A blooming good idea

United States Department of Agriculture

Microbiologists have developed algae scrubbers that filter and clean rainwater runoff from farmland. This water is contaminated with animal manure fertilizer rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients which the algae thrive on. The algal colonies also take up carbon dioxide as they grow.

The water is cleaned, carbon dioxide is reduced and phosphorus and nitrogen in the manure are captured before they can contaminate waterways. The algae can then be dried and sold as a slow-release crop fertilizer or animal feed supplement.