Solutions for Eutrophication

Aside from the obvious increase in regulations dealing with fertilizer intensity and use or stormwater runoff control, there are several engineering-minded solutions that can be deployed to halt or prevent algae blooms. The easiest is increased replenishment of salt marshes and mangrove swamps. If stormwater has to travel through these natural filters before it reaches the open ocean, the plants there will likely take up the nutrients before the algae have a chance to explode in population. It is natural and very safe, and relatively easy to gain public support for. If bigger natural filters are an issue, true filters can be used at the outflow of rivers and lakes to trap algae which have started to bloom in freshwater. These filters would be unobtrusive and would deal with many different kinds of pollution as well as eutrophication. The mesh of the sponge of the filter would only be a few microns wide, and would likely have to be cleaned or replaced every couple of weeks - more expensive but still relatively simple.

If the algae bloom is already in progress, a technique called ultrasonic irradiation can be used, which involved hitting the algae bloom with high-pitched sound waves in order to puncture the vacuoles that keep them afloat. After being hit by the waves, the algae sink to the bottom and die in seconds. Though this method still depletes oxygen through the rotting algae, the fact that the marine plants gain immediate access to the sun will mostly counteract this. If used early enough, this method can completely halt the effects of an algae bloom and return the area to full prosperity. If used in conjunction with one of the preventative measures, this technology can ensure a bloom-free coastline for the foreseeable future – a definite positive result.