Prof. Dr. Dieter Hanelt
Herzlich Willkommen
Microalgae production in photobioreactors
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Microalgae production in photobioreactors using carbon dioxide from flue gas |
Flue gases contain CO2, NOx and sulfurous compounds which can be used as nutrients by microalgae. The developing biomass can be harvested and products of economic interest can be isolated. Under limited nitrogen supply microalgae produce increased amounts of biogenic oils, which can contain a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids being of interest for human nutrition.
Further the production of biofuels from microalgae is an important field of research.
Field work at Helgoland and Spitsbergen
Field work at Helgoland (left) and Spitsbergen (right)
The consequence of the climate change is a shift in the species distribution in aquatic ecosystems. Especially polar regions are affected by increasing temperatures and increasing UV radiation. Therefore ecological investigations are of great importance in this region. The research is done in cooperation with the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (Bremerhaven). Adaptation of the arctic plant/algae communities to increased temperatures, increased UV-B radiation, increased glacier melting and seawater acidification is analysed. Comparable investigations on local species are carried out at the island Helgoland in the Northsea where also effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems are studied.