Technological Adaptations of Algae

Question 1

What is the genus of the unicellular algae that has been extensively used as a research tool in cell biology studies?

Answer 1

Chlamydomonas

Question 2

• Why are algae so effective as bioassay organisms?

Answer 2

Algae are very sensitive to pollutants
Herbicides, detergents, dyes
Used to monitor toxic water quality

Question 3

• What is a paleoecological indicator?

Answer 3

Accumulation of decay resisitn algae in sediments from millions of years ago
Tell us about past environmental conditions and climate shifts
If you know modern algae responses, you can infer past responses to humans

Question 4

Give examples of algae or parts of algae that can remain in lake and/or ocean sediments for millions of years and can be used for paleoecology?

Answer 4

Dinoflagellate cysts
Silified chrysophyte statocysts
Diatom resting stages
Silica frustules
CaCO3 coccoliths

Question 5

Name three compounds present in algae that can be extracted and used as nutritional supplements

Answer 5

Fatty acids
beta carotene
Protein

Question 6

• What is the genus of the algae most commonly used in sushi rolls?

Answer 6

Porphyra/pyropia

Question 7

• Name the gelling compounds that can be extracted from different algae.

Answer 7

Alginates (browns) in cell walls
Carrageenan and agar (reds) in the ECM

Question 8

What type of algal culturing system is normally used when the objective of the operation is the extraction of pharmaceuticals?

Answer 8

Produced in large-scale bioreactors
They are extracted and purified

Question 9

What are the major ways in which biofuels can be produced from algae? Which one/ones are currently under a larger scale commercial development?

Answer 9

Fermentation of biomass to bioethanol: browns and greens cellulose and carbohydrates fermented to alcohol (large-scale commercial)

Extraction of lipids: used in diatoms (large-scale commercial)

Anaerobic digestion to methane

Hydrogen generation systems

Question 10

• What are the algal methods used to remove nutrients from wastewaters?

Answer 10

Artificial streams: have filamentous algae to remove nutrients as water flows over it (turf scrubbers)

Ponds: suspended with microalgae where they can remove nutrients from water

Question 11

What type of algae (name of group) would be the most likely candidate to be used for the terraforming of Mars? Why?

Answer 11

Cyanobacteria. it is the most adapted to the stresses of desert habitats and places like Antarctica. Most likely to survive this habitat