PSYCHROPHILIC ALGAE AS CANDIDATES FOR OUTDOOR BIOREACTORS IN COLD COUNTRIES

Daniel Remias, Heike Kahr, Alexander Jäger

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

Freshwater psychrophilic algae are potential candidates for usage in outdoor bioreactors colder countries. Species live in extreme places like long lasting snowfields or glacier surfaces in alpine or polar regions. The photosynthetic performance and thus growth is optimised to temperatures below 20°C. An interesting aspect of extremophilic algae are specific metabolites. Due to the adaptation to their natural habitat, many of them accumulate certain compounds in high concentrations. For example, protective pigments like secondary carotenoids (e.g. astaxanthin) or polyphenolic compounds (e.g. gallic acid derivatives) can occur. Intracellular anti-freezing agents like sugar-alcohols (“compatible solutes) are usually present. Not least, the level of antioxidatives like alpha-tocopherol can be significantly raised. Up to date, the applied use of psychrophilic algae is still limited, however culture collections have more and more according species in stock, as isolation of new strains from wilderness is still going on.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2015
EventAlgae Event 2015 - Wien, Austria
Duration: 1 Jun 20154 Jun 2015
http://www.eubce.com/home.html

Conference

ConferenceAlgae Event 2015
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityWien
Period01.06.201504.06.2015
Internet address

Keywords

  • algae
  • biomass
  • ecology
  • psychrophiles

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