FURI | Summer 2024

Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrates for Algal Growth

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Nitrate contamination from anthropogenic development poses a threat to both human health and the environment. Through electrochemical reduction, nitrates within complex water matrices resembling urban grey water are converted to higher value-added nitrogen species such as ammonia. The ammonia-rich byproduct may then be repurposed to grow Chlorella vulgaris, a model green alga known to behave symbiotically with plants in soil to enhance crop yield. By accelerating the nitrogen uptake of c. vulgaris, the added biomass may serve as an alternative to traditional fertilizers, paving the way for more widespread adoption of nitrate remediation technology.

Student researcher

Aislinn Rose Varela

Chemical engineering

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Graduation date: Spring 2025