Privately owned global cleantech company BlueGreen Water Technologies has successfully completed its first treatment against toxic algae blooms in a strategic intervention at Roodeplaat dam, south-east of Pretoria.
The Tel Aviv-based company applied its proprietary algaecide, Lake Guard Oxy, to combat toxic cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, which has been growing exponentially in the lake and is considered a health threat to both humans and animals.
The water quality tests and satellite images following treatment indicate a clear and significant drop in toxic cyanobacteria levels, BlueGreen founder and CTO Dr Moshe Harel explains.
“Pollution and drought have caused South Africa’s water resources to drop to an all-time low, contributing to the spiralling of toxic algal blooms out of control,” he explains, noting that the treatment of the 439 ha concrete arch dam is one of several emergency interventions deployed by BlueGreen across the world.
The floating, time-released Lake Guard Oxy triggers a selective biological programmed cell death within the general toxic cyanobacteria populations, causing them to collapse, the company says.
The product is based on sodium percarbonate, which releases hydrogen peroxide as its active ingredient – an environmental approach that leaves no trace in the water.