Environmental Studies: Demonstrating the Safety of Algenol’s
Proprietary Algae for the Production of Ethanol and Clean Crude
Background
Algenol is commercializing
technology to produce fuels from
algae, CO2, sunlight and saltwater.
Core to the technology is
proprietary algae, AB1, enhanced
by overexpressing fermentation
pathway enzymes. In order to
ensure good environmental
stewardship, environmental
studies have been performed to
demonstrate non-invasiveness
and non-toxicity.
Non-Invasive
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Study Objective
Non-Toxic
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Whole genome sequencing and
annotation is performed to
conduct genome wide screening
for cyanotoxin pathway genes.
Analysis of all protein coding genes’
content and organization and
protein domain architecture shows
no similarity with key enzymes
required for the biosynthesis of
cyanotoxins.
1. Sampling locations 2. Algenol canal, adjacent to Integrated Biorefinery 3. Estero Bay 4. Fort Myers Beach 5. Caloosahatchee River
Non-Toxic
Some species of cyanobacteria
have the ability to synthesize
toxins as secondary metabolites.
Full genome sequencing is
conducted to elucidate the
presence/absence of pathway
genes required for cyanotoxins.
Non-Invasive
These studies assess the potential
of AB1 to thrive in local SWFL
waters by simulating an extreme
release and natural light and
temperature conditions. Water
samples include fresh, brackish
and saltwater simulating the route
a spill would travel from the
project site to the Gulf of Mexico.
The presence of AB1 in the
samples was monitored by
polymerase chain reaction with
specific genomic and plasmid DNA
from AB1. Study protocols were
designed with significant input
from regulators.
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Above: Chemical
structures of
known toxins
Right: Gene
clusters required
for biosynthesis
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PCR results for AB1 genomic primer: A =
Algenol Canal; L = Lee Road;
C
= Caloosahatchee River; E = Estero Bay; F
= Ft. Myers Beach. Subscript B denotes
nutrient amended incubations. Green
and red fields denote the presence or
absence of PCR bands in gel
electrophoresis.
Biomass 2014, Washington DC July 29-30, 2014
Incubation bottles from Algenol Canal Sample set:
1. Shortly after high density inoculation; 2. After 13
days, significant clearing, green color has subsided;
3. After 33 days, native algal mats have formed along
with other native organisms that have out competed
Algenol’s proprietary algae. Results are similar to all
sample sets.
Conclusions
• Algenol’s proprietary enhanced
algae, AB1, are non-invasive to
local SWFL waters and get outcompeted by naturally occurring
algae and other organisms
• AB1 is not able to synthesize
known cyanotoxins
• Algenol’s environmental studies
were the basis for Algenol
working with FL to codify an
exemption from special
permitting requirements
Authors: Patrick Ahlm, Frank Jochem,
Mathew McMichael and Tuo Shi
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