technology for the efficient use of these resources will be a pivotal turning point
toward the marine biotech era (Kim and Lee 2015).
One of the main reasons for predictions of a “marine biotech era” is the
expectation that new technologies using marine technology will supplant or
transform the existing chemical industry. Today’s chemical industry uses petroleum
to produce countless different kinds of chemical products and transportation fuels.
A number of situational changes, including exhaustion of petroleum resources and
regulations on CO 2 emissions, are now necessitating innovations in that industry.
By combining the globally based chemical industry with the marine biotechnology
that is experiencing rapid growth independently in South Korea, it may be possible
to create a globally competitive marine bioindustry.
The single largest field in marine bioindustry is the algae industry. Historically,
humans have a long tradition of using algae in various ways for food and industry.
In Asia, algae have long been used for food alone. In the West, algae have been
used to produce valuable chemical materials, which have been the subject of a large
amount of research. Polysaccharides, which are important constituents of algae,
have been used as materials for food, cosmetics, medicines, and material engineering. Recently, attention has focused on multifunctional oligosaccharide materials possessing biological adjustment functions. The oceans contain a vast variety
of algae containing somewhat different bioactive materials from land-based
organisms, making them a veritable treasure trove of bioactive substances containing new polysaccharides. For this reason, many researchers are vigorously
studying algae in the hopes of obtaining new bioactive substances (Brown et al.
1997; Jiao et al. 2011; Verma et al. 2010; Villa-Carvajal et al. 2014; Wijesekara
et al. 2011).
Polysaccharides derived from algae have long been used in daily life by humans,
including agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, and fucoidan. The value added from these
biopolymers can vary; with agar for food purposes it amounts to US$1.50 per kg,
while high-quality agarose for cataphoresis sells for US$100–200 per kg. Around
30,000 ton of alginic acid are produced commercial each year, and while sales
prices for ordinary commercial products such as dye fixative, medication additives,
and coagulants ranges between US$5 and US$20 per kg, high-purity
pharmaceutical-grade alginic acid for use in immune boosters and cell fixation
has extreme high value added in the range of US$40,000 per kg. In this way,
algae-based polysaccharides are receiving great attention as a resource for generating high value added, producing polymeric materials, and contributing to qualitative improvements in human life (Borowitzka 2013).
Steady advancements in research and new technologies using algal polysaccharides have been made around the world, and the resulting industry market is
expected to grow. In South Korea, industry development around algal polysaccharides has been lacking, and a research base and industry infrastructure on part
with the advanced economies are sorely required.
6
1 What Is Marine Biotechnology?
toward the marine biotech era (Kim and Lee 2015).
One of the main reasons for predictions of a “marine biotech era” is the
expectation that new technologies using marine technology will supplant or
transform the existing chemical industry. Today’s chemical industry uses petroleum
to produce countless different kinds of chemical products and transportation fuels.
A number of situational changes, including exhaustion of petroleum resources and
regulations on CO 2 emissions, are now necessitating innovations in that industry.
By combining the globally based chemical industry with the marine biotechnology
that is experiencing rapid growth independently in South Korea, it may be possible
to create a globally competitive marine bioindustry.
The single largest field in marine bioindustry is the algae industry. Historically,
humans have a long tradition of using algae in various ways for food and industry.
In Asia, algae have long been used for food alone. In the West, algae have been
used to produce valuable chemical materials, which have been the subject of a large
amount of research. Polysaccharides, which are important constituents of algae,
have been used as materials for food, cosmetics, medicines, and material engineering. Recently, attention has focused on multifunctional oligosaccharide materials possessing biological adjustment functions. The oceans contain a vast variety
of algae containing somewhat different bioactive materials from land-based
organisms, making them a veritable treasure trove of bioactive substances containing new polysaccharides. For this reason, many researchers are vigorously
studying algae in the hopes of obtaining new bioactive substances (Brown et al.
1997; Jiao et al. 2011; Verma et al. 2010; Villa-Carvajal et al. 2014; Wijesekara
et al. 2011).
Polysaccharides derived from algae have long been used in daily life by humans,
including agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, and fucoidan. The value added from these
biopolymers can vary; with agar for food purposes it amounts to US$1.50 per kg,
while high-quality agarose for cataphoresis sells for US$100–200 per kg. Around
30,000 ton of alginic acid are produced commercial each year, and while sales
prices for ordinary commercial products such as dye fixative, medication additives,
and coagulants ranges between US$5 and US$20 per kg, high-purity
pharmaceutical-grade alginic acid for use in immune boosters and cell fixation
has extreme high value added in the range of US$40,000 per kg. In this way,
algae-based polysaccharides are receiving great attention as a resource for generating high value added, producing polymeric materials, and contributing to qualitative improvements in human life (Borowitzka 2013).
Steady advancements in research and new technologies using algal polysaccharides have been made around the world, and the resulting industry market is
expected to grow. In South Korea, industry development around algal polysaccharides has been lacking, and a research base and industry infrastructure on part
with the advanced economies are sorely required.
6
1 What Is Marine Biotechnology?