By ANDREW SHARPLESS
Enjoy serving shrimp, oysters or crabs during your holiday meals? Then you should pay heed to the big climate change meeting coming up in Copenhagen. What nations decide there could determine if our ocean will continue providing tasty shellfish - or instead become part of a perilous chemistry experiment that could ravage valuable fisheries and coral reefs.
The problem, strange as it may seem, is that the ocean is doing a wonderful job of slowing down global warming. Every day, it removes nearly 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide - the main warming gas - from the atmosphere. That's nearly twice what U.S. power plants, cars and factories spew daily into the sky. So we owe the ocean a big thanks for putting a brake on climate change and giving us time to find solutions.
http://www.bradenton.com/living/living_green/story/1882392.html
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wisconsin environmental groups plan to sue EPA over water regulations
Wisconsin environmental groups plan to sue EPA over water regulations
Published 11/23/2009 - 1:20 p.m. CST
Wisconsin environment groups said they plan to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an attempt to enforce the federal regulations covering water pollution.
The coalition said the legal action would be aimed at pushing EPA to regulate nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in Wisconsin waters under the Clean Water Act. The groups said EPA pledged to regulate this pollution in 1999, but action was delayed for years.
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, common in many Wisconsin lakes and streams, has been shown to contaminate drinking water, contribute to the growth of potentially toxic cyanobacteria or “blue-green algae,” and is the main cause of algal blooms in the Great Lakes and the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, the groups said.
Betsy Lawton, interim executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) and an attorney representing the coalition stated, “Wisconsin DNR has developed the science needed for sound phosphorus standards, and EPA must honor its 1999 pledge to set standards for this harmful pollutant that hampers recreation for Wisconsin residents by contributing to green, stinky water, closed beaches, and toxic algae.”
This year, nutrient-induced blue-green algae in Wisconsin has led to the death of pets, and several cases of rashes, sore throats and eye irritation, the groups maintained. “Businesses located on waters tainted with toxic algae are really hurting,” said Denny Caneff, executive director of the River Alliance of Wisconsin. “They lose customers who flee the stench and the health hazards posed by toxic algae. EPA needs to act to limit the nutrients causing these algae blooms.”
The groups filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue, the first step in a Clean Water Act citizen suit. The groups now must wait 60 days before filing a formal lawsuit. The coalition of groups is being represented by two Midwestern environmental law centers, Midwest Environmental Advocates and the Environmental Law & Policy Center. The full 60 day notice is available here at www.midwestadvocates.org.
http://newsofthenorth.net/article/Government/State_and_national/Wisconsin_environmental_groups_plan_to_sue_EPA_over_water_regulations/29932
Published 11/23/2009 - 1:20 p.m. CST
Wisconsin environment groups said they plan to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an attempt to enforce the federal regulations covering water pollution.
The coalition said the legal action would be aimed at pushing EPA to regulate nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in Wisconsin waters under the Clean Water Act. The groups said EPA pledged to regulate this pollution in 1999, but action was delayed for years.
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, common in many Wisconsin lakes and streams, has been shown to contaminate drinking water, contribute to the growth of potentially toxic cyanobacteria or “blue-green algae,” and is the main cause of algal blooms in the Great Lakes and the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, the groups said.
Betsy Lawton, interim executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) and an attorney representing the coalition stated, “Wisconsin DNR has developed the science needed for sound phosphorus standards, and EPA must honor its 1999 pledge to set standards for this harmful pollutant that hampers recreation for Wisconsin residents by contributing to green, stinky water, closed beaches, and toxic algae.”
This year, nutrient-induced blue-green algae in Wisconsin has led to the death of pets, and several cases of rashes, sore throats and eye irritation, the groups maintained. “Businesses located on waters tainted with toxic algae are really hurting,” said Denny Caneff, executive director of the River Alliance of Wisconsin. “They lose customers who flee the stench and the health hazards posed by toxic algae. EPA needs to act to limit the nutrients causing these algae blooms.”
The groups filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue, the first step in a Clean Water Act citizen suit. The groups now must wait 60 days before filing a formal lawsuit. The coalition of groups is being represented by two Midwestern environmental law centers, Midwest Environmental Advocates and the Environmental Law & Policy Center. The full 60 day notice is available here at www.midwestadvocates.org.
http://newsofthenorth.net/article/Government/State_and_national/Wisconsin_environmental_groups_plan_to_sue_EPA_over_water_regulations/29932
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tilapia
http://www.meattradenewsdaily.co.uk/news/251109/usa___feeding_fish_on_fish_farms.aspx
Feeding fish on fish farms
25 Nov 2009
"The acidity of the acid in tilapia’s stomach is the strongest measured in the animal world and breaks down astonishing things such as the cell wall in Diatoms, as they pass through the stomach. The hard shell of the diatom is used as a scrubbing agent. The acid in the stomach of the Tilapia dissolves this “shell.” "
Feeding fish on fish farms
25 Nov 2009
"The acidity of the acid in tilapia’s stomach is the strongest measured in the animal world and breaks down astonishing things such as the cell wall in Diatoms, as they pass through the stomach. The hard shell of the diatom is used as a scrubbing agent. The acid in the stomach of the Tilapia dissolves this “shell.” "
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Lipids from Algae - Diatoms
Several fundamental biological aspects of Algal Biofuel Application.
Presentation at International Workshop on Offshore Algae Cultivation for Biofuels and Beyond,
by Qiang Hu, Laboratory for Algae Research and Biotechnology, Arizona State University
"To put algae in a global perspective, the algae consists of less than 1% even less than 0.5% of global biomass, however this tiny biomass generates about 40% of our oxygen and removes about 40% of the total carbon dioxide. The small amount of algae in the oceans are doing a great job.'
Pg 32.
What are the oleaginous algae? Basically, any algae which can produce 20% or higher of tryacylglycerol. This is equivalent to oleaginous plants, which also produce 20% oil. What kind of algae can produce that much lipid? In this figure I show total lipid so if you look at cyanobacteria or blue-green algae they produce zero triacylglycerol because they are missing several genes involved in triacylglycerol biosynthesis or at least one critical gene. Also because cyanobacteria are a prokaryotic system and have no internal membrane system to separate triacylglycerol from the rest of the cell bodies. If you look at the marine algae there are many marine unicellular algae which can produce high amounts of triacylglyceryl—total lipid can go up to 50%. In particular, there are many diatoms, including both freshwater and marine species, which produce high amounts of triacylglycerol, similar to green algae.
Pg 34
From the report of the Wind Sea Algae Workshop held in April 2009 at Lolland, Denmark available at http://wind-sea-algae.org/?page_id=305 .
Presentation at International Workshop on Offshore Algae Cultivation for Biofuels and Beyond,
by Qiang Hu, Laboratory for Algae Research and Biotechnology, Arizona State University
"To put algae in a global perspective, the algae consists of less than 1% even less than 0.5% of global biomass, however this tiny biomass generates about 40% of our oxygen and removes about 40% of the total carbon dioxide. The small amount of algae in the oceans are doing a great job.'
Pg 32.
What are the oleaginous algae? Basically, any algae which can produce 20% or higher of tryacylglycerol. This is equivalent to oleaginous plants, which also produce 20% oil. What kind of algae can produce that much lipid? In this figure I show total lipid so if you look at cyanobacteria or blue-green algae they produce zero triacylglycerol because they are missing several genes involved in triacylglycerol biosynthesis or at least one critical gene. Also because cyanobacteria are a prokaryotic system and have no internal membrane system to separate triacylglycerol from the rest of the cell bodies. If you look at the marine algae there are many marine unicellular algae which can produce high amounts of triacylglyceryl—total lipid can go up to 50%. In particular, there are many diatoms, including both freshwater and marine species, which produce high amounts of triacylglycerol, similar to green algae.
Pg 34
From the report of the Wind Sea Algae Workshop held in April 2009 at Lolland, Denmark available at http://wind-sea-algae.org/?page_id=305 .
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Biodiesel from Diatoms - Lipid content
http://www.jbc.org/content/141/1/283.full.pdf
SUMMARY
1. The lipids of freshly collected marine diatoms contain a very high per cent of free fatty acid, apparently irrespective of species.
2. When a suspension of diatoms is allowed to stand for 6 months, the content of free acids falls markedly, and the content of hydrocarbon may rise.
SUMMARY
1. The lipids of freshly collected marine diatoms contain a very high per cent of free fatty acid, apparently irrespective of species.
2. When a suspension of diatoms is allowed to stand for 6 months, the content of free acids falls markedly, and the content of hydrocarbon may rise.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Chesapeake Bay Health
Officials: Chesapeake health costly
By Rory Sweeney, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Nov. 18--ASHLEY -- Fixing the ailing Chesapeake Bay will cost everyone living in its watershed area, but it will also create local benefits, said federal officials who came to the area on Tuesday to outline their massive plan to put the bay on a "diet."
"We probably have enough technologies to do what we need to do. It's just expensive," said Bob Koroncai, the Environmental Protection Agency's manager for the bay's "total maximum daily load" program. "The decisions have not been made on who will shoulder those costs."
http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/137906107.html
By Rory Sweeney, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Nov. 18--ASHLEY -- Fixing the ailing Chesapeake Bay will cost everyone living in its watershed area, but it will also create local benefits, said federal officials who came to the area on Tuesday to outline their massive plan to put the bay on a "diet."
"We probably have enough technologies to do what we need to do. It's just expensive," said Bob Koroncai, the Environmental Protection Agency's manager for the bay's "total maximum daily load" program. "The decisions have not been made on who will shoulder those costs."
http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/137906107.html
Biodiesel from Diatoms
This is a photo of a pond in which a good bloom of Diatoms has been caused by using Nualgi. The oil from the diatoms can be seen floating on the surface.
No other input was used.
Diatoms present naturally in the water were allowed to bloom.
Harvesting of algae and extraction of oil are considered very difficult.
If oil from diatoms exits the diatoms on its own and floats up, then these two problems are solved.
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