Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science have developed a promising method to address harmful algal blooms (HABs), a growing global environmental concern. The team has created an inventive tool for extracting phosphorus from water — a key contributor to HABs—by converting cyanobacterial biomass, often deemed hazardous waste, into specialized adsorbent materials. The findings, published in the journal Algal Research, could offer a scalable and cost-effective solution to reduce nutrient pollution and protect aquatic ecosystems.

Credit: FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Harmful algal blooms occur when colonies of algae — simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds.
Harmful algal blooms, fueled by excess phosphorus in water bodies, have become widespread, threatening ecosystems, aquatic life, and industries such as fishing and tourism. While previous research has explored repurposing algal biomass for applications like bioplastics and biofuels, few studies have focused on removing phosphorus from water. The FAU team addressed this gap by converting cyanobacterial biomass from Florida’s Lake Okeechobee into activated carbon adsorbents, enhanced with lanthanum chloride or zinc chloride for improved phosphate removal.
Using energy-efficient microwave heating, the researchers synthesized adsorbents that demonstrated remarkable efficiency. Materials treated with lanthanum chloride removed over 99% of phosphorus, even at high concentrations of 20 mg per liter of water. The most effective adsorbent removed 90% of phosphorus in 30 minutes using only 0.2 grams of material per liter of contaminated water. The adsorbent also performed well in natural organic matter, selectively targeting phosphorus.
“Our findings suggest that lanthanum-modified algae-based materials could be an effective solution for removing phosphorus and preventing harmful algal blooms if used on a larger scale,” said Masoud Jahandar Lashaki, Ph.D., senior author and assistant professor in FAU’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering. “By using readily available waste materials like algal biomass, combined with lanthanum, an element known for its strong phosphorus-binding capabilities, we have developed an adsorbent that can effectively target and remove excess phosphorus from water.”
The success of the adsorbent lies in its ability to form rhabdophane (LaPO4·H2O), a compound that permanently traps phosphorus. This innovation could help reduce the occurrence of HABs, which are often linked to toxic water conditions, loss of aquatic life, and economic impacts on affected communities.
“Our team’s research highlights the high efficiency of these materials in removing phosphorus over a wide range of concentrations,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “This approach could provide an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution to mitigate the effects of eutrophication — the process where excessive nutrients, particularly phosphorus, fuel the growth of harmful algae in lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.”
The study’s co-authors include Vithulan Suthakaran, Ryan Thomas, Mitchell Guirard, and Daniel Meeroff, Ph.D., all affiliated with FAU’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering. The research was funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) under the direction of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force. The team has since received a Phase-II grant of $590,527 from the FDEP to further investigate the scalability of this solution.
With further refinement, this inventive approach could become a important tool for managing nutrient pollution and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
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