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Bubbles build better biofuels

Thanks to microbubble technology, harvesting algae for use as a biofuel could become easier and more affordable.

The technique, developed at the University of Sheffield, builds on previous research in which microbubbles were used to improve the way algae is cultivated. Previously, there has been no cost-effective method of harvesting and removing the water from the algae for it to be processed effectively.

Algae produce an oil that can be processed to create a useful biofuel. Biofuels, made from plant material, are considered an important alternative to fossil fuels and algae, in particular, has the potential to be a very efficient biofuel producer.

Now researchers have developed an inexpensive way of producing microbubbles that can float algae particles to the surface of the water, making harvesting easier, and saving biofuel-producing companies time and money.

Read more at University of Sheffield

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