Development of Microcystinase Enzymes and Immobilization into a Microcystin-Degrading Cartridge for Water Treatment.

The project consists of developing a device for degrading a harmful toxin produced during algal bloom in water supply. The cyanotoxin mycrocystin-LR is one of the major toxins produced by certain cyanobacteria that are present in large quantities in microalgal or cyanobacterial blooms. The benefits of this project for Naturia Technologies will be important since it will allow the company to position itself into the manufacturing market for such type of enzymes for which an important market place is to be filled. The enzymes themselves can constitute products that can be manufactured and sold on the market (for research use) via different distributors and can also serve as the components of the cartridge that can be used to degrade microcystin in contaminated water from lakes or municipal water. The format of the cartridge will take different forms such as floating cartridge for decontaminating lakes after cyanobacterial blooms and/or as part of the municipal water treatment facility. Different partnerships with the government of Canada and of Québec as well as with municipalities will be established to implement such a biotechnological device for water treatment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Isabel Desgagné-Penix

Student:

Partner:

Naturia Technologies

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Program: