The New Antibacterial Sponge Proves to be Highly Effective Against Toxic Blue-Green Algae

Toxic cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae, can pose dangers to both humans and wildlife when their numbers increase significantly in lakes or rivers. Fortunately, a recently created sponge shows promise in effectively managing and controlling these harmful algal blooms.

Persulfate-Based Oxidants

Previously, Jiangfang Yu and Lin Tang, scientists from China’s Hunan University, conducted research and found that oxidants using a compound called persulfate demonstrated lethal effects on Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacteria.

However, the oxidants required activation by a catalyst like biochar, which shares similarities with charcoal and is produced through the pyrolysis process, involving the decomposition of organic material without oxygen.

Transforming Shrimp Shells into a Functional Sponge

In their recent work, Yu, Tang, and their team utilized shrimp shells to produce powdered biochar, repurposing what would have otherwise been wasted. They then integrated this biochar into a porous three-dimensional melamine sponge, connecting the two materials using a thin layer of polyvinyl alcohol, a synthetic polymer, upon heating it to 572 ºF (300 ºC).

Following that, the researchers introduced a persulfate-based oxidizing agent to the composite sponge and placed it in a laboratory dish filled with water contaminated with M. aeruginosa.

The Sponge’s Impressive Performance

In just a span of five hours, the sponge exhibited a remarkable capability, successfully eliminating 90% of the bacteria by rupturing their cell membranes and releasing their contents. The released contents swiftly disintegrated into smaller, harmless components. Even when tested on samples taken from real lakes, the sponge demonstrated its effectiveness, eradicating more than 85% of the harmful cyanobacteria.

The findings from the research have been detailed in a paper posted in the journal ACS ES&T Water.

Read the original article on New Atlas.

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