Israeli scientists can find water pollution by listening to plants

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The scientists shine a laser beam at the algae plants to stimulate the photosynthesis. The algae releases the oxygen during the photosynthesis, and the excess heat is shot back into the water creating sound waves. If the water is polluted, the photosynthesis in algae is affected and the sound waves are different depending on the water conditions. By listening to the sound waves, the scientists are able to determine the quality of water and health of the plant.

This research is carried out by Zvy Dubinsky, an aquatic biologist at Israel’s Bar Ilan University and his team. Zvy told Reuters:

It is a red light, telling us that something is beginning to go wrong with the quality of water…Algae is the first thing to be affected by a change in water quality.

Previously, one had to manually take samples of water and testing to find various chemicals. The methods commonly employed were chemical and radio carbon testing. This "listening" method will eliminate the need for manual testing once the system is fully developed.

Dubinsky said nearly 44 per cent of the world’s population live in areas where water source is limited despite Earth being covered mostly in water. He said the need for testing the water quality quickly, cheaply and accurately becomes vital compared to existing time-consuming methods.

Algae is a major provider of oxygen for Earth; during photosynthesis they release oxygen into the air. Depending on the algae condition in water and the rate of photosynthesis, heat is generated by the algae when laser beams are focused on them. The heat bounces back into the water and creates sound waves. This sound wave is measured by an underwater microphone and then the health of the algae plant and the water quality are calculated.

Co-author for this study and researcher Yulia Pinchasov told Reuters:

Algae suffering from lead poisoning, like waste discharged from battery and paint manufacturing plants, will produce a different sound than those suffering from lack of iron or exposure to other toxins.

Since the algae grows everywhere, this method can be easily administered and water pollution levels can be quickly measured. The instrument measures only one square meter in dimension.

Dubinsky and his team plan to develop a commercial product within the next two years.

They have reported this study in the recent journal Hydrobiologia.