Tiny organisms known as microalgae could hold answers
to some intractable problems. That includes curbing carbon dioxide
emissions that are contributing to global warming and reducing the
burden of industrial effluents.Microalgae, like plants, are capable of photosynthesis, using the energy
from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar.In a talk at the International Conference on New Horizons in
Biotechnology held in Thiruvananthapuram recently, Prof. Yang spoke of
his team's efforts at treating municipal wastewater using the
single-celled green alga, Chlorella vulgaris.
Wastewater contained plenty of organic compounds and nutrients to
sustain the organism. The oils that then accumulated in the cells could
be harvested and turned into biodiesel.
It was found that untreated wastewater gave the best algal growth.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in the wastewater could be acting as
growth enhancers, he noted.
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