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Algae

Algae combination

Algae, is the Latin word for seaweed and refers to a large group of simple but diverse organisms, ranging from single cell to multicellular forms. The biggest and most complex group are ones that live in the sea, good old fashioned seaweeds but it also includes the sometimes toxic blue green algae. Macroalgae are large like the giant kelp which can grow to over 150 feet long. Microalgae are microscopic. Ocean microalgae, called phytoplankton, forms the base of the ocean food chain.

These life-forms photosynthesize, just like plants and are called "simple" as they don’t have phyllids and rhizoids (nonvascular plants) or leaves, roots, and other organs found in plants on the land. For that reason algae are currently excluded from being considered plants.

Most forms have photosynthetic ability derived from the Cyanobacteria, and therefore oxygen is produced as a by product of photosynthesis. This is unlike other photosynthetic bacteria, for example the purple and green sulphur bacteria.

Fossilised specimens have been found dating back to 1.6 to 1.7 billion years ago, so the origins of this amazing life-form are quite ancient.

This amazing but basic life-form has a whole range of uses including:
Agar and Alginates
Biofuel
Bioplastics
Energy Sources
Chemical Feedstocks
Fertilizers
Nutrition
Detoxifier
Pollution Control,
Dyes and Pigments
Pharmaceuticals
Stabilizing Substances and many others.

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