Armenian scientists propose a new recipe to save Lake Sevan from  bogging

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.