Measuring Water Pollutants through Innovative Buoy

High Nutrient inputs threatens bodies of water all over the world, including coastal
waters, lakes and rivers. Eutrophication caused by nitrate and phosphates from fertilizers
and waste-waters can produce uncontrollably cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and release
toxic substances. High concentration of pollutants threatens good quality of water which is
very important to the society. This may result to extensive water monitoring for drinking
water supply and water protection. For this, a smart monitoring system was developed by
researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the cooperation of
companies ADM Elektronik and bbe Moldaenke.
Various rechnologies in depth profile-measuring multi-sensor buoy for monitoring
algae grouth and bodies of water. The said project was funded by the Federal Ministry of
Education and Research.The bloom of cyanobacteria is hazardous for both man and
ecosystem. Pofessor Steffam Norra pointed out that the conventional monitoring strategies
are frequently based on a multitude of independently acting sensor systems.
The new innovative multi-sensor system will determine the water quality at various
depths. Based on this, comprehensive analysis of the processes that influence water quality
will be possible. Parameter such as algae content, greenhouse gases, oxygen concentration
and temperature will be measure by the buoy. This measurement method is quite precise
but locally limited.
Through wind power and solar cells, the power supply of the multi-sensor system will
be produced. The measurement system is combined with methane and carbon dioxide
sensors, meteorological measurement station and flow direction and sampling analysis
systems. New methods of measuring photosynthetic activity of different algae are being
integrated into bbes fluoroprobe. A pigment called phycocyanin, participating in
photosynthesis will be measured. The measurement of this will be the basis for the issuance
of early warning with respect to toxic substances from cyanobacteria.
The researchers are planning to use monitoring system with remote sensing for water
quality monitoring in Europe and international levels. The ecological status of bodies of
water can be analyzed in situ and online. With this, adequate and quick decisions for water
quality protection and water ecosystem protection can be made by responsible authorities
and companies.