This set of Marine Biotechnology Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Marine Microbial Environment”.
1. Which is not true for microalgae?
a) Can be grown in sewage, manure
b) Use alcoholic fermentation
c) Potential biofuel producers
d) Require arable land
View Answer
Explanation: Microalgae are a potential source of biofuels and can be grown anywhere from sewage, manure, ice, waste streams through salt water and under aerial conditions. Hence there is no specific requirement of arable land as in agriculture.
2. The biofuel ethanol is produced by lactic acid fermentation.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: The biofuel ethanol is produced from higher plants or microalgae by alcoholic fermentation. There are two subtypes of fermentation – lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation.
3. Nitrogen depletion in environment can increase ________________
a) carbon dioxide production
b) oxygen production
c) lipid assimilation
d) protein content
View Answer
Explanation: During culture of various microalgae species, especially those belonging to Chlamydomonas, nitrogen depletion in the environment results in greater lipid content.
4. Synfuel is obtained from ________________
a) plankton biomass
b) syngas
c) sour gas
d) compressed nitrogen gas
View Answer
Explanation: Synfuel or synthetic fuel is obtained from syngas – a composite of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. Syngas can be obtained either by reforming the natural gas or by gasification of solid feedstocks.
5. Choose the correct option based on the conversion and treatment strategies of the microalgal biomass.
| 1. Thermochemical conversion | a. Algal oil |
| 2. Biochemical conversion | b. Biodiesel |
| 3. Direct conversion | c. Biohydrogen |
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
d) 1-a, 3-c, 3-b
View Answer
Explanation: Depending upon the conversion and treatment strategies of the microalgal biomass, it can yield a wide range of products. Three ways of processing are thermochemical, biochemical, and direct conversion.
6. In microalgae, high content of oil is present in _________________
a) cytosol, chloroplast
b) lysosome, chloroplast
c) cytosol, nucleolus
d) transmembrane, cytosol
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Explanation: In microalgae, high amount of oil is found in cytosol and chloroplast. By targeted processing and conversion this can be converted into a wide range of fuels, oils, biogas, and the remaining biomass maybe used as aquaculture feed.
7. Esterification is the process of obtaining _______________ from microalgae.
a) fish feed
b) biocrude
c) biodiesel
d) animal feed
View Answer
Explanation: In the process of esterification, a chemical reaction takes place between triacylglyerols (TAGs) and alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. This results in production of monoesters that are termed as biodiesel.
8. During the making of biodiesel from microalgae, glycerol is a byproduct.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: Transesterification is the process that leads to production of microalgae from harvested microalgae biomass. It consists of three reversible steps in series, the byproduct being glycerol.
9. Which is not a characteristic of microalgal or bio-oil?
a) High viscosity
b) High molecular weight
c) High flash point
d) High volumetric heating
View Answer
Explanation: Despite the ease of culturing and high productivity of microalgae, the fuels obtained from it have several limitations compared to conventional fuels. One such limitation is the low volumetric heating.
10. Microalgal cells do not contain _________________
a) hemicellulose, lignin
b) lignin, glycogen
c) starch, glucose
d) starch, hemicellulose
View Answer
Explanation: Unlike higher plants cells of microalgae do not contain hemicelluloses and lignin. This eliminates the need of chemical and enzymatic pre-treatment during production of bioethanol.
Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Marine Biotechnology.
To practice all areas of Marine Biotechnology, here is complete set of 1000+ Multiple Choice Questions and Answers.
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