species

Organisms or biological processes may be adversely affected

Acidification in

soil & water

bodies

Change in

standing crop and

species

composition

Loses for the fishing &

shellfish industry

affecting income of

local communities

Reduce facility value of

coastal system for human

settlement and tourisms

Chlorella sp. Chlorococcum sp. Tetraselmis sp. Scenedesmus sp.

Spirulina sp. Diatoms

Microalgae Used in the Study

Nannochloropsis sp. Alexandrium sp

Boergesenia forbesii Ventricaria ventricosa

Seaweed Used in the Study

Ulva sp.

Gracilaria sp Sargassum sp.

Chaetomorpha sp.

Halimeda sp. Caulerpa sp

Collection of microalgae & seaweed samples from tropical & polar region

Culture of microalgae & seaweed in lab condition

Biochemical Composition

Analysis

Total Carbohydrate

Total Protein

Total Lipid

Fatty acids profiles

Exposure of different concentrations of environmental stressor

under control conditions for short & long term duration

Superoxide

dismutase Activity

Assay

Data & Statistical Analysis One-way Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) (Statistica Software) was used .

The least significant differences (LSD) test was used to reveal statistical differences.

DNA damage

Detection

Assay

Growth study & toxicity test

Research Approaches

To defend themselves from damaging effect of ROS, all aerobic organisms have evolved complex antioxidant defense system; that include enzymatic complex eg: Superoxide dismutase.

DNA damage in cell Changes in DNA structure.

Reduction in biochemical composition leads to interference

of cell functions

Inhibited photosynthesis mechanisms mortality of the cell after long term exposure to

toxicant

The increased levels of ROS produced oxidative damage to macromolecules (carbohydrate, protein, lipid & nucleic acids) damage of different cellular organelles.

The toxicity mechanisms of chemical contaminants involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the intervention of metal ions in Fenton’s reaction (Okamoto et al, 2001).

The application of oxidative stress enzymes in combination with other biomarkers from higher levels of biological organization as an end-point indicator, may prove to be a valuable tool for investigating the

effects of chemical contamination on the marine ecosystem

Summary

USE OF OXIDATIVE STRESS ENZYMES AS BIOINDICATOR TO MONITOR

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS IN POLAR REGION

Marion Island Scientific Expedition 2007

28 Apr 2007 – 21 May 2007

Joint Research Project between

University of Malaya, University of Cape Town, Rhodes University, University of

Western Cape & South African National Antarctic Programme

RESEARCH ACTIVITY IN SUB-ANTARCTIC, SOUTHERN OCEAN

● Marion Island, one of the two Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about 1,920 km southeast of Cape Town ● Marion Island is volcanic, rising above the waves of the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Africa. ● Occurring at the juncture between the African Continental Plate and the Antarctic Plate, Marion Island has been volcanically active for 18,000 years.

Marion Island

BONGO net for the collection of

zooplankton CTD operation during the research cruise

SA Agulhas, the research vessel used by South African National

Antarctic Programme (SANAP)

University of Cape Town, South Africa

Figure : Chlorophyll data for the ocean region south of South Africa

Figure 1: Cruise plan showing the distribution of XBT (red) and CTD (green) stations occupied during the survey.

Arctic Scientific Expedition 2015

19 Aug 2015 – 27 Sep 2015

Joint Research Project between

University of Malaya, University Center in Svalbard & Norwegian Polar Institute

RESEARCH ACTIVITY IN ARCTIC

Fieldwork at Longyearbyen & NyAlesund, Svalbard,

Norway (Arctic)

● Longyearbyen is a small coal-mining town on Spitsbergen Island, in Norway's Svalbard archipelago. This Arctic town is known for its views of the Northern Lights. Live bears can occasionally be seen in the area. ● Situated at 78º 55' N, Ny-Ålesund is one of the world’s northermost year-round communities. Ny-Ålesund has also been the starting point of several historical attempts to reach the North Pole. Since 1964, Ny-Ålesund has also been a centre for international Arctic research and environmental monitoring. A number of countries run their own national research stations here, and research activity is high in the summer.

Longyearbyean, Svalbard, Norway

University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)

NyAlesund, Svalbard, Norway

Sverdrup Research Station

Malaysian Antarctic Scientific Expedition 2016

13 Jan 2016 – 14 Feb 2016

Joint Research Expedition between

University of Malaya, University Malaysia Terengganu, National University of

Malaysia, University of Science Malaysia, Universiti Teknolog MARA & International

Medical University

RESEARCH ACTIVITY IN ANTARCTIC

Site 1 : King Sejong Site 2: Greenwich Island Site 3: Deception Island Site 4: Trinity Island Site 5: Nansen Island Site 6: Paradise Bay Site 7: Booth Island Site 8: Graham Coast

Decreasin

g latitud

e -----

Sampling Site at Antarctic Peninsular

King Sejong Research Station

3. ALGAE AS SOURCES OF FOOD AND OTHER PRODUCTS

3.1 Use of algae in aquaculture and as human food

Information gained in studies of algal herbivory has proven useful in devising aquaculture systems for the cultivation of shellfish and other aquatic species.

Many marine animals cannot synthesize certain essential long-chain fatty acids in quantities high enough for growth and survival and thus depend on algal food to supply them.

Non-toxic marine microalgae, including the stramenopiles, Isochrysis, Pavlova, and Nannochloropsis, as well as various diatoms, represent the primary food source for at least some stages in the life cycle of most cultivated marine animals.

Algae are also grown for production of food additives, such as fatty acids that improve the nutritional quality of baby formula.

Food for live preys of fish larvae

Spirulina sp.

Chlorella sp.

Dunaliella sp.

Tetraselmis sp.

Nannochloropsis sp.

Crypthecodinium sp.

Schizochytrium sp.

Food for bivalve mollusk larvae

Skeletonema sp.

Phaeodactylum sp.

Chaetoceros sp.

Thalassiosira sp.

Nannochloris sp.

Tetraselmis sp.

Pyramimonas sp.

Rhodomonas sp.

Isochrysis sp.

Pavlova sp.

Food for penaeid shrimp larvae

Skeletonema sp.

Phaeodactylum sp.

Chaetoceros sp.

Dunaliella sp.

Tetraselmis sp.

Rhodomonas sp.

Isochrysis sp.

Pavlova sp.

16 genera of microalgae

most commonly grown for

aquacultural purposes

Microalgae applications as aquaculture feeds

Feed for Bivalve mollusks

Feed for Abalone

Feed for Shrimp larvae

Feed for Live prey

Microalgae for green water application

Microalgae grown for food or food additives

• Although the high nucleic acid content of many microalgae limits their use as human food, several species are cultivated for production of nutritional supplements or food additives such as β-carotene & astaxanthin (Ben-Amotz et al. 1982).

Macroalgae (seaweed) harvested or grown as food

• A few macroalgae, mostly the reds Porphyra, Kappaphycus and Gracilaria, and the brown kelps Saccharina, Laminaria, and Undaria, are cultivated in aquaculture operations for use in human foods or for extraction of gelling compounds

3.2 Gelling agents from seaweed

● The gelling agents are produced from certain brown and red seaweeds ● In general, these products are useful because they stiffen aqueous solutions. Gelling agents are widely used in food processing industries, but also in medicine and manufacturing.

The gelling agents

Alginic acid (or its mineral salt, alginate),

Carrageenan,

Agar

Agarose

Pure agar

Carrageenan is widely used as a stabilizer and emulsifier.

3.3 Pharmaceuticals from algae

● This is not surprising because algal lineages are very old and have thus been subjected to microbial attack for hundreds of millions of years. During this time, algae have adapted by producing diverse protective chemical compounds.

Various types of algae are the sources of compounds having :

Antibiotic Antifungal Antiviral Anticancer activity

Screening programs are used to survey cultivable organisms whose medicinal properties are

unknown.

Water-soluble and lipid-soluble extracts of algae are initially tested for the ability to reduce

pathogen effects on animal-cell cultures grown in multiple-well plates.

For extracts showing activity, dilution studies are done to determine relative potency.

Finally, efforts are made to identify the chemical structures of pharmacologically active

compounds.

3.4 Algae as sources of biofuels

• A number of government agencies and companies are funding efforts to minimize operating and capital costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable. • Attempts are being made to cultivate algae into large amounts for making bioethanol, biodiesel, biogasoline, biobutanol, biomethanol and other biofuels. • Benefits of algal fuels are: They can be cultivated with minimal impact on fresh water resources Can be produced using waste and ocean water Are biodegradable and harmless to the environment even if spilled

ALGAE-BASED BIOENERGY PRODUCT

Figure : Overview of algae-to-energy options

HTU

Hydrocracking

Fermentation

Purification

Esterification

Burning

Digestion

Fermentation

Gasification

TREATMENT

Traditional Fuels

Methanol

Hydrogen

High Value Products

SVO

Biodiesel

Heat

Methanol

Ethanol

Fuel Gas

Oil

PRODUCT

Hydrocarbons

Biomass

Lipids

Unique products

Hydrogen

Starch

ALGAE PRODUCTS

ALGAE-BASED BIOENERGY OPTIONS

ALGAE-BASED

BIOENERGY PRODUCTS

Biodiesel

Hydrocarbons

Ethanol

Hydrogen Biogas

Bioelectricity

Thermochemical Treatment

Phang Siew-Moi1, Emienour Muzalina Mustafa1, Lim Phaik-Eem1, Nik Meriam Nik Sulaiman1, Loh, Harrison Lau, Nor Azreena Idris

BIOENERGY FROM ALGAE

Joint Research Project between MALAYSIAN PALM OIL BOARD & UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA1

Development of biofuel production using Palm Oil Mill Effluent as growth medium

Chlorella culture grown in various systems: Slant to scale up

enclosed PBRs Slant

culture

enclosed PBRs Conical

flask

column PBRs tubular PBRs raceway ponds

Phang Siew-Moi1, Emienour Muzalina Mustafa1, Lim Phaik-Eem1, Nik Meriam Nik Sulaiman1, Xavier Dommange2, Liew Kan-Ern3, Cyrille Schwob2

IMPROVEMENT OF BIOMASS AND LIPID PRODUCTIVITY IN MALAYSIAN MICROALGAE

Joint Research Project between AEROSPACE MALAYSIA INNOVATION CENTRE3 (AMIC), AIRBUS GROUP2 &

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA1

Algae sample

collection

Isolation, Purification,

Identification

Cultivation in laboratory condition

Screening for biochemical composition

& selection for best strain

Mass cultivation of microalgae in the outdoor PBR

Extraction of Lipid & FA for

jet-fuel production

Development of jet-fuel

production using Malaysian Microalgae

4. ALGAE FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT

The use of algae for wastewater treatment is more advantageous than conventional wastewater treatments. Some of the key benefits are: •Economical – It is a cost-effective technique for the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and pathogens when compared to sludge processes and other secondary treatment procedures. •Low Energy Requirements – Conventional wastewater treatment processes involve aeration, which is energy intensive whereas, algae-based wastewater treatments produce oxygen that is needed for aerobic bacteria. Algae offers an efficient way for nutrient consumption and provide aerobic bacteria with oxygen through photosynthesis.

•Reductions in Sludge Formation – In traditional wastewater treatment facilities, the sludge obtained contains hazardous solid waste that finally finds its way to landfills. However, in algal wastewater treatment facilities, the resulting sludge with algal biomass has a large amount of energy that can be processed further to make fertilizers or biofuels. Algal technology does not use chemicals and the whole effluent treatment procedure is simple and results in minimum sludge formation. •GHG Emission Reduction – According to the US EPA, conventional wastewater plants contribute significantly to greenhouse gases. Algae-based wastewater treatments release carbon dioxide but the consumption by algae is greater than what is released, making the whole system carbon negative. •Production of Useful Algal Biomass – The algae biomass obtained is a source of biodiesel.

Wastewater Treatment Research

Aquaculture Effluent

Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Landfill leachate

Textile Dye Effluent

Rubber Effluent

Chicken Dung

Algae is highly beneficial in terms of its general usage as well as environmental applications. The days are not far away when we will live in buildings that will be beautifully enclosed in photosynthetic membranes and vertical gardens, harvesting solar energy, producing bio-products and food for city dwellers. Imagine algae systems that recycles waste into fuel, animal food and bio-fertilizers. It is hope that Malaysia’s progress in algae products industry will not only benefit itself but also can help to turn our planet into a more sustainable and healty place to live.

RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR BRACKISHWATER AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES EXTENSION, MAROS, INDONESIA

School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Institute of Tropical Aquaculture, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya

Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya