Method for the efficient and continuous growth and harvesting of nutrient-rich phytoplankton and methods of using the same

US9090881B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Canadian Pacific Algae Inc. · CA

Inventors

• Margaret Harper · Tecate Mission Road, US
• Arturo Ramirez · Saginaw, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 21, 2009
• Grant date: Jul 28, 2015
• Expiry date: Jun 4, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E50/30
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods of growing and harvesting multiple species of phytoplankton are disclosed herein. The method generally includes four steps, namely: (1) collecting phytoplankton seawater containing multiple species of naturally-occurring phytoplankton directly from a source of seawater; (2) adding nutrients to the phytoplankton seawater to proliferate the multiple species of naturally-occurring phytoplankton to a predetermined density; (3) separating the multiple species of naturally-occurring phytoplankton from the phytoplankton seawater to form a phytoplankton concentrate; and (4) collecting the phytoplankton concentrate such that the collected phytoplankton of the phytoplankton concentrate remain in a substantially intact cellular state.