Tiny plastic particles have quietly become one of the biggest pollution problems in the world, showing up in rivers, lakes, wastewater and even drinking water. Researchers at the University of Missouri believe they may have found an unusual solution hiding inside a specially engineered algae strain that smells like oranges. The discovery could one day help cities clean contaminated water more effectively while also reducing plastic waste.
Scientists say the research is still in its early stages, but the results are already drawing attention for tackling multiple environmental problems at once, as per a report by Science Daily.
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Researchers are working on a possible breakthrough using a modified algae strain designed to pull those plastics out of contaminated water.
The project is being led by Susie Dai, a professor in the College of Engineering and principal investigator at the Bond Life Sciences Center. Her research focuses on using algae not only to clean polluted water but also to potentially recycle the collected plastic into safer bioplastic materials.
"Microplastics are pollutants found almost everywhere in the environment, such as in ponds, lakes, rivers, wastewater and the fish that we consume," Dai said, as per a report by Science Daily.
"Currently, most wastewater treatment plants can only remove large particles of plastic, but microplastics are so small that they slip through and end up in drinking water, polluting the environment and harming ecosystems."
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In the recent study, Dai and her team used genetic engineering to create algae capable of producing limonene, the natural oil that gives oranges their familiar smell. That change turned out to be important. The limonene altered the algae’s outer surface, making it repel water. Since microplastics also repel water, the particles naturally began attaching themselves to the algae when mixed together. Once attached, the algae and plastic particles formed clumps that slowly sank to the bottom of the water, creating a dense biomass layer that researchers could collect more easily. The algae also grow directly inside wastewater, where they absorb excess nutrients while helping remove pollutants at the same time, as per a report by Science Daily.
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One of the biggest challenges with microplastic pollution is size. Traditional wastewater treatment plants are often effective at removing larger plastic debris, but microscopic particles frequently escape filtration systems. That allows the pollutants to continue spreading through waterways and drinking water supplies.
Dai believes the new algae system could eventually help solve several environmental problems at once.
"By removing the microplastics, cleaning the wastewater and eventually using the removed microplastics to create bioplastic products for good, we can tackle three issues with one approach," Dai said.
"While our research is still in the early stages, our eventual goal is to integrate this new process into existing wastewater treatment plants so cities can clean their water more effectively and reduce pollution while creating useful products at the same time."
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Dai’s laboratory already works with large algae bioreactors. One of the systems, a 100-liter bioreactor called "Shrek," is currently used to process industrial flue gas as part of pollution reduction efforts.
Researchers now hope to expand those systems further so they can eventually support wastewater treatment and remove additional contaminants beyond microplastics. The study, titled "Remediation and upcycling of microplastics by algae," was published in Nature Communications.
What makes this algae different?
The algae were genetically modified to produce limonene, which helps attract microplastic particles in water.
Can the algae clean drinking water directly?
Researchers hope the technology could eventually be integrated into wastewater treatment systems to help reduce plastic pollution.
Scientists say the research is still in its early stages, but the results are already drawing attention for tackling multiple environmental problems at once, as per a report by Science Daily.
ALSO READ: Jewish Proverb of the Day: 'How much better to get wisdom than...'—The Jewish Proverb that teaches the true value of understanding
Smelly algae that eat microplastics
Researchers are working on a possible breakthrough using a modified algae strain designed to pull those plastics out of contaminated water.
The project is being led by Susie Dai, a professor in the College of Engineering and principal investigator at the Bond Life Sciences Center. Her research focuses on using algae not only to clean polluted water but also to potentially recycle the collected plastic into safer bioplastic materials.
"Microplastics are pollutants found almost everywhere in the environment, such as in ponds, lakes, rivers, wastewater and the fish that we consume," Dai said, as per a report by Science Daily.
"Currently, most wastewater treatment plants can only remove large particles of plastic, but microplastics are so small that they slip through and end up in drinking water, polluting the environment and harming ecosystems."
ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Ernest Hemingway: 'There is nothing noble in being superior to your...'—Top quotes by the author famous for his American classics such as The Old Man and the Sea, The Sun Also Rises
How does the algae trap microplastics?
In the recent study, Dai and her team used genetic engineering to create algae capable of producing limonene, the natural oil that gives oranges their familiar smell. That change turned out to be important. The limonene altered the algae’s outer surface, making it repel water. Since microplastics also repel water, the particles naturally began attaching themselves to the algae when mixed together. Once attached, the algae and plastic particles formed clumps that slowly sank to the bottom of the water, creating a dense biomass layer that researchers could collect more easily. The algae also grow directly inside wastewater, where they absorb excess nutrients while helping remove pollutants at the same time, as per a report by Science Daily.
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Why are microplastics so difficult to remove?
One of the biggest challenges with microplastic pollution is size. Traditional wastewater treatment plants are often effective at removing larger plastic debris, but microscopic particles frequently escape filtration systems. That allows the pollutants to continue spreading through waterways and drinking water supplies.
Dai believes the new algae system could eventually help solve several environmental problems at once.
"By removing the microplastics, cleaning the wastewater and eventually using the removed microplastics to create bioplastic products for good, we can tackle three issues with one approach," Dai said.
"While our research is still in the early stages, our eventual goal is to integrate this new process into existing wastewater treatment plants so cities can clean their water more effectively and reduce pollution while creating useful products at the same time."
ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Maya Angelou: 'You may encounter many defeats, but you must…'—Inspiring quotes by the world-famous poet, revered for her memoir, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'
Could this technology change wastewater treatment?
Dai’s laboratory already works with large algae bioreactors. One of the systems, a 100-liter bioreactor called "Shrek," is currently used to process industrial flue gas as part of pollution reduction efforts.
Researchers now hope to expand those systems further so they can eventually support wastewater treatment and remove additional contaminants beyond microplastics. The study, titled "Remediation and upcycling of microplastics by algae," was published in Nature Communications.
FAQs
What makes this algae different?
The algae were genetically modified to produce limonene, which helps attract microplastic particles in water.
Can the algae clean drinking water directly?
Researchers hope the technology could eventually be integrated into wastewater treatment systems to help reduce plastic pollution.
