Filipino scientists have developed a low-cost method of sterilising ballast water to help prevent the risk of spreading potentially invasive species from port to port, reports Phys.org
Ballast water sterilisation
Ballast water is pumped into ships or released to maintain stability by acting as a counterweight to cargo loaded into the holds. When released, the water may carry with it bacteria, microbes, plankton, larvae, and other invasive aquatic species, which compete with native organisms for resources and affect local habitats.
Invasive species can have serious impacts on human health, native species and local economies. For instance, consumption of shellfish contaminated by toxic algae – some species of which are transferred to new areas in ballast water – can cause severe illness and death.
The prototype of the sterilising system, funded by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development, uses a combination of ultraviolet rays and mechanical methods to reduce the number of invasive species in ballast water.
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Source: Phys.org
