Hello BEST members,

The alliance between four leading research universities in Wales known as the GW4 is hoping to use algae to harvest precious metals while producing biofuel at the same time. The GW4 in collaboration with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the Coal Authority (a branch of the UK government), and Veolia (a waste, water, and energy company) is hoping to grow algae in a laboratory setting off of untreated mine water from the Wheal Jane tin mine in Cornwall, Wales. This research hopes to discover whether or not algae are able to remove elements such as arsenic, cadmium, and other metals that can be recycled for the electronics industry. This sustainable process takes contaminated water and yields clean water, valuable metals, and fuel. Growing algae off mine water will allow for a cheaper and more productive method of mine water remediation.

 

University of Bristol. “Algae Cleans Mine Water” December 5, 2014. LaboratoryEquipment.com http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2014/12/algae-cleans-mine-water 

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Brett Nelson

University Scholar – CALS

BioEnergy and Sustainable Technology Lab

Soil and Water Science Department
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