University of Texas at El Paso researchers use nanotech to impove microalgae production

In Texas, a global energy use continues to rise, the demand for renewable energy sources such as biofuels is also growing—especially in the transportation sector. Now, researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have demonstrated how nanotechnology can significantly improve biofuel production from microalgae, offering a sustainable path forward.

The study, recently published in ACS Applied Bio Materials, focuses on the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, a fast-growing species commonly found in freshwater environments that is used to produce biofuels. Led by UTEP’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the team showed that controlled doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles can dramatically increase the organism’s lipid content, including the triacylglycerol used to produce biofuels.