ALGAE OF THE CHILEAN SEAS 251 



Industrial Algae 



The Algae utilized for industrial purposes are members of the Rho" 

 dophyceae and Phaeophyceae. 



Three years ago the industrial utilization of these species began for 

 the production of phycocolloids, especially agar-agar. The species which 

 have given best results belong to the genus Gelidium (G. lingulatum 

 J. Ag. and G. fdicinum Bory) ; they are found in southern Chile, from 

 Antofagasta to Talcahuano under the tide line, in rocky places, where 

 they are generally difficult to collect. Total yields vary between 11 and 

 23%. 



Other Chilean agarophyte are: Gracilaria Greville, Gigartina 

 Stockhouse, Ahnfeltia Fries, and Gymnogongrus Martins. 



Good production has been obtained with Gracilaria lemanaeformis 

 found from the Peruvian coast to the Island of Chiloe. 



The Marine Biological Station of Montemar, with the purpose of 

 cooperating in the industrial utilization of marine products, has inves- 

 tigated the problems relative to the extraction of agar, from different 

 species of agarophyta algae inhabiting the coast and their chemical 

 composition. 



The agar extracted from the Chilean species as regards quality is 

 equivalent to the best that can be imported; it is specially used in bac- 

 teriology and in the production of food commodities. It is also ex- 

 ported, principally to Argentina. 



The large Phaeophyceae of the Chilean coast, which correspond to 

 the Laminaria of Europe, belong to the genera Lessonia, Durvillaea, 

 and Macrocystis. There is an incipient industry producing alginic acid, 

 alkali-soluble ficocolloids, derived from poliuronic acid, at present in 

 great demand for industrial, chemical and food purposes. The species 

 tested in Montemar correspond to Macrocystis pyrijera, M. integrifolia, 

 Lessonia nigrescens, and L. flavicans and Durvillaea antarctica. 



All these algae grow in the breakers belt and in the sublittoral zone. 

 They are partly uncovered during the low tide, which makes their har- 

 vesting easier, in spite of the rocky characteristics of the coast which 

 prevents the use of mechanized techniques. 



The abundance in Chile of those species can only be compared to 

 that of Canada, Scotland and South Africa. Along the coast there are 

 numerous and large beds of Macrocystis, which ensure the possibility of 

 intensive exploitation. 



The experiments carried out at the Montemar laboratory and at the 

 Inveresk Institute (Scotland), by a number of the Station, give a 20 to 

 25% content of alginic acid for the mentioned species and very com- 



