Shrimp protein removes heavy metals in water

LONG BEACH, CA — A Cal State Long Beach biochemistry and chemistry professor has turned his attention toward brine shrimp, also known as sea monkeys, in an effort to develop a more efficient, more economical water treatment technology for removing heavy metals, according to a March 2 daily49er.com article.
Roger Acey said a protein found in brine shrimp (Artemia salina), when placed on a membrane, instantaneously binds to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury as a solution containing the toxic metals is passed through the membrane.
Acey said one advantage of the process is that biologically essential metals pass through the membrane.
The gene for the protein, a metallothinein-like protein (MT), was cloned from brine shrimp, and then placed into bacteria to produce the protein, the article said.
Acey said he hopes to adapt the technology into a point-of-use water filter.