Research and Evidence
Our work is closely connected to scientific research and collaboration with leading institutions. Here you can explore a selection of publications and research articles related to our work or developed in collaboration with us, highlighting the scientific foundation behind our technologies and the development of sustainable seaweed cultivation.
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Abstract: The macroalgal family, Ulvaceae, holds promising candidates for cultivation in land-based Integrated Multitrophic Recirculated Aquaculture Systems (IMRAS) due to their fast growth and nutrient uptake capabilities. Selection of appropriate strains, however, is crucial before implementation in IMRAS. In this study, an evaluation of Ulvaceae strains was conducted through an initial screening of in total nine strains, eight sourced from natural habitats and one commercial Ulva producer. The abiotic conditions were characterised by high nutrient concentrations (883 μM NO3−-N) and were kept uniform for all strains during the screening. Following the initial screening, the effect of temperature on growth was investigated (10, 16, 22, and 28 °C) in two selected strains (Ulva compressa and Ulvaria obscura) under high nutrient conditions. This study demonstrated that four investigated Ulvaceae strains achieved high and stable growth rates (15–22% fresh weight d−1) in indoor free-floating cultures. Further, there was consistent and significant nitrogen uptake potential of a single Ulva compressa strain across temperatures between 10 and 22 °C (0.03 g N L−1 Week−1 corresponding to 74% of added dissolved inorganic nitrogen). Ulva compressa grew across all investigated temperatures with weekly variations in biomass yields (18–40 g dry weight m−2 day−1) while Ulvaria obscura grew stably at 10, 16, and 22 °C (15–16 g dry weight m−2 day−1). The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the potential uses of Ulvaceae strains in land-based cultivation and serves as a stepping stone for the integration of Ulvaceae cultivation into IMRAS on a commercial scale.
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Abstract: The macroalgal family, Ulvaceae, holds promising candidates for cultivation in land-based Integrated Multitrophic Recirculated Aquaculture Systems (IMRAS) due to their fast growth and nutrient uptake capabilities. Selection of appropriate strains, however, is crucial before implementation in IMRAS. In this study, an evaluation of Ulvaceae strains was conducted through an initial screening of in total nine strains, eight sourced from natural habitats and one commercial Ulva producer. The abiotic conditions were characterised by high nutrient concentrations (883 μM NO3−-N) and were kept uniform for all strains during the screening. Following the initial screening, the effect of temperature on growth was investigated (10, 16, 22, and 28 °C) in two selected strains (Ulva compressa and Ulvaria obscura) under high nutrient conditions. This study demonstrated that four investigated Ulvaceae strains achieved high and stable growth rates (15–22% fresh weight d−1) in indoor free-floating cultures. Further, there was consistent and significant nitrogen uptake potential of a single Ulva compressa strain across temperatures between 10 and 22 °C (0.03 g N L−1 Week−1 corresponding to 74% of added dissolved inorganic nitrogen). Ulva compressa grew across all investigated temperatures with weekly variations in biomass yields (18–40 g dry weight m−2 day−1) while Ulvaria obscura grew stably at 10, 16, and 22 °C (15–16 g dry weight m−2 day−1). The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the potential uses of Ulvaceae strains in land-based cultivation and serves as a stepping stone for the integration of Ulvaceae cultivation into IMRAS on a commercial scale.
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Abstract: Ulva sp. has gained attention as a promising and sustainable protein source, due to its high essential amino acid content. This study investigated traditional extraction methods using a double screw press followed by acid or heat precipitation. Furthermore, the screw pressing was combined by a novel purification method that combines mild heat treatment with microfiltration for removal of chlorophyll to produce white Ulva protein. The double screw press followed by acid precipitation or heat denaturation showed low total protein yields, with 14% of the biomass protein extracted, of which half was soluble. The highest total protein yield (5.5%) was achieved with acid precipitation at pH 2, while heat denaturation at 90 °C resulted in a total protein yield of 4.1%. Acid precipitation proved to be effective with ∼ 81% precipitation of solubilized protein compared to ∼ 43% for heat denaturation. While microfiltration effectively retained chlorophyll in the retentate, the recovery of protein in the permeate remained challenging. SDS-PAGE analysis of proteins in different microfiltration-fractions showed that larger protein complexes (>250 kDa) were unable to transmit through the membranes, resulting in a maximum recovery of 24.9% of the feed-protein in the permeate. Further refinement of Ulva fractionation protocols is imperative for improvement.
The Potential of Ulva for Bioremediation and for Food and Feed (2018)
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Abstract: Bioremediation strategies can be implemented in clean-up processes of environment and a potential organism for this process has been proven to be the opportunistic and fast growing green algae Ulva spp. Addressing Ulva spp. in bioremediation strategies has shown high potential in improving the quality in marine waters but without action Ulva spp. can become a nuisance during the formation of Green Tides. The biomass yields that come by exploiting the bioremediation potential of Ulva spp. have many applications, e.g. in pharmaceuticals, as a fertiliser or for food and feed products. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of Ulva spp. in Danish waters 1) for bioremediation of nutrients and 2) for following to utilise the biomass for food and feed applications. Therefore, spores were extracted from an Ulva sp., seeded on substrates and deployed at sea. Finally, the bioremediation potential of coastally cultivated Ulva sp. and naturally harvested Ulva spp. was assessed. The food and feed safety was evaluated regarding the tissue contents of As, Cd, Pb and Hg found in collected Ulva spp. by this and other European studies. N- and P-sequestering was higher in naturally occurring Ulva spp. at non-exposed sites than in Ulva sp. cultivated at an exposed site. Biomass yields through coastal cultivations were modest and therefore, the Ulva spp. was concluded to have the highest bioremediation potential through harvest during Green Tides allowing for large biomass yields and large nutrient removal. Furthermore, it was found, that the bioremediation potential of these metals was very low and as long Ulva spp. are not collected in areas influenced by harbours, industry and other sources of contamination, there is a high potential that maximum levels for toxic metals do not prevent Ulva spp. in food and feed products.