ArmInfo.Armenian scientists propose a new recipe for saving Lake Sevan from bogging.
According to the press service of the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of the NAS RA, the Institute of Geology of the NAS, the Department of Genetics and Cells of the Faculty of Biology of Yerevan State University and Biomineal LLC create a model device with the help of which the polluted coastal areas of the lake in During the flowering period of Lake Sevan, additional organic materials will be cleared. This will reduce the amount of bioelements in the lake and slow down the process of eutrophication (or bogging).
It is noted that in recent years Lake Sevan has been blooming due to the large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. As a result, the amount of oxygen available to fish and other aquatic animals decreases in the water and distorts the biodiversity in the water.
The cyanobacteria that bloom in Lake Sevan are toxic and release stable poisons, microcisists and anatoxes. The above institutions carried out research and analysis to reduce the process of bogging in Sevan.
Scientists jointly carry out work on the development of mechanisms for assessing the process of eutrophication of Sevan and methods of combating flowering. As part of the programs, water samples were taken, which showed an increase in somatic point mutations, colorless mutations, and the number of lifeless hair.
Scientific organizations are working on the creation of cheap and harmless absorbers, including natural adsorbents and natural polymers, which can remove microorganisms, microalgae, and cyanobacteria from the lake.
Armenia is rich in reserves of minerals of natural adsorbents, zeolites, diatomites, perlites, chalk, etc. Within the framework of the program, cialites consisting of silicon, aluminum and oxygen atoms are used as adsorbents.
During the influence of the selected sorbent, the number of bacteria decreased 300 times in 10 minutes. Experiments are made to increase the sorbent speed. It is thanks to these zeolites that harmful microorganisms and cyanobacteria will be removed from the lake with the help of model devices.
The presented results were published in a number of republican and foreign journals.
It should be noted that Lake Sevan is the main source of drinking water in the region, one of the largest alpine lakes in Europe and Asia, located in the very heart of the Armenian Highlands, at an altitude of 1914 meters. In recent years, blue-green algae bloom in large quantities in the lake in summer, after which the Ministry of Health of Armenia urged residents of the country not to swim in these parts of the lake, since these algae are toxic. In turn, the "blooming" of Sevan caused serious concern of ecologists, who sounded the alarm. Moreover, the experts stated that it is necessary to take appropriate measures and save Sevan. Two versions are put forward as the reasons for the flowering of Sevan, according to the first - the reason is the spread of blue-green algae, as the second - the lowering of the water level in the lake.