Phycotechnology refers to the technological applications of

algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...

, both

microalgae Microalgae or microphytes are microscopic algae invisible to the naked eye. They are phytoplankton typically found in freshwater and marine systems, living in both the water column and sediment. They are unicellular species which exist indiv ...

and

macroalgae Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of ''Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as k ...

Uses

Sewage reclamation

Currently micro-algae are being exploited for environmental protection as the species of Chlorella, ''

Chlamydomonas ''Chlamydomonas'' is a genus of green algae consisting of about 150 speciesSmith, G.M. 1955 ''Cryptogamic Botany Volume 1. Algae and Fungi'' McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc of unicellular flagellates, found in stagnant water and on damp soil, ...

'', and '' Scenedesmus'' carry out selective uptake, accumulation and

biodegradation Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. It is generally assumed to be a natural process, which differentiates it from composting. Composting is a human-driven process in which biodegrada ...

of pollutants and thus help in remediation. They are used in biological reclamation of sewage since they can immobilize heavy metals from aquatic systems.

Insecticide

Microalgae can be used as biocontrol agents like 'Insect' a commercial bio-insecticide sold in USA, prepared from the dead biomass of

diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma''), "a cutting through, a severance", from el, διάτομος, diátomos, "cut in half, divided equally" from el, διατέμνω, diatémno, "to cut in twain". is any member of a large group comprising sev ...

frustules.

Fuel creation

Algae are an excellent feed stock for green fuel as they are used for the production of

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat (tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil with ...

, bioethanol, biogasoline,

biomethanol Methanol fuel is an alternative biofuel for internal combustion and other engines, either in combination with gasoline or independently. Methanol ( C H3 O H) is less expensive to produce sustainably than ethanol fuel, although it produces more ...

biobutanol 220px, Butanol, a C-4 hydrocarbon is a promising bio-derived fuel, which shares many properties with gasoline. Butanol may be used as a fuel in an internal combustion engine. It is more similar to gasoline than it is to ethanol. A C4-hydrocarbon ...

, and recently biohydrogen.

Healthcare

Microalgae are of significant use in healthcare. Chlorellin from the green microalga ''

Chlorella ''Chlorella'' is a genus of about thirteen species of single-celled green algae belonging to the division Chlorophyta. The cells are spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 μm in diameter, and are without flagella. Their chloroplasts contain the ...

'' is an effective

antibiotic An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of ...

against

Gram positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bact ...

and Gram-negative bacteria.

Other uses

Algae is extremely useful in various fields. An example for natural phycotechnology is the converting of atmospheric nitrogen into bioaccessible nitrogenous compounds by diazotrophic

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blu ...

(blue-green algae). Species of cyanobacteria like ''

Nostoc ''Nostoc'', also known as star jelly, troll’s butter, spit of moon, fallen star, witch's butter (not to be confused with the fungi commonly known as witches' butter), and witch’s jelly, is the most common genus of cyanobacteria found in vari ...

'', ''

Arthrospira ''Arthrospira'' is a genus of free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria characterized by cylindrical, multicellular trichomes in an open left-hand helix. A dietary supplement is made from ''A. platensis'' and ''A. maxima'', known as spirulina. ...

'' ( Spirulina) and ''

Aphanizomenon ''Aphanizomenon'' is a genus of cyanobacteria that inhabits freshwater lakes and can cause dense blooms. They are unicellular organisms that consolidate into linear (non-branching) chains called trichomes. Parallel trichomes can then further uni ...

'' are used as food and feed due to their easy digestibility and nutrient content. Species of '' Dunaliella'' provide products like

glycerol Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...

carotenoid Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic compound, organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and Fungus, fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpki ...

s, and

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

s. Algal-produced proteins can be

biofactories The name biofactory comes from the improvements which different installments of traditional health services ( wastewater treatment and water treatment plants) have been through; this has been done by reassessing them into a Circular Economy (CE). ...

for the production of therapeutic substances.

References

{{reflist Algae Biotechnology Agricultural technology Algaculture