MARINE BIOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY OF ACADEMIA SINICA SUCCEEDS IN MAKING PHAEOPHYCEAE, (BROWN AIGAE) GEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180148-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 6, 2011
• Sequence Number: 148
• Publication Date: May 7, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180148-7
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180148-7
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180148-7
MARINE BIOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY OF fiC nEMIA SINICA
SIiCCEEDS IN MAKING pHAEOPHYCEAEt BROWN` GEL
Kuea -yd Jib- so
Peiping, 2 Jul 1953
The Tsingtao Marine Bio1o9y R'search L^boratnr,, a subordinnte arencv of
the Academia SinicaI's Marine Biology Research Department, as made progress in
marine biolog'--1 research. The laboratory has extracted from a species weed called Halochloa macrantha (a variety of brown algae) a type of Phaeophyceae
gel of of sea
gels of great economic value. The experimental work of the laboratory proves that
t type of research is fruitful.
Phaeophyceae gel, which has much specific industrial application, is a type
of sea-weed adhesive of exceptional viscosity that is extracted from several
varieties of brown algae. It contains phaeophyciec.acid, from which sodium salt,
antimony salt, calcium salt, as well as other metallic salts are extracted. Sod-
ium salt finds applicatio. in the food industry as a stabilizer, purifier, etc.
In the textile industry it can be used to increase the tensile strength and
frictional resistance of textile fibres. It is also suitable for use in printing
and dyeing fluid, water repellant fluid, the manufacture of high quality artificial
fibres, etc. In the rubber industry, antimony salt is often used as a filling
agent. In the paper industry, sodium salt can be used as a substitute for pitch
and glue as an adhesive substance, while it also augments the absorption capacity
of paper coating substance.
In the field of drugs, sodium salt is applicable in the manufacture of gela-
tinous printing compositions, as well as being a suitable substitute for blood
plasma, and useful in the manufacture of medicinal ointments, etc. It also has
vast application in the fields of dentistry, ophthalmology, etc. China must im-
port several thousand pounds of materials of this type annually for use in the
pharmaceutical field.
The distribution along the seacoast of the Halochloa macrantha, from which
the phaeophyceae gel is extracted, is extensive. According to estirates, in the
North China coastal area alone the annual production of uried Halochloa mucrantha
amounts to approximately 1,000 tons. In the South China coastal region, oths-
tics is still greater. In addition to containing phaeophyceae gel, Halochlo d~
macrantha also produces potassium chloride, iodine, and other by-products. At
present, with the exception of a few areas which use Halochloa aacrantha for fert-
ilizer, there is still no advantageous economic utilization of the gel.
After the Tsingtao Marine Biology Research Laboratory succeeded in extract-
ing the phaeophyceae gel, they then combined the phaeophycic acid sodium salt
which they had manufactured from Halachloa macrantha with other chemical substances
to form a gelatinous printing composition. This mixture can also be used for medi-
cal purposes. The Peking Medical College tested the product and found it to
basicall.v effective and useful. At present, the Tsingtao Marine Biological Research
Laboratory is continuing its research on phaeophyceae gel and the gelatinous print-
ing composition to further refine and perfeet-these products.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180148-7