5.6 Environmental Implications
105
5.6 Environmental Implications
Like many biopolymers, the production of fucoidan, from the process of harvesting
the raw material to the final product, is not completely benign. Here we explore some
of the environmental issues associated with the extraction of fucoidan from brown
algae.
5.6.1 Resource Utilization of Brown Algae and Sea
Cucumber
Brown algae play a significant role in the aquatic environment, serve as hosts to some
microbes with which it has a symbiotic relationship, are a source of food to animals
and humans, fix nitrogen and CO 2 and also play a key role in water remediation.
Removing such from the environment results in an imbalance in the ecosystem,
and this must be weighed against the economic and environmental significance of
harvesting brown algae for fucoidan production. Already the heavy harvesting of
brown algae is causing some environmental concerns in parts of the world. On the
other hand, algae cultivation and harvesting at a sustainable rate could have some
benefits on the environment.
Furthermore, brown algae as an alternative source of fucoidan could potentially
reduce overfishing of sea cucumber which have recently suffered from severe decline
in population is some seas in area such as Madagascar and China. In these regions,
they are seen as highly priced for their medicinal purpose. Fishermen often free dive
into the sea to collect seaweeds and sea cucumber within the sunlight zone of the sea.
The brown algae and sea cucumber are sold in local markets and restaurants as food
and as an important source of income to the coastal communities. Cultivation of both
seaweed and sea cucumber should only be carried out at a rate balanced by the rate
of their reproduction in the wild; otherwise, these aquatic resources considered as
renewable resources will become depleting resources. Harvesting brown algae and
sea cucumber for large-scale extraction of products such as fucoidan particularly
where yields could be as low as 4% requires a strain on these natural resources.
Alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of overheating of these resources
from the wild include genetically modified brown algae strains which can be cultivated in controlled environment to yield desired structure of fucoidan and cultivation
of sea cucumber in aquaculture (Jour et al. 2012). Limitation of aquaculture of sea
cucumber and brown algae includes costs of facilities and the risk of losing whole
batches to infection outbreak.
105
5.6 Environmental Implications
Like many biopolymers, the production of fucoidan, from the process of harvesting
the raw material to the final product, is not completely benign. Here we explore some
of the environmental issues associated with the extraction of fucoidan from brown
algae.
5.6.1 Resource Utilization of Brown Algae and Sea
Cucumber
Brown algae play a significant role in the aquatic environment, serve as hosts to some
microbes with which it has a symbiotic relationship, are a source of food to animals
and humans, fix nitrogen and CO 2 and also play a key role in water remediation.
Removing such from the environment results in an imbalance in the ecosystem,
and this must be weighed against the economic and environmental significance of
harvesting brown algae for fucoidan production. Already the heavy harvesting of
brown algae is causing some environmental concerns in parts of the world. On the
other hand, algae cultivation and harvesting at a sustainable rate could have some
benefits on the environment.
Furthermore, brown algae as an alternative source of fucoidan could potentially
reduce overfishing of sea cucumber which have recently suffered from severe decline
in population is some seas in area such as Madagascar and China. In these regions,
they are seen as highly priced for their medicinal purpose. Fishermen often free dive
into the sea to collect seaweeds and sea cucumber within the sunlight zone of the sea.
The brown algae and sea cucumber are sold in local markets and restaurants as food
and as an important source of income to the coastal communities. Cultivation of both
seaweed and sea cucumber should only be carried out at a rate balanced by the rate
of their reproduction in the wild; otherwise, these aquatic resources considered as
renewable resources will become depleting resources. Harvesting brown algae and
sea cucumber for large-scale extraction of products such as fucoidan particularly
where yields could be as low as 4% requires a strain on these natural resources.
Alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of overheating of these resources
from the wild include genetically modified brown algae strains which can be cultivated in controlled environment to yield desired structure of fucoidan and cultivation
of sea cucumber in aquaculture (Jour et al. 2012). Limitation of aquaculture of sea
cucumber and brown algae includes costs of facilities and the risk of losing whole
batches to infection outbreak.