Utente:LIQUID TREE/Sandbox
The Project Liquid Tree is a remarkable form of remediation solution that utilizes microalgae. This innovative technology has been developed as a response to the increasing problem of pollution in our environment, and the need to preserve our health (1). The Liquid Tree works by harnessing the ability of microalgae to consume pollutants such as nitrogen, CO2 and phosphorus directly from the air, producing, through photocatalysis, oxygen. Its environmental and health benefits are multiple (2,3).
The PROJECT LIQUID TREE
The project was born from a collaboration between Giuliano Regonesi's (4) MICROALGAEX, Bogazici University, Istanbul University Cerrapasha, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, and the participation of Saint Petersburg University.
HOW IT WORKS AND ADVANTAGES
The LIQUID TREE consists of a plexiglass cylinder, filled with water and microalgae, and a base where filters, sensors and the control unit are located.
Other components of the LIQUID TREE include pumps and, for some versions, a solar panel. With the use of the pump, the surrounding air is sucked in, passes through a series of Photocatalytic (5) filters, and from there fed into the column with the microalgae.
At this point, the microalgae, thanks to natural sunlight and a series of LEDs, carry out photosynthesis and convert the water in the column, together with carbon dioxide and many other pollutants (VOCs, NOx, SOX, etc.), into fresh oxygen, which is transported and released into the atmosphere through valves located on the top. Microalgae also have a property called biosorption, which allows them to passively filter heavy metal contaminants present in the air by binding them to their complex chemical structure. Thanks to solar panels, LIQUID TREE is carbon negative. Control systems guarantee very low energy consumption, and in the version with solar panels, even zero. In the outdoor version, the energy produced by the solar panels is higher than that required by the components of the LIQUID TREE, therefore it could easily power various users, such as lamps or modems, or simply recharge.
In indoor environments, such as homes, offices, gyms, and public areas, LIQUID TREE proves to work excellently, producing oxygen and capturing CO2, thanks to its specific LEDs which guarantee ideal lighting (6). This is particularly effective in highly polluted areas and in homes or offices facing busy roads. At a global level, the recognized advantage of the use of microalgae lies in their greater photosynthetic potential compared to trees (7,8,9), so much so that it is believed that a single column of LIQUID TREE can advantageously replace 2 or 4 10-year-old trees (10). In fact, microalgae prove to be more efficient in filtering toxic heavy metals present in the air, achieving unparalleled air purification per capita. Furthermore, although of great beauty and aesthetic value, trees can produce pollen, which contributes to the accelerated spread of allergies, asthma and hay fever (11,12). Finally, the biomass generated by microalgae through photosynthesis can be used for various purposes, including biofertilizers and biofuels. More studies and greater implementation of microalgae in our daily lives could give advantageous results for people's health, for the health of cities, for the environment, for sustainability, for food, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels, in order to meet the indications regarding our future from all World organization, like WHO and the EU (13,14,15).
1 https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/pollution#:~:text=Pollution%20is%20the%20largest%20environmental,%2C%20tuberculosis%2C%20and%20malaria%20combined.
2 https://earth.org/microalgae-benefits/#:~:text=To%20cope%20with%20these%20extreme,ability%20to%20kill%20tumor%20cells.
3 https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/algae-biofuel-pollution-environmental-health/
4 https://www.bergamonews.it/2023/11/21/un-albero-liquido-che-elimina-i-virus-e-produce-ossigeno-lidea-di-un-bergamasco-che-sfrutta-le-microalghe/648642/
5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photocatalysis
6 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211926418310804#:~:text=Microalgae%20growth%20is%20proportional%20to,limited%20%5B22%2C28%5D.
7 https://www.nsd.pku.edu.cn/ccus/docs/20190220144140014404.pdf
8 http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?st14205
9 https://parametric.press/issue-02/algae/
10 https://www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/2021/04/06/news/piante_e_suolo_assorbono_co2_ma_c_e_un_limite-295224601/
11 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/pollen-allergies#
12 https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/pollen-allergies/
13 https://www.unep.org/beatpollution/global-response-pollution
14 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health
15 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/air/air-quality/eu-air-quality-standards_en