Ama-microalgae angaguqula i-carbon dioxide kugesi yokukhipha umoya kanye ne-nitrogen, i-phosphorus, kanye nezinye izinto ezingcolisayo emanzini angcolile zibe yi-biomass nge-photosynthesis. Abacwaningi bangabhubhisa amaseli ama-microalgae futhi bakhiphe izingxenye eziphilayo ezifana namafutha nama-carbohydrate emaseli, okungaqhubeka nokukhiqiza amafutha ahlanzekile njenge-bio oil kanye ne-bio gas.
Ukukhishwa kwe-carbon dioxide ngokweqile kungenye yezimbangela ezinkulu zokushintsha kwesimo sezulu emhlabeni. Singayinciphisa kanjani i-carbon dioxide? Isibonelo, singayidla yini? Ingasaphathwa eyokuthi, ama-microalgae amancane “anesifiso sokudla” esihle kangaka, futhi awakwazi “ukudla” i-carbon dioxide kuphela, kodwa futhi awakwazi ukuyiguqula ibe “uwoyela”.
Indlela yokusebenzisa kahle i-carbon dioxide isibe yinto ebalulekile kososayensi emhlabeni wonke, futhi ama-microalgae, lesi sidalwa esincane sasendulo, abe umsizi omuhle kithi wokulungisa i-carbon nokunciphisa ukukhishwa kwayo ngekhono layo lokuguqula “i-carbon” ibe “uwoyela”.

Ama-microalgae amancane angaguqula 'i-carbon' ibe 'uwoyela'
Ikhono le-microalgae encane lokuguqula ikhabhoni ibe uwoyela lihlobene nokwakheka kwemizimba yazo. Ama-ester noshukela okucebile ku-microalgae kuyizinto zokusetshenziswa ezinhle kakhulu zokulungiselela uphethiloli oketshezi. Njengoba iqhutshwa amandla elanga, i-microalgae ingahlanganisa i-carbon dioxide ibe yi-triglycerides enamandla aphezulu, futhi lawa ma-molecule kawoyela awakwazi nje kuphela ukusetshenziswa ukukhiqiza i-biodiesel, kodwa futhi angasetshenziswa njengezinto zokusetshenziswa ezibalulekile zokukhipha ama-fatty acid angenawo izakhamzimba eziningi njenge-EPA ne-DHA.
Ukusebenza kahle kwe-photosynthesis kwe-microalgae njengamanje kuphakeme kakhulu kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo eMhlabeni, okuphindwe kayishumi kuya kwangama-50 kunezitshalo zasemhlabeni. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi i-microalgae ilungisa cishe amathani ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-90 zekhabhoni kanye nama-megajoules ayizigidi eziyi-1380 zamandla nge-photosynthesis eMhlabeni minyaka yonke, futhi amandla asetshenziswayo cishe aphindwe ka-4-5 kunokusetshenziswa kwamandla omhlaba ngonyaka, ngenani elikhulu lezinsizakusebenza.
Kuyaqondakala ukuthi iShayina ikhipha cishe amathani ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-11 e-carbon dioxide minyaka yonke, okungaphezu kwengxenye yawo kuyi-carbon dioxide evela kugesi womsele ophehlwa ngamalahle. Ukusetshenziswa kwe-microalgae ekuthuthweni kwe-carbon eyenziwe nge-photosynthetic emabhizinisini ezimboni aphehlwa ngamalahle kunganciphisa kakhulu ukukhishwa kwe-carbon dioxide. Uma kuqhathaniswa nobuchwepheshe bendabuko bokunciphisa ukukhishwa kwegesi womsele ophehlwa ngamalahle, ubuchwepheshe bokuthuthwa kwe-microalgae kanye nokunciphisa bunezinzuzo zemishini yenqubo elula, ukusebenza okulula, kanye nokuvikelwa kwemvelo okuluhlaza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-microalgae nayo inezinzuzo zokuba nenani elikhulu labantu, ukuba lula ukuyilima, nokukwazi ukukhula ezindaweni ezifana nolwandle, amachibi, umhlaba we-alkali osawoti, kanye namaxhaphozi.
Ngenxa yekhono lazo lokunciphisa ukukhishwa kwe-carbon dioxide nokukhiqiza amandla ahlanzekile, ama-microalgae athole ukunakwa kabanzi ngaphakathi nangaphandle.
Kodwa-ke, akulula ukwenza ama-microalgae akhula ngokukhululeka emvelweni abe “abasebenzi abahle” bokuthuthwa kwekhabhoni emigqeni yezimboni. Ungalikhulisa kanjani ulwelwe ngokwenziwa? Yimaphi ama-microalgae anomphumela ongcono wokuthungatha ikhabhoni? Ungathuthukisa kanjani ukusebenza kahle kokuthungatha ikhabhoni kwama-microalgae? Zonke lezi yizinkinga ezinzima ososayensi okudingeka bazixazulule.