Engineered Algae Captures Microplastics from Water

Prof. Susie Dai, a researcher in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Missouri, has developed a genetically engineered algae that can remove microplastics from wastewater by turning them into a biomass that is easy to collect and remove. The study, published in Nature Communications, is a pioneering, innovative solution for removing pollutants from wastewater.

Prof. Dai used genetic engineering to create a lab-grown algae that produces limonene, a volatile natural oil that makes the new algae water-repellent. Because microplastics are also water-repellent, they stick to the algae when they come into contact, clumping together and sinking as a solid mass that can be easily collected. The engineered algae can grow in wastewater, where it also absorbs excess nutrients and helps clean the water as it grows.

“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,” Prof. Dai said. While the research is still at an early stage, Prof. Dai hopes the process can eventually be integrated into existing wastewater treatment plants.

For more information, read the article from the University of Missouri.