Seaweeds are emerging as a future resource with various potential applications
for humankind, including food, production of functional substances, and a source
for energy and paper-making. Chapter 6 endeavors to fully address the basic culture
techniques for seaweed production and their applications. The field of seaweed
biotechnology includes a number of different areas, including tissue culture, callus
induction, protoplast production and regeneration, cell fusion, and gene manipulation. At the same time, a number of issues remain to be solved, including the
failure to achieve full consistency in terminology. Nevertheless, the technology is
very important in opening up new possibilities for the use of seaweed not only as a
food resource but also for mass production of useful substances or for bioactive
substances (cosmeceutical, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals) and biotechnological resources, and greater development is expected for the field going ahead.
Chapter 7 discusses microalgae, a major biological resource for future, particularly
in the area of food, cosmetics, energy production, biofertilizer, bioactive substances,
and in wastewater treatment. Microalgae, a primary producer in aquatic environments, encompasses a vast biological resource in terms of both volume and variety,
with tens of thousands of species producing more than 20 billion tons of organic
matter per year. In this chapter, we discussed culture methods of microalgae for mass
production; 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 bio-industry, 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.
The development of new and useful materials from marine organisms is a very
important field in both academic and industrial terms. Hence, Chap. 8 attempts to
address this issue by particular focusing on various aspects of the development of
functional materials using marine organisms. This chapter will examine the
potential of biomaterial derived from marine organism derived as antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory, and anticancer substances that have already garnered attention of
pharmaceutical industries. Production and application of mussel adhesive protein
are discussed in this chapter. Also, this chapter focusses on various active research
efforts currently underway for deriving marine biomaterials for its effectual use in
cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, as well as functional foods. Production and applications of marine polysaccharides (chitin, chitosan, chitooligosaccharides, alginate,
etc.) in cosmeceuticals, wound healing, and artificial skin development are presented well. A brief explanation has been given the production and pharmacological
applications of fish fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
With the recent trend of consistently high oil prices and the climate change
agreement taking effect, energy has emerged as a serious societal issue. As a
solution to this problem, research into developing and commercializing
bioenergy-related technology for the production of clean energy and new/renewable
energies using biomass is taking place actively around the world. Therefore, in
Chap. 9 we attempt to explain the potential use of marine materials for bioenergy
Preface
vii
for humankind, including food, production of functional substances, and a source
for energy and paper-making. Chapter 6 endeavors to fully address the basic culture
techniques for seaweed production and their applications. The field of seaweed
biotechnology includes a number of different areas, including tissue culture, callus
induction, protoplast production and regeneration, cell fusion, and gene manipulation. At the same time, a number of issues remain to be solved, including the
failure to achieve full consistency in terminology. Nevertheless, the technology is
very important in opening up new possibilities for the use of seaweed not only as a
food resource but also for mass production of useful substances or for bioactive
substances (cosmeceutical, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals) and biotechnological resources, and greater development is expected for the field going ahead.
Chapter 7 discusses microalgae, a major biological resource for future, particularly
in the area of food, cosmetics, energy production, biofertilizer, bioactive substances,
and in wastewater treatment. Microalgae, a primary producer in aquatic environments, encompasses a vast biological resource in terms of both volume and variety,
with tens of thousands of species producing more than 20 billion tons of organic
matter per year. In this chapter, we discussed culture methods of microalgae for mass
production; 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 bio-industry, 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.
The development of new and useful materials from marine organisms is a very
important field in both academic and industrial terms. Hence, Chap. 8 attempts to
address this issue by particular focusing on various aspects of the development of
functional materials using marine organisms. This chapter will examine the
potential of biomaterial derived from marine organism derived as antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory, and anticancer substances that have already garnered attention of
pharmaceutical industries. Production and application of mussel adhesive protein
are discussed in this chapter. Also, this chapter focusses on various active research
efforts currently underway for deriving marine biomaterials for its effectual use in
cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, as well as functional foods. Production and applications of marine polysaccharides (chitin, chitosan, chitooligosaccharides, alginate,
etc.) in cosmeceuticals, wound healing, and artificial skin development are presented well. A brief explanation has been given the production and pharmacological
applications of fish fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
With the recent trend of consistently high oil prices and the climate change
agreement taking effect, energy has emerged as a serious societal issue. As a
solution to this problem, research into developing and commercializing
bioenergy-related technology for the production of clean energy and new/renewable
energies using biomass is taking place actively around the world. Therefore, in
Chap. 9 we attempt to explain the potential use of marine materials for bioenergy
Preface
vii