26 MARINE INGREDIENTS
The next super material: Shells from algae
Lizette Andrén, Sofie Allert - Swedish Algae Factory
The microalgal group diatoms account for 20% of global carbon fixation and produce the oxygen of every fifth breath we take. During millions of years, diatoms have evolved and survived in harsh conditions. On an expedition to the Antarctic, our co-founder, Angela Wulff, who is a professor in marine ecology, studied diatoms living inside and under the ice. A fascinating discovery that led her to believe that it would be possible to cultivate algae industrially back home in Sweden, under controlled forms. Once she had returned, she met Sofie Allert, a biotechnologist, who had developed a fascination for algae and the use of algae as a sustainable raw material in industrial applications during her bachelor thesis. Together they set out to prove that it is possible to create a sustainable and even climate positive industry with the help of algae. Climate change effects, like global warming
caused by carbon dioxide emissions, and our way of releasing chemicals that contaminate the oceans is endangering ocean life. In figures presented by National Geographic1
the
problem is daunting: 82,000 chemicals from personal care products may be tainting the seas. Recently, reports that commonly used sunscreens are bleaching and damaging the coral reefs have been featured widely. In 2020 and 2021, the places like Palau, Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands and Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire have banned the sale and/or use of common sunscreens.2 Studies are also showing that ingredients used in personal care and sunscreen products
Figure 1: Algae under the ice in Antarctica
are not only endangering ocean health, but also our health. There have been claims that commonly used personal care ingredients create allergic reactions, reproductive disorders, birth defects and cancer.3,4 However, we still need personal care and
sunscreen products to protect and nurture our skin. This creates a need for new health and ocean-safe ingredients.
This led us to explore the use of diatoms in
the personal care industry and especially their unique, porous shell structure. We humans have been trying to synthesise a pore structure like this, but we have not succeeded. The pores are nanosize, but the material is microsized, which provides the material with high-tech properties, without the negative side effects of nanomaterials. These nanosized pores evolved to protect
the algal cell from pollution and UV light. They also regulate water levels in the skin to an optimal level and are designed to take up nutrients essential for the algae. We extract this shell material directly from the algae in a gentle manner to make sure that all these unique properties are maintained. Properties that also can serve to protect and nurture our skin. We call these unique fresh algal shells Algica®.
Figure 2: Jar with Algica powder PERSONAL CARE November 2021
Climate-positive growth Diatoms primarily need carbon dioxide, nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. Thus, our algal cultures are a natural greenhouse gas trap and wastewater treatment since we obtain nitrogen and phosphorus from water from a nearby food industry that otherwise would
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
