Extreme microbial adaptations arise in one of America's most polluted waterways

Extreme microbial adaptations arise in one of America's most polluted waterways

The industrially ravaged Gowanus Canal, long regarded as a symbol of urban environmental neglect, is being reimagined through the lens of scientific inquiry as a complex reservoir of microbial life shaped by intense selective pressures.

Microbes in Brooklyn Superfund site teach lessons on fighting industrial pollution

Using advanced DNA sequence analysis, a research team has discovered that tiny organisms in Brooklyn's highly contaminated Gowanus Canal have developed a comprehensive collection of pollution-fighting genes. This finding suggests the potential of a cheaper, more sustainable, and less disruptive method for cleaning contaminated waterways than the current oft-used dredging operations.

Pollution-eating microbes are thriving in infamous NYC canal

The toxic Gowanus canal could host a ‘reservoir of potential solutions.’

Microbes in Brooklyn Superfund Site Teach Lessons on Fighting Industrial Pollution

Using advanced DNA sequence analysis, a research team led by NYU Tandon School of Engineering's Assistant Professor Elizabeth Hénaff has discovered that tiny organisms in Brooklyn's highly contaminated Gowanus Canal have developed a comprehensive collection of pollution-fighting genes.