ABC: use of Azolla for Biomining of heavy metals towards a Circular bioeconomy

杜鹃花是一种小型的漂浮蕨类植物，由于其高度适应性和与固氮蓝藻的共生关系而生长旺盛。杜鹃花有一个有趣的根系，它可以被丢弃并重新生长，以适应不断变化的水生环境。这使得植物能够适应被重金属污染的水，并为利用这一点将Azolla重新利用为生物生物矿化剂提供了一条途径。据估计，欧洲每年生产20万吨废电池。除了是一个重要的废物来源，这些电池还含有高浓度的有害重金属。为了改善电池的可持续利用，保护自然资源，并尽量减少环境退化，需要新的生物技术途径来实现重金属生物矿化。

Azolla is a small floating fern which grows vigorously due to its highly adaptable nature and symbiotic relationship with a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Azolla has an interesting root system, which can be discarded and regrown to suit a changing aquatic environment. This allows the plant to adapt to water contaminated with heavy metals, and provides a route towards exploiting this for repurposing Azolla into a biological biomining agent. Each year, Europe produces an estimated 200,000 tonnes of spent consumer batteries. In addition to being a significant source of waste, these batteries also contain high levels percentage of hazardous heavy metals. To improve the sustainable use of batteries, conserve natural resources, and minimize environmental degradation, novel biotechnology routes towards heavy metal biomining are required.