Could SUNY ESF students have answer to eliminate toxic algae blooms from Finger Lakes? (VIDEO)

SYRACUSE, N.Y.--Syracuse, NY—Who would have thought that burlap and a soil stimulator compound could end dangerous blue-green algae blooms in bodies of water like Skaneateles Lake? A group of students at SUNY ESF did when they submitted their idea for an ‘algae mat’ called the Instabuff to the Biomimicry Design Challenge sponsored by the Biomimicry Institute in Missoula, Montana that challenges environmental students each year with ideas that can better the environment with the hope of snagging a $100,000 grant to further implementing a design idea.

Blue green algae infestations have become an increasing problem in Upstate New York where some of the freshest water in the country is threatened by environmental pollutants. Phosphate and Nitrogen are two critical elements that fuel the growth of algae production that all but shut down lakes and reservoirs. Instabuff was designed to disrupt feeding those fuel sources to algae growth, say Kim Korioth, a Landscape Architecture student at SUNY ESF working on the project.

“Algae blooms on their own are causing a variety of issues, like in Skaneateles Lake which is the prime source of drinking water for the city of Syracuse,” said Korioth. “It’s an issue that needs to be solved."

And the Instabuff mat, they hope, can do just that.

The mats work like this: Biomax, a soil stimulant that can retain water and filter out phosphate, nitrogen and other harmful toxins are sandwiched between two layers of burlap, which is biodegradable and provides a stable bed for strategic plants to grow. Caroline Horgan, another student working on the project, sought out native grasses and plants to best work with flora that corresponds best with the Finger Lakes area, but said the mats are more versatile as well. “These mats could be easily transformed to accommodate any plants for whatever area they are used in.”

The burlap is uniquely designed with little cups to collect runoff water and channel it to the Biomax and fuel plant growth– both eliminating erosion and trapping growth nutrients to establish foliage that will absorb and thrive on fuel sources that would otherwise go to feed algae in waterways.

Instabuff would be developed to roll out and shape the edges of streams, and homeowner properties simply making it easy to implement sophisticated landscaping and protecting the environment at the same time.

If the project is selected, it will join a small list of finalists worldwide that, much like an episode of Shark Tank, will be pitched for final selection and the winner can receive a grant for up to $100,000 for further research to produce implement working models of the product.

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