Water Purification Through Selective Transport

Accumulation of inorganic nitrates and phosphates in regions such as the Mississippi river basin has resulted in catastrophic growth of algal blooms. These algal blooms deplete the surrounding oxygen and asphyxiate nearby aquatic life, resulting in large regions incapable of sustaining life. Using biomimicry principles to design a tailored active material to selectively transport these pollutants may offer a strategy to restore these dead zones to health. Theoretically a combination of selected protein transporters may be employed to create a selective sponge to reclaim these nitrates and phosphates. Presented is a feasibility study of various configurations of transporters, and a unique solution for restoring the aquatic ecosystem back to health.