LIFE Stop CyanoBloom
Maja Zupančič Justin (Author), Marko Gerl (Author), Gorazd Lakovič (Author), Bojan Sedmak (Author), Tinkara Rozina (Author), Neža Finžgar (Author), Andrej Meglič (Author), Andrey Yakuntsov (Author), Lovro Pokorn (Author), Tomaž Kralj (Author), Matjaž Berčon (Author), Branko Hamiti (Author), Maja Pociecha (Author), Mario Marinovič (Author), Luka Teslić (Author), Jošt Grum (Author), Maša Čater (Author), Tina Eleršek (Author)

Abstract

Despite the efforts invested into measures to prevent water eutrophication, like prevention and treatment of point and dispersed discharges, the eutrophication still occurs. One of the unwanted consequences of eutrophic water state is the occurrence of excessive cyanobacterial blooms. Mass occurrence of cyanobacteria is a significant health risk related to surface waters in EU and worldwide since most of the cyanobacterial genera produce cyanotoxins. Besides toxicity, cyanobacterial blooms cause an increase in the turbidity of water and create taste and odour problems. All mentioned represents substantial economic losses in sectors like aquaculture, tourism, drinking water facilities and indirect losses due to increased healthcare expenditures and environmental degradation. It is, therefore, necessary to find appropriate solutions for rapid detection and also in-lake prevention of bloom occurrence despite, for example, existing high eutrophic conditions in the water body. The proposed project represents such a solution. In the frame of the LIFE Stop CyanoBloom project, we have designed two solar powered robotic vessels for the in-lake detection and control of cyanobacterial proliferation. Each vessel is capable of three-dimensional localisation of cyanobacteria by measuring fluorescence of pigments involved in the process of photosynthesis. The vessels are additionally equipped with electrochemical cells using boron doped diamond electrodes fixed on board, producing short-lived hydroxyl radicals, which prevent cyanobacterial proliferation as well as cyanotoxins inactivation. Hydroxyl radicals cause different levels of damages to cyanobacterial cells as well as stress, that may also result in phage induced cyanobacterial lysis. Natural control of cyanobacterial density by lytic cyanophages is known for several years. The mixing of water during the electrolytic cell operation also increases the potential contacts of cyanobacteria with cyanophages, disturbs cyanobacterial buoyancy and generates additional nutrients for nontoxic phytoplankton population. Additional newly developed equipment of the vessel allows advanced automated navigation (automatic docking, avoiding obstacles, maintaining the position in windy conditions, etc.), sampling from different depths, real-time data transfer, statistical analysis and graphical presentation using the adequate software.

Keywords

cyanobacteria;cyanobacterial blooms;cyanotoxins;health risk;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 2.12 - Final Research Report
Organization: NIB - National Institute of Biology
Publisher: s. n.
UDC: 582.232
COBISS: 4330319 Link will open in a new window
Views: 63
Downloads: 651
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Other data

Pages: 49 str.
ID: 24910953