Skip to main content

Researchers are giving Mississippi River mussels 3D printed backpacks — for science

Freshwater mussels wearing backpacks?
Researchers at the University of Iowa are recruiting an unusual test subject in their quest to reduce harmful nitrates in Midwestern waterways. Instead of humans, robots, or lab rats, the team is using freshwater mussels with 3D-printed backpacks to study the nitrogen cycle in the Mississippi River watershed area.

Nitrogen is a major issue in the area due to the agricultural application of fertilizers in Iowa and other nearby states. These nitrates enter local rivers, lakes, and streams, where they’re eventually carried to the Gulf of Mexico. This nitrogen loading can produce algal blooms as large as 6,000 square miles that deplete oxygen in the water and create dead zones that kill fish and other aquatic organisms.

Researchers are interested in mussels because of their unique role in the nitrogen cycle. They are filter feeders — taking in gallons of water each day, filtering out the nutrients, and then pumping the fluid out of their bodies. During this process, the bivalves remove excess nitrogen from the water column, preventing it from reaching the Gulf of Mexico and decreasing the likely hood of deadly algal blooms. A healthy population of mussels can transfer a large amount of nitrates out of a waterway.

In these studies, the University of Iowa are using the muscles as an indicator of declining water quality, a water-based version of the “canary in a coal mine.” The electronic mussel backpack will communicate one important piece of data to researchers — the real-time measurement of a mussel’s gape. The gape is the rhythmic opening and closing of the mussels valve, which remains regular unless there is a disturbance. When the gape patten changes, researchers will know there has been a disturbance in the environment. Each backpack will include a magnetic sensor to monitor the mussel’s gape, a microcontroller to manage data that is sent to researchers, a 3D-printed shell, and a battery to power the device.

The 3D printed backpack will transmit gape data for a year, after which it will become inert, remaining attached to the mussel but not interfering with its daily activities. The data collected in this single year will provide valuable insight into the mollusk lifecycle and the water quality of areas being studied. Researchers hope this information can be used to find solutions that will reduce harmful nitrates in Midwestern waterways.

Freshwater mussels wearing backpacks?

Editors' Recommendations

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
Need a last-minute Halloween costume? Check out these 3D-printable getups
3D printed Halloween costumes

Still not sure what to dress up as for Halloween this year? Well, instead of frantically scrambling around town looking for the right shop with the right stuff, have you considered 3D printing your Halloween costume? Check out our list of 3D-printable masks and costume pieces to get all geared up for this year's spooking, then fire up that printer.

If you've already finished your costume and want to get started on your scary movie watchlist, we've put together a list of the best horror movies on Netflix.
Squid Game soldier mask

Read more
NASA is testing a 3D printer that uses moon dust to print in space
The Redwire Regolith Print facility suite, consisting of Redwire's Additive Manufacturing Facility, and the print heads, plates and lunar regolith simulant feedstock that launches to the International Space Station.

The Redwire Regolith Print facility suite, consisting of Redwire's Additive Manufacturing Facility and the print heads, plates, and lunar regolith simulant feedstock that launches to the International Space Station. Redwire Space

When a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) this week, it carried a very special piece of equipment from Earth: A 3D printer that uses moon dust to make solid material.

Read more
The best 3D printers under $500
3D printers are finally affordable. Here are the best models under $500
anycubic photon review 3d printer xxl 2

The 3D printing market has seen quite a few changes over the last few years. In just the span of a decade, the barrier to entry has dropped from well over several thousand dollars to under $200 in some cases. However, all entry and mid-level printers are not made equal. We have a few suggestions for prospective buyers and other information regarding alternatives not found on this list.

To some veterans of the 3D printing scene, this list may seem like it lacks a few of the most commonly recommended printers for newcomers. This is by design. Our list only considers printers with tested components from proven, reliable vendors. That's why we chose the Monoprice MP Mini v2 as our top pick--it's reliable and easy to use. We have avoided any printer with a frame primarily made from interlocking acrylic pieces and anything historically unreliable.
Most bang for your buck: Monoprice MP Mini v2
 
Pros:

Read more