Extraction of Agar from Algae

1. Extraction of Agar from
Algae
Corbin, Rourk, Schiazza // BE 4380 // April 24, 2020

2. Introduction
● Animal by-products are traditionally used in many food and cosmetic
products for coagulation purposes
● Agar is a sustainable raw material that can be used as an alternative
● Agar is extracted from algae

3. Project Goals
Biological
Agar is in the cell walls
of red algae and once
extracted can be used
in products for
coagulation
Structural
Choose three unit
operations from the
overall agar from algae
process and model on
Superpro
Mechanical
Once algae is
harvested it is washed,
filtered, gelled, dryed,
and grinded to create
agar

4. Project Constraints
Skills
SuperPro
Background on
Algae
Biological
Kinetics
Budgetary
Theoretical → no actual
materials were needed
for the project
Space
Theoretical → no
actual setup was
required
Time
The project was
completed over a
semester

5. Project Considerations
Safety
Pressures within
the reactors
Algae is
relatively
harmless
Ethics
No one should be
hurt in the
production
process
Meet dietary
restrictions or be
suitable for
religious reasons
Ecology
Maximum
carbon capture
of algae should
be used
Water should be
recycled
Ultimate Use
Gelatin
Substitute
product with
similar
properties
Sustainable
alternative

6. Questions
User
(Consumer)
● How much will agar
products cost?
● Does Agar have any
dietary restrictions?
Client
(Food Manufacturers/Cosmetic
Manufacturers/etc.)
● How soon can an
efficient design be
created?
● How long will the
process take?
● How much will the
process cost?
Designer
(Biosystems Engineer)
● What is the budget for
this system?
● How soon is the design
needed?
● Who are the intended
users of the system?

7. Literature Review
● How is agar agar produced from red algae?
○ Drying of algae
○ Alkalization of algae
○ Washing and bleaching with cold water
○ Extraction
○ Filtering
○ Gelling
○ Drying
○ Grinding, sieving, packaging

8. Literature Review
Governing Equations

9. Design Options
● Unit Operations:
○ Washing
○ Microfiltration
○ Tray Drying
This figure from US Patent 8318019B2
was a useful reference for determining our unit
operations.

10. Synthesis of Design

11. Evaluation of Design
The annual operating time is 7,920 hours a year
~22 hours/day

12. Design Budget
by Superpro

13. Design Budget
by Superpro

14. Design Budget
by TEA

15. Sustainability
● Animal products have a huge carbon footprint
○ Substituting agar for gelatin helps cut down on emissions
● Reuse of water during the unit operations helps cut down waste
● Cultivating red algae can replace the algae being used and cut down on
overharvesting
● Photovoltaic power could be used in the design to cut down on emissions

16. Sustainability
by LCA

17. Conclusions
● Simplifying Unit Operations: Saves Money & Is More Sustainable
● PV power lowers carbon emissions
● Recycling water used in filtration would cut cost and increase efficiency
● Red Algae Cultivation resolves the issue of overharvesting

18. Conclusions
● User Questions:
○ Agar is suitable for those with dietary restrictions
○ Agar usually costs about $12-$15 per kilogram
● Client Questions:
○ The extraction process takes 2-4 hours, but the overall process requires
over 24 hours depending on the water removal process used
○ This process is fairly efficient and around the world people are working
to make it more sustainable
● Designer Questions:
○ Experienced workers are intended to use the system
○ The budget should be greater than the total capital investment

20. References
Addressing Unsustainable Animal Product Consumption in the European Union. Humane Society International. https://www.hsi.org/wp-
content/uploads/assets/pdfs/reports/unsustainable-animal-product-EU.pdf [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Agar Agar Algae. Botanical-Online. https://www.botanical-online.com/en/medicinal-plants/agar-agar-algae [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Agar. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/3/Y4765E/y4765e06.htm [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Agar Seaweed Product. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/agar-seaweed-product [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Extraction of Agar and Alginate from Marine Seaweeds in Red Sea Region. Abraham, Afewerki, Tsegay, Ghebremedhin, Teklehaimanot, Reddy.
https://symbiosisonlinepublishing.com/marine-biology-research/marine-biology-research26.pdf [Accessed 23 April 2020]
How Vegan Demand for Agar is Killing Morocco’s Red Seaweed. Pappagallo, Linda. https://www.greenprophet.com/2014/10/how-vegans-demand-
for-red-gold-algae-is-killing-moroccan-ecosystem/ [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Predicting Products from Algae. Illinois Prairie Research Institute. https://www.istc.illinois.edu/research/waste_utilization/bio-
oils_biolubricants/predicting_products_from_algae/ [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Processing Gracilaria for the Extraction of Agar. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
http://www.fao.org/3/ag156e/AG156E02.htm [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Red Algal Farming in Chile: A Review. Buschmann, Correa, Westermeier, Hernandez-Gonzalez, Norambuena.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222694868_Red_algal_farming_in_Chile_A_review [Accessed 23 April 2020]
Technoeconomic Sensibility Analysis of Industrial Agar Production from Red Algae. Herrera-Rodriguez, Parejo-Palacio, González-Delgado.
https://www.aidic.it/cet/18/70/339.pdf [Accessed 23 April 2020]