Marine biotechnologist Dr. Prasanna Jogdeo discovered the power of duckweed during his studies in the UK, leading to a pioneering startup in Pune that uses this tiny plant to rejuvenate rivers and treat huge volumes of wastewater every day.
- Duckweed doubles biomass every 2 to 4 days and removes up to 75% of pollutants in water.
- Lemnion Green Solutions has completed over 30 ecological and wastewater projects in India.
- Duckweed-treated water bodies are restored naturally while producing nutrient-rich plant biomass.
What happened
Dr. Prasanna Jogdeo’s fascination with duckweed began during his master’s research at the University of East Anglia, where he studied Lemna minor and its potential for starch optimization and wastewater treatment. Recognizing duckweed’s ability to absorb nutrients and pollutants from water, he focused on phytoremediation—a process using plants to clean contaminated environments.
After returning to Pune and collaborating with his student Pooja Tendulkar, the duo conducted extensive research which eventually led to the creation of Lemnion Green Solutions in 2018. The startup uses duckweed-based systems to treat wastewater ranging from small-scale 1 KLD units to large 3,000 KLD facilities and has also led ecological restoration projects along rivers and nullahs across Maharashtra.
Why it feels good
Duckweed is remarkable not only for its rapid growth—doubling its biomass every few days—but also for its ability to remove about 75% of contaminants from water within a few weeks. Its protein-rich biomass, comparable to soybeans, offers additional benefits such as natural manure for gardens, creating a circular environmental benefit.
This approach signifies a shift toward nature-based, sustainable solutions for water pollution and resource management. Communities and governments partnering with Lemnion benefit from restoring their local ecosystems with minimal chemical or mechanical intervention, promoting healthier freshwater habitats and greater biodiversity.
What to enjoy or watch next
With more than 30 projects completed, Lemnion continues to demonstrate duckweed’s versatility and efficiency in both wastewater treatment and ecological rejuvenation. Future efforts aim to expand these solutions to other regions, scaling up the application of phytoremediation to address water challenges systematically.
Watching how these natural systems evolve offers hope for cleaner rivers and ponds while inspiring innovation in environmental technology. Keeping an eye on Lemnion’s upcoming projects and similar startups could shed light on how combining science and nature benefits communities worldwide.