Question

The vast amount of seaweeds present in the ocean may provide an endless source of:
(A) Carbon monoxide
(B) Hydrogen sulphide
(C) Methane
(D) None of these

Answer 1

Hint: Seaweeds lack a formal definition. They are marine plants and macroalgae that comprise several species of macroscopic, multicellular and marine algae. They lack a common multicellular ancestor and form a polyphyletic group. The total number of seaweed species is still under discussion but there are several thousand species of them.

Complete step by step answer:
Seaweeds have numerous uses from being consumed as food to being used in medicine and herbs. Seaweed extract is used in diet pills and wound dressings. Seaweeds are used to produce edible packaging. Seaweeds generate oxygen and remove unwanted nutrients from the water. Seaweeds are also considered as fertilisers, animal feed and they help in fish production.
While all the above uses of seaweed are viable and there are many more that haven’t been listed, the biggest potential use of algae is methane production. This process is known as anaerobic digestion of microalgae and it is a prospective option for creating a renewable energy source for both industrial and domestic needs. The algal biomass to be decomposed for methane production is cultivated in an integrated algal bioreactor. The biogas thus produced is enriched, has unmatched advantages and is environment friendly.
Hence (C) is the correct option.

Note: Let’s take a look at the other options given to us. Algae behave as green plants, that is, they fix the atmospheric carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Algae are more effective than plants or trees because they can cover more surface area and grow faster. Hydrogen sulphide is produced by certain bacteria that possess sulphur in their molecule. Hence none of the other options is irrelevant to this question.