Quebec researcher tests resin to remove phosphates from Lac Saint-Augustin

A Quebec researcher is testing a resin technology at polluted Lac Saint-Augustin that removes phosphates from water, offering a potential new solution against blue-green algae blooms. Chemical engineering professor Céline Vaneeckhaute installed a pilot machine that pumps lake water through resin beads capturing phosphorus. Lab tests proved successful, and the municipality contributed over $66,000. The lake, where swimming is banned, suffers from decades of agricultural and urban runoff. Long-term plans envision floating islands pairing resin columns with phosphate-absorbing plants to treat swimming zones. If successful, the technology could be adapted to dozens of other Quebec lakes facing similar algae problems.