Natural Booster Kit for High Quality Microalgal Production

Researchers: Fatimah Md Yusoff, M. Shariff, Suhaila Mohamed, Hazel Matias- Peralta and P. Kuppan

A novel Algal Booster Kit consisting of nutrient-rich interstitial water extracted from aquaculture sediment, packed with pure microalgal isolates, provides an easy and reliable method for immediate propagation of microalgal production.

The novelty of this technique is the use of processed and specially treated concentrated interstitial water (in liquid or powder form) rich in phosphorus, nitrogen, silica, essential mineral and micronutrients that boost the production of high quality microalgal species. This novel practice of using aquaculture sediment, which is usually discharged into the environment, also minimizes environmental pollution.

Pure microalgal isolates are difficult to obtain and expensive to maintain. The current practice of microalgal production for aquaculture using commercial fertilizers results in contamination and poor quality yields.

Microalgae cultured using this novel medium, called natural booster, gives fast growth and are rich in essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega 3 and 6. Concentrated sterilized natural booster in liquid or powder form is packed with pure microalgal inocula.

Microalgal culture is easily initiated by diluting the concentrated medium into photobioreactors followed by inoculating algal cells provided with the package.

Microalgal biomass can be harvested for various purposes such as health and functional foods, feed additives, and soil conditioner. Microalgal biomass can also be used for production of natural colouring substances (astaxanthin, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin) and other bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical, nutriceutical and cosmetic industries.

The Algal Booster Kit contributes to the economic development through production of several microalgal related products, and reduces their imports.

PATENT: The kit has been filed for patent and sold under the trademark of MASgrowTM.

AWARDS
GOLD— International Exhibition of Ideas-Inventions-New Products (IENA 2006).
BRONZE— IPTA R&D Expo 2005.
GOLD— UPM Invention, Research & Innovation Exhibition (PRPI 2004).
Reader Enquiry
Laboratory of Marine Science
Institute of Bioscience
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: 603-8947 2111
E-mail: fatimah@ibs.upm.edu.my