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Breakthrough Research Unveils Nature’s Pollution Remedies in Gowanus Canal
A significant advancement in environmental microbiology has emerged from a study conducted by a team at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, led by Assistant Professor Elizabeth Hénaff. Through sophisticated DNA sequence analysis, researchers have uncovered a wealth of pollution-fighting genes in the microorganisms residing in Brooklyn’s notoriously contaminated Gowanus Canal.
The research findings, which were released in the Journal of Applied Microbiology on April 15, 2025, highlight a remarkable diversity of microbial life and their genetic capabilities.
The team cataloged 455 species of microorganisms that possess 64 distinct biochemical pathways aimed at degrading pollutants, alongside 1,171 genes associated with heavy metal processing. These discoveries suggest the feasibility of alternative, less invasive remediation methods for polluted waters, potentially reducing reliance on conventional dredging operations that can be both costly and environmentally disruptive.
Additionally, the researchers identified over 2,300 novel genetic sequences that could empower certain microbes to synthesize biochemicals that may hold value in pharmaceutical, industrial, or ecological contexts.
“What we have found resembles nature’s blueprint for addressing toxicity, albeit with an urgent message,” remarked Hénaff, who is also affiliated with the Center for Urban Science + Progress at Tandon. “These microorganisms have narratives that transcend simple scientific measures.”
To effectively convey these narratives, Hénaff and her team launched the CHANNEL exhibit—a captivating installation at BioBAT Art Space in Brooklyn. This innovative showcase features artistic elements such as sculpture and sound, as well as visual projections, combined with 300 gallons of native Gowanus sediment and water collected over nine months. Hénaff’s Living Interfaces Lab employs interdisciplinary approaches to tackle pressing urban challenges.
“Although further investigation is necessary to learn how to collaborate with these organisms, the revelation of their genetic resources for pollution remediation could provide crucial insights for environmental restoration efforts globally,” Hénaff added. The installation will conclude with a closing event on April 18, 2025.
The investigation also found antibiotic resistance genes within the canal’s microbial communities, some of which appear to derive from human gut bacteria introduced during Combined Sewer Overflows—events that occur when heavy rainfall leads to the direct discharge of untreated sewage and stormwater into nearby waterways. Resistance genes were also observed in indigenous aquatic organisms.
“The prolonged interaction between sewage-derived microbial populations and those that are naturally occurring in the canal is likely to intensify the horizontal transfer of varied genetic elements, raising concerns about public health implications as potential reservoirs for environmental ‘superbugs’,” noted Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis, a co-author of the study and assistant professor of epidemiology and infectious diseases at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.
Despite potential risks, the findings present promising implications. While the pollutant-degrading microbes present in the canal have shown capacity to break down contaminants, their natural degradation processes are relatively slow. Gaining deeper insights into their genetic characteristics could enable scientists to discover more efficient cleanup techniques—either by isolating specific microbes for targeted treatments or enhancing their existing capabilities.
Additionally, contaminants such as heavy metals have economic value, suggesting that bioremediation approaches could be adapted not just for removal purposes, but also for resource recovery.
To support their findings, researchers gathered samples from 14 distinct sites along the canal’s 1.8-mile stretch, including surface sediment and deep core samples reaching depths of over 11 feet. They identified microbial communities capable of degrading historically significant pollutants, including petroleum derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and various industrial solvents.
This research occurs amid ongoing efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is conducting a $1.5 billion dredging and capping operation in the canal, aimed at removing contaminated sediment and enclaving left-over pollutants beneath uncontaminated layers.
The current study is part of a decade-long exploration into the Gowanus Canal microbiome, initiated in 2014 by study co-authors Ian Quate and Matthew Seibert, who led initial sediment sampling with guidance from Ellen Jorgensen of Biotech without Borders. Subsequent DNA sequencing was performed in the laboratory of Christopher Mason at Weill Cornell Medicine, contributing to the global Pathomap Project, which now includes metagenomic analyses of urban environments and subway systems worldwide through the MetaSUB initiative.
“The resilient microbes inhabiting the Gowanus Canal showcase a unique genetic archive that offers a framework for adaptation and directed evolution, applicable to polluted sites on a global scale,” stated Mason, co-founder and Director of the MetaSUB Consortium.
Subsequent sampling efforts were conducted by Hénaff’s team as part of the BKBioReactor project, and core samples were gathered by Kolokotronis. Analysis techniques developed by co-authors Chandrima Bhattacharya and Rupobrata Panja facilitated the identification of microbes capable of decomposing industrial pollutants entrenched in the canal’s sediment.
This research received support from a range of funding partners, including the WorldQuant Foundation, the Pershing Square Foundation, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and NYU Tandon.
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