Algae fuel

Coral reefs aren't only beautiful, they're also extremely important to our ecosystem. Yet we hardly hear about their benefits, or even the fact that the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded on the Great Barrier Reef started in 2014 and officially lasted until about 6 months ago. Only about 7% of the reef just on the southern side was left unbleached & alive at it's worst point.(ABC) Overall about 12% of the worlds reefs were affected by this massive bleaching event. These recent events have…

When coral gets stressed, they expel all the algae that provides it with about 90% of its energy, in a state of near death. Instead of the bright pink or yellow, or whatever bright color the coral originally was, it turns to a pale chalky white. If whatever is causing the coral to stress out continues, like the water is still too warm, it starts to starve and dies. If whatever is causing them stress goes away after a little while, it is possible for the coral to come back and regain their color…

tourism, food, but they are extremely beneficial to the economy. So what is a coral reef? According to the NOAA, a coral reef is a “A mound or ridge of living coral, coral skeletons, and calcium carbonate deposits from other organisms such as calcareous algae, mollusks, and protozoans.” (Noaa.gov) Many people don’t realize how important the health of coral reefs are to our society. For starters, close to 500 million people worldwide depend on reefs, while 30 million are virtually dependent.…

deeper into the reasons of why and how this phenomenon occurs. Red tide is often overlooked despite its harmful effects, but it can be as costly and damaging as other natural disasters. Red tide starts by organisms called dinoflagellates (also known as algae or plankton) that quickly populate faster than normal due to high salinity in the oceans, thus causing the reddish-brown tint to the water. Karenia Brevis is the specific type of dinoflagellate that is the toxic contributor to the red tides.…

Sixty genera of coral have a symbiotic relationship with the algae zooxanthellae. Only some deep water and cold water corals can survive without them. This symbiotic relationship benefits both organisms, the zooxanthellae provides the coral with glycerol, glucose and alanine. The coral provides the zooxanthellae with nitrogen and protection against predators. The degree to which the organisms depend on one another varies between species. (Rupert and Barnes, 1994). Coral bleaching occurs when the…

deadly neurotoxin has been found in many new shellfish. Phytoplankton produces a natural acid called Domoic acids which in small doses it's harmless. However, when it is produced in excess it becomes poisonous to people. "The shellfish that eat these algae blooms don't seem to be affected by the toxin," said Morgaine McKibben, a Ph.D. student at the University of Oregon. But when other animals eat the shellfish they are affected in a very negative way. When it is ingested, it can…

Awhile back, people were greatly devastated by the fact that the Great Barrier Reef was dying. This is very understandable because it is a 1,400 mile long mural of color and life, or at least it used to be. Now it smells of death and is on an unstoppable journey towards it’s end (Source). However, many do not understand the importance of the reef. The Great Barrier Reef is located in Australia and is assumed to be originally discovered by early Aborigines who inhabited the gigantic island for…

At this day in age, Algae biofuel is no longer a backburner option for viable fuel alternatives. This environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum is a realistic contender to battle with other biofuels and fossil fuels. Algae is more than just the green seaweed at the bottom of the ocean that people associate it with. It is a versatile and sustainable resource that is produced in abundant amounts and can be converted into fuel for trains, planes and cars. Algae microorganisms convert…

Below, one representative graph and a set of sample calculations are included which will show how the values for the enthalpy of combustion of the fuel sources are deduced. Graph 1: Scatter plot showing the change in the temperature of 80.0mL of distilled water in the tin calorimeter during and after the combustion of the kerosene for the first conducted trial. The linear trendline was created for the last three data points, where the water was allowed to cool, which was then extrapolated…

The authors could have compared time exposed to biomass fuels between men and women, then included interaction terms in their statistical analysis: It appears that exposure duration or fuel composition may act as a modifier of biomass fuel use. The authors state that men are more likely to be exposed due to factors such as tobacco use,1 but that women are more likely to be exposed due to smoke…