Pond algae can filter out drugs and pesticides from water
Khan S, Deng C, Galstyan H
Phytoremediation
The same microscopic algae that turn ponds green are being engineered into low-cost water filters that could clean up runoff from farms and neighborhoods before it reaches local streams.
Wastewater often contains sneaky pollutants like leftover medications and pesticides that normal treatment plants can't fully remove. Researchers found that microalgae, tiny plant-like organisms that grow in water, can absorb these pollutants, store them safely, or break them down into harmless substances. Scientists are even using the algae to grow special nanoparticles that boost how well this cleanup process works, all while the algae keep growing and recycling nutrients.
Key Findings
Microalgae remove emerging contaminants through three mechanisms: bioadsorption, bioaccumulation, and biodegradation.
Biodegradation converts complex pollutants into less toxic or harmless compounds, with removal efficiency boosted under optimized growth conditions and higher enzyme activity.
Microbially synthesized nanoparticles from algae are an emerging green technology that enhances the performance of algal-based treatment systems.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Tiny algae can soak up and break down drugs, pesticides, and other stubborn pollutants that regular water treatment plants miss, and scientists are now pairing them with algae-made nanoparticles to make the cleanup even more effective.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Microalgal and Nanotechnology-Based Strategies for Sustainable Removal of Emerging Contaminants From Wastewater.
The presence of emerging contaminants (ECs) such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, flame retardants, and personal care products is a growing concern for aquatic systems and human health because these...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Street trees cut heat deaths by 39 percent in European cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Microalgae or microphytes are microscopic algae invisible to the naked eye. They are phytoplankton typically found in freshwater and marine systems, living in both the water column and sediment. They are unicellular species which exist individually, or in chains or groups. Depending on the specie...