Just delivered to the western part of the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) are the components for an algae plant. A structure that Prof Paul Oberholster, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director of the Directorate Research Development, want to commercialise.

They believe the plant, once assembled and operational by the end of 2024, will have the potential for research that will ultimately position the UFS as a leader on the African continent.

Instead of using algae raceways – the oldest system for the mass cultivation of algae – the plan involves installing 20 photobioreactors to cultivate the algae, operating off the grid. Additionally, a centrifuge will be implemented to separate the algae from the water.

Low-cost green treatment technology

Prof Oberholster has been conducting research on water and algae for more than 20 years. He not only studied this at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), but also worked on creating certain algae consortiums worth millions of rands. When Dr Taylor showed him a photograph of the algae facility in Upington, he realised the potential of this plant. The duo then began negotiating with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) to donate the plant to the UFS. Plans are underway to relocate it to the western part of the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

In recent years, Prof Oberholster has been involved in several algae plants in South Africa and Africa, applying the phytoremediation process – a biological clean-up technology – as a low-cost green treatment alternative. He used a consortium of algae (including Chlorella strains) in municipal wastewater treatment pond systems to improve the treatment capacity of domestic wastewater.

According to him, more than fifty countries in Africa (60%) use wastewater treatment pond systems, where algae technology can be employed to treat domestic wastewater, allowing its reuse and helping to alleviate water stress in Africa. This alternative is also much cheaper than traditional wastewater plants, which can consume up to R230 million of a municipality’s budget. With a price tag of R300 000, it is a much more attractive option. The UFS, in collaboration with the CSIR, is at the forefront of this research. Dr Taylor indicates that the university is exploring the possibility of a memorandum of understanding with the CSIR for further research in this field. 

A focus on high-value algae products

Prof Oberholster’s plans for the algae plant on the west campus, however, do not focus on water purification, but rather on the nutraceutical products of the algae, with a strong emphasis on carotenoids (a group of pigments acting as antioxidants, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals; with health benefits for humans, such as supporting vision, immune function, and overall health).

According to a report prepared by Prof Oberholster, Micro-algae: Utility for industrial applications – besides the proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids that make up algae, cells also contain smaller amounts of nutraceuticals and carotenoids. “The nutraceuticals produced by algae include omega-3 fatty acids, which improve both brain and heart health; carotenoids; sulphated polysaccharides, which have anticoagulant properties (preventing blood from clotting), anti-tumour and antiviral activities; fucoxanthin, which has antioxidant and anti-obesity effects; and sterols, which show anti-diabetic properties.”

Other high-value products derived from algae include cosmetics such as anti-cellulite and anti-aging skin treatments, antibacterial creams, sun protection, hair care, toothpaste, and shaving creams.

Another great application of algae is biofuels, which can include biodiesel, bio-oil (an alternative to liquid biofuel with similarities to petroleum oil), ethanol, biogas, and bio-oil and syngas. A mixture of the latter can be combusted to produce heat or electricity.

Animal feed and fertiliser from algae byproducts

Non-fuel products produced from algae can be used for animal feed, human consumption, and fertiliser. Besides the higher value nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products obtained from algae, Prof Oberholster plans on using the non-fuel byproduct – a lower valued product of the microalgae – mostly for animal feed and fertiliser. In the report, he points out several benefits of animal feed made from microalgae. One benefit, for instance, is that many species have a protein content that exceeds that of both soybean and corn-based products. “If large-scale algae cultivation for biofuels is successful, a massive quantity of lipid-extracted algal residue must find a market. The most obvious market is animal feed, with poultry and aquaculture as the most promising algal feed applications.”

Algae is also very attractive as a fertiliser. “Algae residual biomass is usually high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other compounds that benefit terrestrial plant growth,” he states.

Algae products on the market represents a multi-million-dollar industry. For instance, the global algae biomass market was worth US$ 5-7 billion approximately 15 years ago. Products such as nutraceuticals, pigments, fertilisers, animal feed, food industries, cosmetics, and chemicals have readily accessible markets with greater margins. Dr Taylor believes that creating spin-off companies to tap into some of these industries could contribute to the third-stream income of the UFS. For example, beta-carotene, a carotenoid, had the largest share of the carotenoid market in 2007, worth $247 million with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1,8%. Animal feed, another potential focus for the university, had a global market of $135,10 billion in 2012, growing at a CAGR of 5,1% between 2013 and 2019.

The next five years

In five years, Dr Taylor would like to see the development of several products with market value, the exploration of additional applications for technology, the training of postgraduate students, the enhancement of the UFS’ research, and becoming a leader on the continent, because there is no such facility elsewhere in Africa.

“Our technology using outdoor photobioreactors is the first in the world; this has never been done before,” says Prof Oberholster. “It is millions of rands worth of science being invested in this first-world, cutting-edge technology,” adds Dr Taylor.

“How we transform research into value – that is important,” says Dr Taylor.

Prof Oberholster continues, “We need to do work at the UFS that is special, that is unique, the best in a certain field. And we have the expertise. It is not only about algae. We have departments that can buy into this concept and start doing research. Besides Environmental Management – Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Indigenous Knowledge, Engineering, Plant Sciences, FARMOVS, and Instrumentation and Microscopy can get involved in this multi-disciplinary initiative.”

“The algae initiative aligns not only with the faculty’s thematical areas of food, water, climate change, and infrastructure and innovation, but also with the university’s Vision 130, aiming to extend the institution’s influence and impact as a research-orientated university to a global level. Furthermore, the initiative establishes a value chain for algae that addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty alleviation, zero hunger, health improvement, clean water and sanitation, climate action, and economic growth.”

"The journey ahead promises incredible achievements,” says Prof Oberholster. “With this initiative, the sky is the limit.”