The research will be conducted in partnership with Destiny Copper, a Niagara, Ontario-based copper extraction company that had previously worked with the university on innovative copper production methods.
The latest partnership, said Mangal, was inspired by phytoremediation — the practice of using plants to clean up contaminated environments — to come up with the idea of extracting copper from algae.
“Algae require trace metals like copper, nickel and zinc for their growth,” said Mangal. “Our idea is similar to phytoremediation, where algae accumulate copper that can be harvested and concentrated.”
According to the researcher, copper can enter aquatic systems in the form of copper sulfate, which is a commonly used fungicide in fruit farms and vineyards. In Lake Erie, the agricultural run-off provides copper to fuel the growth of algae.
Alongside Destiny Copper, Mangal’s team will carry out a year-long…
