USES

Well, this page will tell you about some of the uses of phaeophyta by humans. It is actually quite a useful thing. As many people know, some brown algae are used as a food source. Click here to visit the recipe page. In addition to this, brown algae are used for numerous other things.

1. Kelp is harvested in many north temperate regions for its ash. You might be wondering what the heck for. Well, as is turns out, it is rich in sodium and potassium salts. These are used for industrial processes. Kelp is also used to comercially produce iodine. Oooh cool, huh? Another thing that kelp is also used for is as fertilizer. So, what else are brown algae used for, you may be asking.

2. This brings us to use numero dos. Some kelps, such as Macrocystis , contain a group of substances know as alginates . They are used as a thickening agent and colloid stabilizer used in the the following industries: cosmetic, food, paper, pharmaceutical, textile, and welding. They are used in the manufacturing of soaps, paints, leather finishers, insecticides, toothpastes, lipsticks, medicines, stabilizers in food products, and clarifying agents in the production of beer.

3. Many brown algae have been used as traditional medicines, though proof that any effects are due to substances in the algae have been difficult to find.

As can be seen, humans have found a wide variety of uses for brown algae. What do you use it for?