Ascorbic Acid:

A Method for Saving the

Reefs
Caleb Kruse
Coral Reefs
 Coral Reefs
• Biodiversity
• 1 in 4 marine organisms are found on
reefs

• Medicinal Benefits
• Possible cures for cancer, arthritis,
heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and more

• Economic Stimulant
• The estimated economic net worth of
the coral reefs is estimated to be
$375 billion
 Coral
Overcollection
Significant Findings
•Ascorbic acid increases
the rate of tissue
regeneration in
fragmented coral

•Coral contain collagen

•Through ascorbic acid
supplementation
Collagen production
can be stimulated
Coral Bleaching

Bleached
Healthy Reef
 Coral Bleaching
Significant Findings
•Found a new method for isolating
zooxanthellae from coral

•Ascorbic acid greatly reduced the rate of

zooxanthellal expulsion

•Proved that zooxanthellae is expelled

steadily over time

•Quantified the rate of zooxanthellal

expulsion during heat induced bleaching
 Ocean Acidification
CO2 + H2O H2CO3 H +
+

HCO3-

•The ocean absorbs 50-90% of

anthropogenic CO2

•Between 1751 and 1994 the oceanic pH

decreased 0.075 pH units

•The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change estimates that by 2100 oceanic
pH levels will drop another 0.5 pH units
 Effects of
Acidification
“The most insidious and pervasive threat to
life in the oceans everywhere”

•
-Jane Lubchenco
Reduced calcification rates for
calciferous marine organisms

•Destruction of the coral reefs

•Disruption of the oceanic food web
•Die-off of calciferous
phytoplankton
Calcification
 Purposes
•To determine whether CO 2 could be
processed through photosynthesis
by marine algaes, and and allow
the pH level to remain at a higher
level
• To determine whether ascorbic
acid could increase calcification
rates in calciferous algaes when
exposed to an acidifying
environment
 Hypothesis
•Through the process of
photosynthesis the algaes will be
able to convert CO2 thus keeping
the pH at a higher level

•In an acidified environment

calciferous algaes will have a
higher rate of calcification when
supplemented with ascorbic acid
 Why Ascorbic
Acid?
•Artificially produced collagen
fibrils enhance the
crystalization and growth of
calcium carbonate CaCO3

•Collagen is present in coral

•Production of collagen can be
stimulated with ascorbic acid
supplementation
Collagen
Nannochloropsis
oculata
Chaetomorpha
spirallis
Halimeda monile
Udotea flabellum
Procedure Part 1
 CO2
Supplementation
Results: C. spiralis
pH Levels
CO2 Without C. spiralis CO2 With C. spiralis
Results: C. spiralis
CO2 Levels
CO2 Without C. spiralis CO2 With C. spiralis
Results: N. oculata
pH Levels
CO2 Without N. oculata CO2 With N. oculata
Results: N. oculata
CO2 Levels
CO2 Without N. oculata CO2 With N. oculata
 Conclusion
•The average pH of the CO2
supplemented compartment with
an algae inside, was 0.5 pH units
higher than the compartment
without algaes
•Through the process of
photosynthesis, the algaes tested
have the ability to convert CO2
before it turns to carbonic acid
Procedure Part 2
 Results:
Calcification
Calcium Uptake
 Conclusion

•Ascorbic acid increased the rate of

calcification by 2.6-3.5 times
•Collagen fibrils in natural
organisms are able to increase the
crystallization and growth of
calcium carbonate
 Applications
A different source of acidification

Underwater Hydrothermal Vents

 Applications
Current Method to Increase Calcification

Electrified Reefs
 Applications
Ascorbic Acid Supplementation
 Applications
Ascorbic Acid Supplementation
Further Research
Isolating the Calcification Gene

Gel Electrophoresis
Questions?