IIT Guwahati researchers identify blue-green algae for lead removal from contaminated water

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have identified blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) as a sustainable solution for removing lead from contaminated water.

The study found that exopolysaccharides, a sticky, sugar-rich substance produced by the algae, removed up to 66.2 per cent of toxic lead from water in laboratory experiments.