Researchers from Tambov State University G. R. Derzhavin demonstrated that microalgae can be trained to help clean water contaminated with toxic salts of heavy metals using copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. The finding was reported by the Ministry of Education and Science to socialbites.ca.
Pollution of aquatic environments by heavy metal salts, such as cadmium and lead, poses a global challenge. Microalgae are increasingly used as a natural sorbent because their cellular structures have a remarkable capacity to accumulate a range of toxins, acting as tiny biofilters in water treatment scenarios.
In the study, Desmodesmus algae were exposed to toxic metal compounds alongside CuO nanoparticles for fourteen days. During this period, scientists monitored the abundance and health of surviving cells and measured cadmium and lead concentrations within the cells to assess uptake efficiency.
The CuO nanoparticles showed minimal harm to the algae. In fact, when combined with toxic metal species, they appeared to mitigate adverse effects, helping maintain cellular integrity while enhancing pollutant interaction with the algae.
One of the study’s authors, a junior researcher named Svetlana Chebotareva, explained that the protective effects of the nanoparticles were evident in cell survival, as well as in the functioning of antioxidant and photosynthetic systems. More strikingly, the presence of nanoparticles within the algal cells correlated with a fourfold increase in cadmium accumulation and a sixfold rise in lead uptake, compared with algae treated without nanoparticles (Attribution: Institute of Biotechnological Research).
The researchers concluded that well-performing biological water purification using Desmodesmus species holds significant promise for advancing water treatment technologies. The approach could offer an eco-friendly option for reducing heavy metal concentrations in freshwater and wastewater streams, aligning with ongoing efforts to improve water safety in North America and beyond (Attribution: International Water Research Consortium).
These findings contribute to a growing body of work that examines how nanomaterials can interact with living microorganisms to enhance bioremediation processes. The research underscores the potential for combining nanoparticle-assisted strategies with microalgal systems to achieve higher pollutant removal efficiencies, while carefully monitoring ecological and safety considerations in real-world applications (Attribution: Global Nanomaterials and Environment Network).
Overall, the study supports the idea that Desmodesmus algae, when paired with CuO nanoparticles, can serve as an effective biological method for purifying water from heavy metals. Further investigations are expected to optimize conditions, determine long-term stability, and assess scalability for industrial or municipal water treatment settings (Attribution: National Center for Environmental Biotechnology).