Biomass as an organic renewable energy source

The U.S. Department of Energy has just released this video to educate people on the research, industry and government’s efforts to develop biomass as an organic renewable energy source; employing agriculture and forest residues, energy crops, and algae to take the place of conventional fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

CCRES Algae Team

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Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin

President & CEO of CCRES

 Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin, a member of the carotenoid family, it is a dark red pigment and the main carotenoid found in algae and aquatic animals. It is responsible for the red/pink coloration of crustaceans, shellfish, and the flesh of salmonoids. CCRES produces astaxanthin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, the richest known natural source for astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin however, is more than just a red pigment, it is primarily an extremely powerful antioxidant. It has the unique capacity to quench free radicals and reactive species of oxygen and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown astaxanthin to be over 500 times stronger than vitamin E and much more potent than other carotenoids such as lutein, lycopene and ?-carotene.
Astaxanthin was found to have beneficial effects in many health conditions related to the Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders, skin health, joint health, muscle endurance, as well as to the cardiovascular, immune, eye and other systems.

Natural astaxanthin – molecule properties


Astaxanthin (3,3’-dihydroxy-?-?-carotene-4,4’-dione) is a xanthophyll  carotenoid,  commonly found in marine environments where it gives an orange-pink coloration to several sea-species.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin has two chiral centers, at the 3 and 3 positions. The main astaxanthin stereoisomer (3S, 3S’) found in the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis is the main form found in wild salmon.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin consists of geometric isomers (trans and cis). the cis isomers display higher bioavailability and potency in humans This isomer is abundant (up to 20%) in the natural astaxanthin complex produced by the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

The astaxanthin in Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae occurs in the esterified form, which is more stable than the free astaxanthin form.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin cannot be synthesized by animals and humans and must be provided in the diet. Natural astaxanthin has been part of the human diet for thousands of years.

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 CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin, unlike most carotenes is not converted to vitamin A (retinol) in the human body.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis 

Natural astaxanthin has no "pro-oxidant" activity – It does not become an exhausted oxidant thanks to its unique molecule structure that is able to release the excess of energy as heat.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin has been shown to actually cross the blood-brain and blood-retina barriers, meaning it can positively impact disorders related to brain and the central nervous system. 

 

 Astaxanthin

CCRES ALGAE PROJECT

part of 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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Gardening as a Hobby

A
s  per Wikipedia “A hobby is a regularly undertaken activity that is done for pleasure, typically during ones leisure time”. Its primary focus is to gain some recreation and not that much of earning money. It gives delight and helps in passing the leisure time.

Most of us follow some hobby or the other. Hobbies differ form person to person. There can be  as many hobbies as there are men and women in the world. Tastes differ and so do hobbies. Stamp collecting, coins collecting, photography, swimming, Gardening, kite-flying, etc., are a few of the common hobbies. Everyone should have some hobby. It not only enriches us but also provides vital energy boost to propel in our professional life as well.

Gardening is my hobby. It brings me in touch with the green plants and flowers and filled my lungs with pure Oxygen. We can derive great pleasure from Gardening, growing flowers and some vegetables of the season.

It is useful in many ways. Through this blog I made an attempt to create an awareness about the various benefits of having gardening as a hobby, not only in terms of recreations but also as an everlasting benefit.

1. Gardening is an incredible activity to do with kids. Children can learn to count, as well as learn the names of colors, fruits and vegetables by planting and harvesting. And, of course, knowing how to grow food is a skill that will assist them through their entire life.

2. Gardening allows kids to spend time in nature, being up close and personal with butterflies, ladybugs, worms, ants and spiders. Gardening allows children to get comfortable with soil, while learning that food comes from the earth and not a drive-through.

3.  Gardening is a great way to teach your children, ownership and responsibility. Its a good idea to get them their own tools, and allow them to be in charge of their little patch of earth, which will require their attention on watering, weeding and harvesting.

4. Gardening teaches children not only how to sustain themselves and their environment, but also that resources are not infinite, and need to be cultivated.

5. Though you can get Organic vegetables outside in the market, you never really know exactly how it is grown UNLESS you do it yourself. When you grow your own garden, you decide what goes in the soil and to the plant and more importantly WHAT DOESNT.

6. Produce is at its peak nutritional value when ripe. Fruits and vegetables are basically plucked well before the mature and then they have to travel to the supermarket. While it may become ripe by the time you eat it, nutritional value actually decreases with each and every day, after harvest. As the nutrition comes from the stem of the living plant, when you have your own garden you get the  vegetable as nutritious as it can get.

7. Gardening provides all three types of exercise: endurance, flexibility, and strength. It burns enough calories, which also keeps you fit.

8. According to author Joel Salatin, getting in the dirt can actually help boost your immune system! “A little dirt dont hurt!”

9. The average family with a vegetable garden can save a lot of money in terms of saving the money from getting vegetables from outside.

10. Imagine I situation where you might have forgotten to take cilantro while buying your vegetables and in the midst of cooking you are in dire need for some of them. You can always fetch it from your Kitchen garden. Having fresh ingredients in your backyard beats a trip to the store every time!

11. Homegrown vegetables taste SIGNIFICANTLY better than store bought ones.

12. At the grocery store and even at many farmers markets there are maybe two or three varieties of every type of fruit/veggie. But when you grow your own you can choose seeds from an endless list. Do you know how many varieties of tomatoes you can grow in your kitchen garden?

Dont let precious real-estate go to waste. Plant some vegetables which will also decorate your unused, weed infiltrated area and produce a bountiful harvest for you to enjoy.

Here are some very useful information you can use to start your own Things You Need To Start Your Very Own Garden 

Need more motivation? Check out 10 amazing quotes on Gardening

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