Australia is preparing to introduce technology that allows algae to capture half or more of the greenhouse gases emitted by a power station. The micro-algae thrive on carbon dioxide, producing food for livestock as well as biofuels and material for plastics.
澳大利亚正准备采用一种新技术，利用藻类吸收发电厂排放出的一半以上的二氧化碳。藻类靠吸收二氧化碳来生长，而且可以被当作家畜饲料、生物燃料和制造塑料的原材料。
Researchers think that humble algae, which are simple, rootless plants that normally provide food for aquatic animals, could lead be a revolutionary tool in the battle against climate change.
研究人员认为，这种简单、无根的微型藻类植物通常只是水生动物的食品，但是现在却变成了对抗气候变化的一个革命性工具。
The idea is to pump emissions from power stations into photo-bioreactors, which are large tubes filled with algae.
具体方法是将发电站排放出的废气注入到巨大的罐式光合生物反应器中。这种光合生物反应器其实就是一个装满了藻类植物的大罐子。
When carbon dioxide from the power stations is mixed with water, the algae soak up much of it, using it as a nutrient.
当把从发电厂排放出来的二氧化碳溶入水中时，藻类能把绝大部分二氧化碳当作养料而吸收，从而茁壮生长。
Once the algae are removed from the tubes, scientists say they can be buried in the seabed, where they could store indefinitely the carbon they have ingested.
科学家们说，这些藻类从罐子取出后，可以埋在海底，如此一来，海藻便能把吸收的二氧化碳永远储存起来。
The algae can also be processed and used to create biodiesel fuel and fertilizer, as well as food for farm animals.
藻类经过处理后还能用来制造生物柴油、肥料和饲料。
Kirsten Heimann at Queensland's James Cook University developed the technology.
克斯滕·黑曼(Kristen Heimann)在昆士兰的詹姆斯·库克大学从事这项研究。
"They take up carbon dioxide from the air or if you feed them carbon dioxide they take that and with the aid of sunlight they are converting that into sugars, proteins and oils," explains Heimann.
他说：“藻类能从空气中吸收二氧化碳，你也可以给藻类注入二氧化碳，在光合作用下，藻类能把吸收的二氧化碳转换成糖分、蛋白质和油脂。”
Three of Australia's biggest coal-fired power stations are building algae farms to help them reduce pollution in a country where 80 percent of electricity is generated by burning coal. Burning fuels such as coal and oil pump vast amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
澳大利亚三座最大的燃煤发电厂正在兴建海藻农场来减少当地的空气污染。澳大利亚80%的电力来自于燃煤发电。燃烧煤炭和石油这类化石燃料会产生大量的温室气体。
Australia is one of the world's worst per capita emitters of greenhouses gases, which many scientists believe contribute to global warming.
澳大利亚是全世界温室气体人均排放量最高的国家之一，许多科学家认为温室气体是造成全球气温上升的主要原因。
As well as Australia, the pioneering algae technology is also being tested in the United States and Germany.
除了澳大利亚之外，美国和德国也都在测试这种具有开创性的藻类利用新技术。 |