Microalgae seen as possible 'cash crop'

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, July 6 (UPI) -- Researchers in Texas say microalgae, microscopic organisms that thrive in freshwater and marine systems, could be the state's next big cash crop.

"It's a huge, untapped source of fuel, food, feed, pharmaceuticals and even pollution-busters," said Carlos Fernandez, a crop physiologist at Texas A&M's AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi.

Fernandez said there are an estimated 200,000 to 800,000 species of microalgae, of which only 35,000 species have been described, a Texas A&M release said Wednesday.

"We're only starting to scratch the surface of discovering the natural secrets of microalgae and their many potential uses and benefits," he said. "But already it's obvious that farmers will one day soon be growing microalgae on marginal land that won't compete with fertile farmland. They won't even compete for fresh water to grow."

In the laboratory, Fernandez is studying how temperature, salinity, nutrients, light levels and carbon dioxide affect microalgae.

Different strains of microalgae are being evaluated for their capacity to produce large amounts of lipids, or fats, that can used to produce and refine diesel and other biofuels, Fernandez said.

"Along with that, after extracting the lipids from the biomass of microalgae, there is a residue that we are going to analyze for its quality for use as feed for animals, including fish, shrimp or cattle."