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Algae Effects

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Larry Lacksen Algae Article February 21, 2011 Algae are tiny biological factories that use photosynthesis to transform carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy so efficiently that they can double their weight several times a day. Algae are plants that do not have true leaves, roots, or flowers like other aquatic plants. They can be invisible to the naked eye or similar in size to other rooted aquatic plants. They form the base of the food chain in lakes and are eaten by a variety of organisms, which are in turn eaten by larger insects, fish, and predators. The article titled "What Are Algae?" states that, “Algae growth is a natural occurrence in all waterbodies, with some lakes and ponds supporting larger algae populations than others. The rapid growth of algae is a contributing factor for mass cultivation without spending extra resources.” Some species of algae can double their mass within a day. In comparison to traditional fossil fuels and other biofuel sources such as soybeans, there are certain advantages to using algae. One of the major benefits of algae as biofuel is that many algae species, particularly the small species, can be used for the extraction of biofuel. Another advantage is that the yield of oil from algae is almost thirty times higher than the yield of oil from land crops. Marine water as well as wastewater can be used for mass cultivation of algae. Scientist Ningthoujam Sandhyarani states that, “Unlike fossil fuels, biofuel produced from algae are biodegradable, thus reducing the chances of environmental pollution. In case there is spillage of algal-based biofuel in water sources, there are no significant or harmful effects on the ecosystem.” In spite of the many benefits of algae as biofuel, there are some drawbacks. The performance of algal-based biodiesel is lower than other alternatives like biodiesel extracted from rapeseed and soybean. The production of biodiesel from algae also results in several other unstable compounds. Since biofuel production from algae is a relatively new technology, more researches will be required to help conduct and develop standardized protocols for cultivation and biofuel production. There will be numerous difficulties in the transition from using fossil fuels to using more eco-friendly fuels. A major issue is that the petroleum controls such a large sector of our economy and just replacing it would cost the United States billions of dollars. Another problem is that petroleum supports the world population. In order for eco-friendly biofuels to take effect, there would have to be a large amount produced to support a large and growing population. The amount of carbon emission after using algae biofuel is lower than those of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases tied to global climate change. The article "Biofuel Crops Double As Greenhouse-Gas Reducers." states that, “Biofuel crops offset their greenhouse-gas contributions in three key ways: by removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in crop roots and soil as organic carbon; by producing co-products like protein for animal feed, which saves on energy to make feed by other means; and by displacement, whereby replacing a fossil fuel with a bio-based one "recycles" rather than adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.” However, there are still numerous advantages to algae fuel. Algae-based biofuel does not affect the natural freshwater sources. Studies conducted on algae show that about 60 percent of their biomass can be converted into biofuel. In conclusion, algae species will be economically beneficial for future biofuel production.

Bibliography
1. "What Are Algae?" Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. . Sandhyarani, Ningthoujam. "Algae as Biofuel." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. Mar. 2008. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. . "Biofuel Crops Double As Greenhouse-Gas Reducers." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology. June 2009. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. .

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