Author: Carrie Cox

Scientists have discovered a way to potentially increase the natural hydrocarbon production of algae. The discovery was recently reported in Nature Communications Journal and focuses on Botryococcus braunii, a common strain of algae. The strain naturally produces hydrocarbons, but not at a pace or scale that would allow for commercial production.

In studying the plant, scientists discovered an enzyme called lycopaoctaene synthase that is involved in hydrocarbon production. While this enzyme only produces a small amount of oil in Botryococcus braunii, scientists found that the production was faster when the enzyme was inserted into faster-growing organisms. While more study is needed, the researchers see the potential for using this genetic information to produce larger amounts of biofuels.

While there is a perception that today’s low oil prices have put pressure on algae-based biofuels, this research proves that innovation is still occurring at a noteworthy pace and the shrinking of the cost differential might not be as far off as some may think.

For more information, visit Nature Communications.

Kerry McPhail, a scientist at Oregon State of University, goes on diving expeditions across the world to collect interesting species to study. Eight years ago, she stumbled on a something that might just be a major breakthrough in the oncological space: a species of blue-green algae called coibamide A.

She collected the algae during a dive in Panama’s Coiba National Park and subsequently ran it through a screening that looks for anti-cancer activity. The resulting activity was groundbreaking: a compound from algae that interferes with the communication between the cancer cells and blood vessels/other cells, isolating the cancer cells and ultimately starving the cancer.

This activity could be applied to many different strains of cancer, and its unique approach has the potential of influencing cancer treatment beyond the use of algae. For current research purposes, however, McPhail is focused on brain tumors and triple negative breast cancer—two notoriously difficult forms of cancer to cure and ones in dire need of innovative treatment options.

Excitingly, these efforts were supplemented by work from Japan’s Kyoto University: scientists there have figured out how to produce coibamide A synthetically, removing the restraint of having to harvest the algae from nature.

For more information, visit the original Science Daily article.

 

Algae has the potential to work side-by-side with hydraulic fracturing to reduce its environmental impact. The process of hydraulic fracturing requires large amounts water that is combined with proppants and chemicals and then pumped into wells at high pressures. Wastewater comes out of the wells in large volumes and creates a disposal conundrum; a frequent solution is to pump that wastewater back into the ground for storage—a practice that may be contributing to increased seismic activities in some areas.

Oklahoma State University researchers think they have a way to mitigate the amount of wastewater that needs to be disposed. They have determined that algae can grow in wastewater and that it can successfully treat that wastewater.

That algae could then further be turned into valuable products such as biofuels or nutraceuticals. The researchers, led by Biosystems and agricultural engineering professor Nurhan Dunford, are now working on determining the best algae for the job.

For more information, visit The Oklahoman.

The Algae Biomass Organization is saddened to announce the passing of a long-time algae advocate: Val Smith. Val was a professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas for over 20 years. His time at the institution was punctuated by countless initiatives, papers and instruction on aquatic ecology, biofuels and the ecology of infectious disease.

Val was dedicated to research in the field of algae in particular: he supported the development of algae biofuels as part of the the University’s Feedstock to Tailpipe Initiative, was a key organizer and participant of the annual Algae Biomass Summit and was recognized routinely for his research on the topic. He will be sorely missed and remembered as a dynamic speaker, a great teacher and an engaging intellect.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Bioenergy Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Project Definition for Pilot and Demonstration Scale Manufacturing of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower (PD2B3)”.

This FOA supports technology development plans for the manufacture of drop-in hydrocarbon biofuels, bioproducts, or biopower in a pilot- or demonstration-scale integrated biorefinery. Scale-up and validation of these process technologies are essential to enable the industry to build future pioneer- and commercial-scale manufacturing facilities. Plans for facilities that use cellulosic biomass, algal biomass, or biosolids feedstocks will be considered under this funding opportunity.

Read more at DOE’s website.