Massive Algal Blooms Could be Cleaned Up and Used as Biofuels and Fertilizers

With warmer temperatures, algal blooms from fertilizer runoff can become a major problem, destroying aquatic life and clogging rivers and lakes. Now, though, scientists may have found a way to clean up these environmental hazards and turn them into useful products. Algae could one day act as a biofuel and even fertilize farms.

The current goal that scientists have in mind is a multi-pronged nutrient bio-remediation system. Algae can range in size from a single cell to large seaweeds, and all they need is water, sunlight and a source of nutrients to grow. With a boost of nutrients from man-made runoff, though, this growth can spring out of control. The large algal blooms can be toxic to fish and other aquatic life and even create dead zones by drawing oxygen out of the water.

There may be a solution, though. Algae are already gradually being used as feedstock for different classes of biofuels, including ethanol. In fact, large-scale, centralized "algal turf scrubber" operations in Florida are underway and are growing natural communities of algae for biofuel production. Currently, the researchers hope to downsize this process to water bodies near small farms throughout the U.S.

"For small farm applications, the system must be easy to operate, nearly automatic and be suitable for diffuse installations," said John Miller, one of the researchers, in a news release. "So, my focus has been to apply this technology without requiring the large infrastructure of the electric grid, large pumping installations and all the rest that is needed for centralized operations. A farmer won't have time to check an algae collection and processing system, so it has to also be able to operate remotely."

The researchers are exploring different substrates to optimize algae growth in water bodies. In theory, the algae could be used for biofuel feedstock for farmers. Then, the waste left over could be used as an organic fertilizer in fields.

The findings were presented at the American Chemical Society 249^th National Meeting & Exposition.

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