Algal Turf Scrubbing is a solar/algal technology that utilizes attached primarily filamentous algae of many genera and species to capture the energy of sunlight and build algal biomass from CO2. A highly efficient capturer of nutrients from fresh, brackish, and sea water, and a wide variety of waste and industrially-polluted waters, ATS performs point and non-point water cleaning services from aquarium to landscape scales. - Source 

The Taylor Creek Algal Turf Scrubber takes polluted water from the creek and runs it through plastic mats, where algae suck phosphorus and nitrogen from the water. The algae is then harvested for use as compost, fuel or cattle feed. (COURTESY OF RON ALTICE / June 8, 2007)

Algal Turf Scrubber® (ATS™) Technology - The Algal Turf Scrubber® (ATS™) technology was developed by Dr. Walter Adey, Director of Marine Laboratories at the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Adey developed the ATS™ while researching nutrient control technologies for oligotrophic or low nutrient systems at the Smithsonian.