Icelandic Lithothamnion (Acid Buf) is a unique calcium source derived from red marine algae with distinct physical and compositional properties compared to other lithothamnion sources and limestone. Laboratory experiments show Acid Buf has superior buffering capacity and ability to maintain rumen pH. Recent research found Acid Buf improved feed efficiency, fat yield, and reduced inflammation in transition cows. Its anti-inflammatory effects are believed to contribute to performance benefits observed in multiple studies.
1. Icelandic Lithothamnion
(Acid Buf), comparison with
alternates, recent discoveries
and role in transition diets.
Feedworks Conference, September 2022
Dr Shane O Connell
2. www.celticseaminerals.com
2 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Lithothamnion sp. in Ruminant Nutrition
Brazil
Oceana
Iceland
Celtic Sea
Minerals
Norway
Algavi / Nuwen
Licenses have been issued for 3 harvesting sites in the world
Are all Lithothamnions the same?....Same first
name but different!
3. www.celticseaminerals.com
3 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Are all Lithothamnions the same?....Same first name but different!
• They look different
• Different species are mapped to different geographical locations - https://www.marlin.ac.uk
• Ocean temperature, salinity and growth depth are unique for species.
Brazil
Iceland
Norway
4. www.celticseaminerals.com
4 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Icelandic material identified by 18S RNA sequencing as
Lithothamnion glaciale – only exists in North Atlantic
Source: Algal Cultivation and
Biotechnology Laboratory.
Department of Aquaculture, National
Taiwan Ocean University
5. www.celticseaminerals.com
5 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
• Different structures under magnitude 5 &
1 µm
• The differences in structure & surface
area informs the buffering performance
Brazil BET surface area 1.83 m2 /g
Iceland BET surface 10.67 m2 /g
Microscopic view Icelandic
origin
Microscopic view Brazilian origin
Are all Lithothamnions the same?....Same first name but different!
Surface area and microscopic detail distinctly different.
6. www.celticseaminerals.com
6 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Lithothamnion and other Calcium Carbonate Sources
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Limestone
Lithothamnion glaciale
50µm 20µm
1µm 2µm
Microscopically it is
different
8. www.celticseaminerals.com
8 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Hydrogel structure only present in Icelandic Lithothamnion
2g sample decalcified in 0.5M
EDTA and filtered through
20µm filter paper
9. www.celticseaminerals.com
9 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Unique Components in Icelandic Lithothamnion glaciale
SEM - IOM (lyophilized) on carbon
tape Ielandic
Autofluorescence –
scattering in the red channel?
Stained with
Calcofluor White (CFW)
10
um
10. www.celticseaminerals.com
10 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Unique Components in Icelandic Lithothamnion glaciale
Core area – particle :
Partial demineralization with EDTA-
4Na reveals Iron-sulphide particles
being trapped in the calcified
seaweed cell.
12. Physical Features of Icelandic Lithothamnion glaciale
Unique image of mineral particles in a marine biopolymer complex
• This Image won first prize in the
royal microscopy society scientific
imaging competition 2021
• Petseva`s fascinating image “The
hidden gem in calcified seaweed” is a
false-colour Scanning Electron
Microscopy image of Pyrite (FeS2)
nanocrystals, also known as “Fool`s
Gold”, naturally synthesized in the
extracellular polysaccharide matrix of
red algae (Lithothamnium sp.) during
its calcification process.
• https://www.ucd.ie/cbni/news/vanya
-petseva-1st-prize-imaging-
competition/
13. www.celticseaminerals.com
13 Pioneering Marine Minerals
All Lithothamnions are NOT the same
BET Source: Glantreo Laboratories 2020, m2/g = Sq metres of surface per gram
Microscopy Source: CBNI UCD, 2020
Composition Source: Shannon ABC, MTU Kerry, 2022
ND: Not determined
Parameter Icelandic Brazil Norway Limestone
Visually distinct with
fronds
✔ ✘ ✘ ✘
Microscopic
features
✔ ✘ ND ✘
Composition (%w/w
Organic, n=3)
3.8+/-0.05 1.6+/-0.07 ND 0
Hydrogel ✔ ✘ ND ✘
Surface Area (BET) 10.67 m2/g 1.83m2/g 3.12m2/g 1.23m2/g
14. www.celticseaminerals.com
14 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Development of Rumen pH Simulation Method
In vivo Smaxtec Rumen pH Bolus Neville et al 2019, J Dairy Sci
The concentration of acetic acid and addition rate was
calculated from the VFA analysis and pH profiles measured in
the in vivo rumen environment in this study.
5
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.8
6
6.2
6.4
0 100 200 300 400 500
Rumen
pH
Time (Min)
y = 0.0678x + 3.5739
R² = 0.7167
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0 100 200 300 400 500
mmol
H+
Time (Min)
6 hours post feeding
Conversion of
pH to excess
mmoles of acid
Rumen Fluid
VFA analysis
15. www.celticseaminerals.com
15 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Development of Rumen pH Simulation Method
1. 100ml of 67mmoles of acetic
acid adjusted to pH 5.8 with
sodium bicarbonate –
concentration based on
rumen VFA analysis.
2. 100-200mg of product added
(based on 80L rumen and
DM intake per feeding).
3. 20 minute additions of 0.3ml
of 1M acetic acid to deliver in
vivo pH changes
Source: Quille et. al, 2022, MTU Kerry, Ireland.
Manuscript in preparation.
18. www.celticseaminerals.com
18 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Brazilian Lithothamnion
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.81
1.91
2.01
2.11
2.21
2.31
2.41
2.51
2.61
2.71
2.81
2.91
pH
Time (h)
pH Control 5.8
100mg Brazilian Litho in 67mM HAc / NaHCO3 buffer
0.3ml of 1.0M HAc / 25 mins
0.00E+00
5.00E-08
1.00E-07
1.50E-07
2.00E-07
2.50E-07
3.00E-07
3.50E-07
0.20
0.23
0.26
0.28
0.31
0.33
0.36
0.38
0.41
0.43
0.53
0.55
0.58
0.60
0.63
0.65
0.68
0.70
0.73
0.76
0.78
0.81
0.83
1.12
1.15
1.18
1.20
1.23
1.25
mmoles
H
+
Time (h)
0.17 mmoles
H+
Total Area under curve
0.34 mmoles [H+] · s
19. www.celticseaminerals.com
19 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Buffering Capacity of Acid Buf v Competitor Products
Acid Buf is a better buffer because its structural features enable rapid correction of pH over an extended
period
Buffering Capacity
Product N mmoles H+·s %CV
Ratio Iceland :
Product
Iceland (100mg) 3 5.28 12.55
Bicarbonate (200mg) 3 4.82 24.01 1.1 : 1
Norway (100mg) 3 2.46 19.46 2.2 : 1
Limestone (100mg) 3 0.99 42.9 5.3 : 1
Brazil (100mg) 3 0.34 22.1 15 : 1
20. www.celticseaminerals.com
20 Improving Feed Efficiency
How does it improve Production
Efficiency?
• Optimises and maintains rumen pH
• Increases productive output/ kg DMI
• Optimises body condition score
• Provides a source of calcium and magnesium
21. www.celticseaminerals.com
21 Improving Feed Efficiency
Why will you want to use it?
• Because it improves feed efficiency by
7.5%
• Improves fat Kg/Day
• Reduces methane by up to 7.5% - in
vivo study University of Nottingham
22. www.celticseaminerals.com
22 Improving Feed Efficiency
Improving feed efficiency
3 peer reviewed papers and 1 new study show that Acid Buf improves feed efficiency by an average of 7.5%
and Fat Yield by 6.8%
Bernard et al. (2014)
USA
Versus SB
+5%
Acid Buf
2.02
2014
Cruywagen et al. (2015)
South Africa
Versus SB
+14%
Acid Buf
1.51
2015
Neville et al. (2019)
Ireland
Versus SB
+8%
Acid Buf
1.62
2019
Li, (2022), China
Agricultural University
Versus SB
+3%
Acid Buf
1.37
2022
Average
Versus SB
+7.5%
Acid Buf
1.7
SB is Sodium Bicarbonate
Versus SB
+9%
Acid Buf
1.74
Versus SB
+9%
Acid Buf
1.33
Versus SB
+6%
Acid Buf
1.37
Versus SB
+3%
Acid Buf
1.73
Versus SB
+6.8%
Acid Buf
1.54
Fat Kg/Day
FCR
24. www.celticseaminerals.com
24 Pioneering Marine Minerals
New Research: Role of Acid Buf in the Transition Cow
9% increase in Fat yield
5% increase in FCM
11% increase in Fat %
3.8% increase in
ECM
Limestone
9% increase in
DMI -prepartum
5% increase in
DMI postpartum
25. Role of Acid Buf in the Transition Cow
Increasing Phosphorus and Reducing Acute Inflammation Marker in Blood
10% Increase
21% Decrease
27. Lithothamnion glaciale and Inflammation
TLR 4
TLR 3 TLR 9
MYD88
MYD88
TRIF
IL-6, TNF-α
IL -1β
NFκB
p50/p65
Iκβα
IFN-β
IRF3
Poly (I:C) CpG
Litho
Source: PhD thesis submitted by
Emmanouil Lioudakis,
Department of Pharmacology and
Therapeutics Trinity College
Dublin, Ireland.
28. www.celticseaminerals.com
28 Pioneering Marine Minerals
ACID BUF, SARA and Ruminant Inflammation
Grain induced SARA Rye grass induced SARA
Acclimatisation
SARA Challenge
Recovery
SAA, Haptoglobin and LBP
SAA, Haptoglobin and LBP
SAA, Haptoglobin and LBP
30. Calcium Source and Phytate Interaction
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Litho Limestone D CaCl2
%
Ca-Pytate
Precipitate
Calcium Source
Phytase
No phytase
a
b
c
1hr Incubation Litho Limestone D CaCl2
Particle size µm 33.4 26.3 N/A
- Phytase
+ Phytase
N= 5; P<0.05
31. www.celticseaminerals.com
• Acid Buf is an excellent rumen buffer likely due to its unique biomineralisation
origin, resulting in a high surface area.
• Results validate it delivers performance beyond buffering activity.
• Demonstrated benefits in transition diets.
• Extensively validated anti-inflammatory activity has a role in delivering
performance benefits.
31 Pioneering Marine Minerals
Summary
