Algae Ecosystem

When waste water from farms or factories carries abnormally high amounts of nutrients into the environment, algae feed on them, often resulting in an algae bloom. If the algae are toxic, such blooms can be dangerous; and if the algae concentration is high, it can actually choke out wildlife and other beneficial organisms. Attempts to use algae in a controlled environment for decontamination have been largely unsuccessful, as they utilize a single type of algae which relies on photosynthesis to consume the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous present in the water. That requires lots of sunlight and shallow treatment ponds that stretch over large land areas.

But a new method has been developed using algae that draws organic matter directly from the water without photosynthesis. As a result, the process can be conducted in tanks, making it easier to build and maintain. In addition, it doesn’t rely on a monoculture, but incorporates a variety of organisms that co-exist in a miniature ecosystem to treat for organics, nitrogen and phosphorus simultaneously, often without the need for any chemical additives. When harvested, the algae may also be dried and used as fertilizer, feedstock or for manufacturing bioplastics.

The first commercial installation was completed last year at a malt plant, and is currently treating 1.8 million gallons of process water per day.