Abstract‘Algae Service for LIFE’, the project supported by the European Union, seeks to promote best practices in ecological service and the circular economy by implementing innovative complex system of three interlinked elements: i) prototypes for harvesting of cyanobacteria and macroalgae biomass; ii) distant methods for surveying of the blooms and defining hot-spots of algal agglomerations; and iii) restitution of harvesting costs by redesigning of waste algal biomass into valuable products. The current paper describes application of algal biomass part of the project by providing actions in redesigning of harvested waste biomass of cyanobacteria and macroalgae into potential valuable products for sustainable management and recycling of environmental resources. It also highlights the socio-economic aspects of the project and added value of the project for the European Union.
Damask rose is a well-established, abundant source of phytochemicals, as well as economically important essential oil—however, its cultivation is demanding and costly. In this paper, extracts from four raw plant materials—Salvia officinalis, Sambucus nigra, Matricaria chamomilla, Calendula officinalis, known to be rich in phenolic compounds, but also far easier to cultivate—were directly compared to those obtained from Rosa × damascena Mill. By combining diverse extraction methodologies (in a Soxhlet apparatus, ultrawave-assisted and microwave-assisted, using supercritical CO2) and complementary in vitro assays (radical scavenging, iron reducing, Folin–Ciocalteau and Al3+ complexation), it was possible to conveniently approximate and compare the phytochemical portfolios of those diverse plants. By factoring in the crop yields of different species, economically important conclusions can be reached—with pot marigold (C. officinalis) seemingly the most viable substitute for damask rose as a source of phenolics. Fatty acid and microelement analyses were also performed, to further enrich the chemical profiles of plant extracts. The paper also aims to collate and redesign multiple colorimetric assays frequently used while studying plant extracts in vitro, but criticized for their lack of correlation to in vivo activity. We show that they remain a viable tool for direct comparison of extraction methodologies, while highlighting their shortcomings.
During our studies concerning the isolation of sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) from freshwater algae species widespread in Poland, an improved overall extraction methodology has been developed. This new, multi-step procedure allows for obtainment of several fractions that could find use in cosmetic and food industries, with the final one containing the valuable SPs, important both from economic and scientific perspective. Moreover, the process allows for easy use of typical chelating agents to remove harmful heavy metal ions without important losses in natural compounds of interest. Furthermore, a material balance has been established for said process, allowing for its easier implementation on bigger scales, and highlighting the areas which could still be improved to positively affect the final time-cost ratio of the methodology. Combined with previously published information concerning the detailed composition of obtained fractions, we aim to provide a robust and informative outlook on the potential of native freshwater algae species as cheap, raw and easily purifiable resource, usable in a number of important industries. According to the mass balance, nearly 5 % of dry mass of Cladophora glomerata is extractable with ethanol and this fraction consists mostly of fatty acids, phenolics and pigments. Another 5 % of mass can be isolated as pure SPs from aqueous fraction. Additionally, calcium from natural incrustations on the surface of C. glomerata amounts to 17 % of dry material weight and can be reclaimed from acidic wash by simple precipitation; such calcium salts have garnered significant interest as nutritional supplements.
Nowadays, algae are becoming more and more popular as a food group rich in nutrients, cosmetic raw materials full of antioxidants or valuable dietary supplements. They are of interest for the industry because they are found almost all over the world, in all climatic zones, both in fresh and salt waters. The aim of this study was to take a broad look at green algae (Chlorophyta) and to show how large the variability of the content of active compounds may depend on the species and the place and time of sample collection. Particular attention was paid to compounds with antioxidant activity, whose simplified profiles were created on the basis of complementary, semi-quantitative methods. Additionally, time-yield extraction optimizations were performed. Three different specimens of Ulva lactuca were compared: from the coastal zone of the Baltic Sea, from the open Baltic Sea area around Bornholm and Ulva spiralis (Ulva lactuca polymorph) from the Atlantic Ocean. The studied algae of the Cladophora genera were three different species of freshwater algae from various habitats: a lake (Cladophora glomerata), a river (Cladophora rivularis) and aquarium farming (Cladophora aegagropila, syn. Aegagropila linnaei). The content of antioxidants and the extraction efficiency varied significantly depending on the species.
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