June 1, 2011 Algal Turf Scrubbers Clean Water With Sunlight
Science Codex, Science Codex An article published in the June
issue of BioScience describes the early scale-up stage of a new
biotechnology with environmental benefits and possible
commercial potential. Algal turf scrubbers are field-sized,
water-treatment systems that can extract excess nutrients from
streams, canals, and lakes polluted by agricultural, domestic,
and some industrial runoff. They use sunlight as their principal
source of energy and simultaneously restore oxygen levels. The
devices work by pulsing contaminated water across algae that are
allowed to grow on screens. Algal turf scrubbers produce waste
suitable for use as a nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich fertilizer
and for conversion to biofuel or high-value nutraceuticals. Some
algal turf scrubbers can even operate in open water, thus...
TAGGED: water treatment, water, pollution, algae