ALGAL BLESSINGS

by David Nuttle

Historical evidence indicates the Inca and Aztec populations harvested wild algae that they sun-dried and blended with bread flour made from Amaranth grains. These peoples were known to be extremely healthy perhaps as a result of algal consumption. It has been scientifically proven that Spirulina algae is a perfect food with just the right amounts of good proteins, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenolics to provide consumers with all nutrients they need for good health.

At least two species of algae are toxic so care must be taken to select non-toxic species for consumption. A friend, Aaron J., lost all the fish on his fish farm as a result of a toxic algal bloom and 4-days of heavy cloud cover that caused a mass algal release of toxins. A good microscope and algal species identification handbook is needed to confirm what species of algae you have found or plan to grow.

Algalculture is now commercial with algae being grown in ponds, raceways, & bioreactors

for use in food and feed products and to make several special items. The ponds and unique raceways have problems with contamination and solar evaporation of production water. The bioreactors are expensive and used mostly for algal research. Algae is fast growing crop and requires carbon as 40 percent of its required nutrients. Aeration is typically used to provide CO2 from the air for algae to extract the carbon it needs. This makes algae a truly great crop for carbon sequestration to help slow global warming.

With some help from a Ph. D. with Botany degree, Linda E., Duke University, and NC State University, I developed a tubal-algalculture system that uses clear plastic tubes supported by expanded metal sleeves to prevent algal crop contamination and solar evaporation of algal production water. Use of solar-powered aeration pumps provides COs from air as a carbon source while also causing needed circulation and agitation of algal crops. The tubes will also facilitate recycling of algal production water after each algal harvest about every 3-months. This algal production means was planned for use on waste and desert lands in combination with NPI's advanced counter-desertification system.

Algal lipids produced are used to make biofuels and algal solids provide high protein food and feed products rich in vitamins, minerals, and ployphenolics to enhance human immune response. Algae grown may also be used to feed algal-eating fish such as Tilapia. In desert areas, fish tanks must be well shaded and fully protected from livestock and wildlife with any potential predators. NPI, a charity, is using its affiliated for-profit, PSI, to develop and sell a franchise for tubal-algalculture production. NGOs, foundations, and government entities are expected to be the primary buyers who will donate same to poor desert farmers as a means to promote food security, green energy, carbon sequestration, and environmental benefits for desert lands (1/3rd of all land).

Trade secrets for my tubal-algaculture system are: 1) Type and size of tubes for optimal algal production; 2) Design of expanded metal protective sleeves to provide photo-flashing to increase algal yields; 3) Aeration is such a means to create circulation & agitation of the algal crop with optimal delivery of CO2; and 4) Best raceway design in combination with other desert crops. In desert areas, I make a livestock & wildlife manure effluent to sand-filter and add to algal production water to provide nutrients need by algae in addition to the carbon in CO2.