Eutrophication is the process by which an entire body of water, or parts of it, becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. It has also been defined as "nutrient-induced increase in phytoplankton productivity". Water bodies with very low nutrient levels are termed oligotrophic and those with moderate nutrient levels are termed mesotrophic. Advanced eutrophication may also be referred to as dystrophic and hypertrophic conditions. Eutrophication can affect freshwater or salt water systems. In freshwater ecosystems it is almost always caused by excess phosphorus. In coastal waters on the other hand, the main contributing nutrient is more likely to be nitrogen, or nitrogen and phosphorus together. This depends on the location and other factors.
Aqua2Pure: optimize water quality, naturally and without chemicals
The demand for usable, safe water is outstripping supply and the effects of pollutants introduced by agricultural and industrial processes are growing ever more severe. Any industry that uses water in any process now needs to find ways to regenerate and re-use water that they would previously have simply discarded into drains, rivers or the sea. Waste water should also be treated so as not to create environmental or health problems.
Aqua2Pure is a porous medium made from pulverized waste glass and foaming agents. It is durable, safe and economical as a medium for biofiltration and fluorine and phosphorus removal. When placed in a water flow, it creates an environment where microbes that naturally inhabit water can decompose organic matter as it passes though.
How it works
Responsible phosphorus usage
Phosphorus is one of the main materials in widely-used in NPK fertilizer. While fertilizer use is expected to increase due to higher food demand and a decrease in arable farm area, so too does the problem of phosphorus entering the water system as run-off. It is a factor in eutrophication in rivers and lakes, and water pollution in fish ponds.
Better2Earth helps solve the problem both with Crop2Boost (creates a reduction in the amount of fertilizer required) and Aqua2Pure that can capture phosphorus in water. This also provides a low-cost, phosphorus-rich material that can then be re-used on the land as a delayed-release fertilizer to further encourage crop growth.
Further applications of Aqua2Pure include the adsorption and desorption of phosphorus from water flowing into public sewage plants.
Aqua2Pure is a product that uses Porous Alpha technology. It has unique microbe-digesting qualities for the removal of organic matter, as well as the ability to remove heavy metals and other matter that is difficult to separate, in certain configurations.
EXAMPLE
Water pollution by eutrophication often occurs in lakes, reservoirs and aquaculture farms. Phosphorus and organic matter in the water causes the eutrophication. Left unchecked, water contamination directly impacts the productivity of aquaculture farms. Diseases from water contamination can critically damage the business.
Aqua2Pure purifies the water by creating an environment where microbial decomposition can take place.
A pilot project in a Chinese aquaculture pond achieved a reduction of chemical oxygen demand by 85.4%, and an 83.0% reduction in biological oxygen demand in just one month, utilizing only 2.5m3 Aqua2Pure in 80m3 of water.