contributing to human lives in various ways as a new resource for the future,
particularly in high value-added functional food and Chinese medicine production.
7.7 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
As recently as the mid-1980s, microalgae research in Korea was limited to basic
typological studies. Microalgae themselves remained utterly unfamiliar to the
general public. Today, they are at the heart of marine bioindustry, with potential
to drive global clean energy trends in the future and open a veritable Pandora’s
box of future marine bioindustry possibilities. They are without a doubt a biological research with vast untapped potential.
Primary producers in aquatic environments, microalgae are a vast biological
resource in terms of both volume and variety, with tens of thousands of species
producing more than 20 billion ton of organic matter per year. Microalgae
typically grow far more quickly than land-based plants and can be easily cultured in both freshwater and seawater, or in any environment with light energy.
They possess great potential as a material in bioindustry, allowing for low-cost
production of industrially useful high molecular weight substances such as
proteins, fats, sugars, and pigments as well as substances with specific physiological functions.
Taking advantage of microalgae’s usefulness will first require mass culturing
through artificial purification and isolation. Microalgae culturing is essential not
only for phycological research but for basic science and understanding of aquatic
ecosystems. Mass-cultured microalgae are also the focus of active use and
development in a variety of industry areas as a source of food for marine and
livestock forming and a material in fertilizer, functional health supplements, food
additives, pharmaceuticals, industry, wastewater treatment, atmospheric purification, and bioenergy.
An invisible biological resource war is now under way around the world.
Through active biotechnology research, microalgae may yet become not only a
subject of academic interest but a high value-added bioindustry resource for
Korea’s future through development of high-functioning antioxidants, pharmaceuticals, health foods, functional cosmetics, and bioenergy.
References
Aaronson, S., & Dubinsky, Z. (1982). Mass production of microalgae. Experientia, 38(1), 36–40.
Aresta, M., Dibenedetto, A., & Barberio, G. (2005). Utilization of macro-algae for enhanced CO 2
fixation and biofuels production: Development of a computing software for an LCA study.
Fuel Processing Technology, 86(14–15), 1679–1693.
Becker, E. (2007). Micro-algae as a source of protein. Biotechnology Advances, 25(2), 207–210.
Borowitzka, M. A. (1995). Microalgae as sources of pharmaceuticals and other biologically active
compounds. Journal of Applied Phycology, 7(1), 3–15.
Borowitzka, M. A. (1999). Commercial production of microalgae: Ponds, tanks, and fermenters.
Progress in Industrial Microbiology, 35, 313–321.
7.6 Industrial Applications of Microalgae
225
particularly in high value-added functional food and Chinese medicine production.
7.7 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
As recently as the mid-1980s, microalgae research in Korea was limited to basic
typological studies. Microalgae themselves remained utterly unfamiliar to the
general public. Today, they are at the heart of marine bioindustry, with potential
to drive global clean energy trends in the future and open a veritable Pandora’s
box of future marine bioindustry possibilities. They are without a doubt a biological research with vast untapped potential.
Primary producers in aquatic environments, microalgae are a vast biological
resource in terms of both volume and variety, with tens of thousands of species
producing more than 20 billion ton of organic matter per year. Microalgae
typically grow far more quickly than land-based plants and can be easily cultured in both freshwater and seawater, or in any environment with light energy.
They possess great potential as a material in bioindustry, allowing for low-cost
production of industrially useful high molecular weight substances such as
proteins, fats, sugars, and pigments as well as substances with specific physiological functions.
Taking advantage of microalgae’s usefulness will first require mass culturing
through artificial purification and isolation. Microalgae culturing is essential not
only for phycological research but for basic science and understanding of aquatic
ecosystems. Mass-cultured microalgae are also the focus of active use and
development in a variety of industry areas as a source of food for marine and
livestock forming and a material in fertilizer, functional health supplements, food
additives, pharmaceuticals, industry, wastewater treatment, atmospheric purification, and bioenergy.
An invisible biological resource war is now under way around the world.
Through active biotechnology research, microalgae may yet become not only a
subject of academic interest but a high value-added bioindustry resource for
Korea’s future through development of high-functioning antioxidants, pharmaceuticals, health foods, functional cosmetics, and bioenergy.
References
Aaronson, S., & Dubinsky, Z. (1982). Mass production of microalgae. Experientia, 38(1), 36–40.
Aresta, M., Dibenedetto, A., & Barberio, G. (2005). Utilization of macro-algae for enhanced CO 2
fixation and biofuels production: Development of a computing software for an LCA study.
Fuel Processing Technology, 86(14–15), 1679–1693.
Becker, E. (2007). Micro-algae as a source of protein. Biotechnology Advances, 25(2), 207–210.
Borowitzka, M. A. (1995). Microalgae as sources of pharmaceuticals and other biologically active
compounds. Journal of Applied Phycology, 7(1), 3–15.
Borowitzka, M. A. (1999). Commercial production of microalgae: Ponds, tanks, and fermenters.
Progress in Industrial Microbiology, 35, 313–321.
7.6 Industrial Applications of Microalgae
225