Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-22
Worlds Population
Could Live on AIque
High Food VoIue Is
Found in Green Scum

Algae, the one-celled plants which
form much Of the green scum on stag
nant water, are q probable hedge
against world starvation.
This Is the conclusion Of DR.. Hans
Gaffron, professor Of biochemistry at
the University Of Chicago. The iowly
organisms are probably the most
efficient means Of turning the suns
energy into foods and fuels.
Laboratory experiments with algae
culture. DR.. Gaffron points out, have
shown the possibility of producing 80
to SO tons Of edible material per acre
in the tropics, compared to an average
yield Of two tons from intensive farm
ing.
Expensive Process.
The process, however, is quite ex-
pensive. The algae could be grown by
covering an area two to three inches
deep with q nutrient medium of some
sort. The water would have to be kept
saturated with carbon dioxide. If this
is done in spot where the average
daylight throughout the year is about
one-tenth the intensity of full sun
light. SO tons of dry foodstuff can be
harvested per acre.
Preliminary experiments in Japan
have shown that such production is
not impossible, although seasonal cold
weather cuts the yields considerably.
Such weather fluctuations have re-
duced the yield to Is tons In tests at
Boston and 10 tons in Texas.
Algae grown on house rooftop, DR..
Gaffron points out. could provide
enough protein for a family. The
actual food would be a dark-green
paste with grassy flavor. The a1gae
would not compete with wheat, corn
and other sources Of carbohydrate, but
with plant proteins, such as soy beans.
Cost estimates run to about Is cents a
pound.
New Fuel Source.
A longer look into the future is taken
by DR.. Richard Meier of the Chicago
faculty. Heat treatment Of the crop
would yield charcoal, combustible gas
and several combustible liquids and
tars. There also is the possibility Of
fermenting the algae to produce
methane gas. In this way, it is esti-
mated. 10 times the amount Of energy
could be obtained from wood products
grown on the same area by the best
existing forestry methods.
The fermentation process, DR.. Meier
points out, produces a gas containing
SO to 10 per cent methane, some HYDRO
gen and the remainder carbon dioxide.
This could be used as fuel in the same
way that city gas is used today. It
also is possible to take the gases pro-
duced by fermentation and convert
them by chemical processes into LIQUID
fuels such as kerosene and gasoline.
Thus algae culture may be a hedge
against the long predicted exhaustion
OF world supplies of petroleum, besides
making every country independent in
this respect. 1t is expected, the Univer-
sity OF Chicago professor says, that
from six to nine tons of liquid hydro
carbonS could eventually be produced
from an acre Of algae producing IS tons
per year.
Costs Of energy and fuel production
for such systems still would be con-
siderably higher than existing costs in
underdeveloped countries, but the ap-
proach would appear to be economic if
food and fuel growing could be com
bined.
The great difficulty, the report points
out, is that algae can be grown efici-
emily only on large scale, which re-
quires a heavy initial investment in
equipment.