Cyanobacteria 9 times lower at Skrzyneckie Małe lake

Control and monitor toxic algal blooms

The ClearWaterPMPC project was initiated by LG Sonic and funded by “Research for SMEs” within the EU 7th Framework Programme. The goal of the ClearWaterPMPC (Predicting, Monitoring,Preventing, and Controlling) project was to develop an environmentally friendly technology to prevent growth of blue-green algae in large water reservoirs.

In contrast to currently available ultrasound based algae control systems, the technology developed within the scope of the ClearWaterPMPC has an implemented online lake monitoring system and offers the option to remotely change the frequency programs to control different organisms.. Ultrasonic treatment uses high frequency sound waves to control algae growth.

Results

The samples taken from the lake showed that while cyanoprokaryota are not dominating the phytoplankton of Skrzyneckie Małe lake, most of the lakes within the region generally suffer from cyanobacterial blooms in summer. Kórnickie Lake, located in the same catchment area as lake Skrzyneckie Małe, was reported to support cyanobacterial blooms since at least 2008. Analysis of a single sample form Kórnickie lake proved cyanobacterial bloom in the lake also this year, with number of cyanobacterial cells more than 9 times higher than in Skrzyneckie Małe lake on the date with the highest cyanobacterial number, 12 August.

Also a small lake nearby, Łękno, suffered from cyanobacterial bloom, composed of different species and life forms. The number of cyanoprokaryota cells in this lake was 6 times higher than in lake Skrzyneckie Małe.