Excessive blooms of cyanobacteria and excretion of their toxins into freshwater bodies in Europe and around the world represent one of the major health risks. The aim of the project is to present a solution for the early detection of cyanobacteria, prevention of their blooms and occurrence of cyanotoxins.

The innovative technology is based on a scientific finding that the cyanobacterial viruses carry out the main control over the density of the cyanobacterial population. They are causing lysis or degradation of cyanobacterial cells. However, they need a certain trigger from the environment for their activation and proliferation in the cell. Such a trigger can be an electrochemical activation used in the project.

The goal of the project is the demonstration and testing of the technology, by which we would significantly contribute to the improvement of the quality of standing freshwater bodies such as various reservoirs, bathing waters and surface water reservoirs for drinking water supply.

During the three and a half year-long project we will demonstrate the performance of a high-tech solution on two natural freshwater bodies in Slovenia by conducting extensive monitoring of environmental parameters and efficiency of the system operation.

The work plan consists of the following activities:

• The design of two floating working platforms (vessels) and service harbours.

• Collection of existing information on the status of the water bodies where the demonstration is going to be performed.

• Construction and testing of the vessels and service harbours in the natural environment.

• Establishment of the autonomous navigation of the vessels on the water bodies with simultaneous monitoring of the presence of cyanobacteria, green algae and other environmental parameters.

• Upgrade of the vessels with the system for the triggering cyanobacterial lysis and monitoring of the performance on the two water bodies.

• Monitoring of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the project.

• Communication and dissemination of the results in Slovenia and internationally.

The expected results of the use of innovative technological solution are the following:

• Authonomous functioning of the two devices in the natural environment of the two selected Slovenian lakes

• Absence of cyanobacteria blooms during the operation of the device with 50% lower concentration of toxic cyanobacteria during the period, which is usual for the development of cyanobacterial bloom.

• Absence of mycrocistins (toxins excreted by cyanobacteria) in the water body during the operation of the device.

• Improved status of selected water bodies: higher species diversity of phytoplankton with a higher proportion of green algae; positive impact on zooplankton, fishes, crustaceans, amphibians and birds; lower turbidity of the water column.

• Presentation of real-time data of monitored parameters on the web page.

• Expressed interest for the use of technology from Slovenia and abroad

The co-financers of the project LIFE12 ENV/SI/00783 LIFE Stop CyanoBloom are:

• European Commission: 648.729 € (49.97%)
• Arhel d.o.o.: 552.043€ (42.43%)
• National institute of biology: 91.066€ (6.9%)
• Municipality Bled: 9.062€ (0.7%)

LIFE  is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout the EU. The programme covers three priority areas: environment and resource efficiency; nature and biodiversity; and environmental governance and information. The ‘Climate Action’ strand covers climate change mitigation; climate change adaptation; and climate governance and information.

POSTER Rozina et al Phytoplankton monitoring 6th Croatian water conference

Surwey 1 Public awareness on cyanobacteria issue WEB

Life_scb_leaflet_lekENG_low_res

Press release start of activities on Koseze pond

Official project summary
The first Press Release
Poster presentation of LIFE Stop CyanoBloom project

Project Acronym: LIFE-REMPHOS LIFE12 ENV/ES/000361

Project Title:  – IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW PHOSPHATE REMOVAL TERTIARY TREATMENT IN WWTP

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: SANePLAN LIFE12 ENV/ES/000687

Project Title: Integrated Planning and Sustainable Management of Sanitation Infrastructures through innovative precision technology

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: RusaLCA LIFE12 ENV/SI/000443

Project Title: Nanoremediation of water from small waste water treatment plants and reuse of water and solid remains for local needs

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: ROEM-plus LIFE 11 ENV/ES/000590

Project Title: High resolution approach for management of surface water eutrophication in rural areas of the Duero river basin

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: HYDROCHIP LIFE11 ENV/NL/000788

Project Title: The Hydrochip: a reliable and quick way to test water quality

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: BUCEFALOS LIFE11 ENV/SE/000839

Project Title: Blue Concept for a low nutrient/carbon system –regional aqua resource management

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: BIOMOMI LIFE11 ENV/ES/000552

Project Title: Bio-monitoring and automatic microbiological contamination control system of industrial hydraulic circuits

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE EBRO-ADMICLIM  LIFE13 ENV/ES/001182

Project Title: Adaptation and mitigation measures to climate change in the Ebro Delta

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE SMART-AGROWETLAND LIFE13 ENV/ES/001125

Project Title: Smart water and soil salinity management in agro-wetlands

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE+ IRRIMAN LIFE13 ENV/ES/000539

Project Title: Implementation of efficient irrigation management for a sustainable agriculture

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE-AQUASEF  LIFE13 ENV/ES/000420

Project Title: Eco-efficient technologies development for environmental improvement of aquaculture

Link to official abstract

Project web page

___________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE ReSoil  LIFE12 ENV/SI/000969

Project Title: Demonstration of innovative soil washing technology for removal of toxic metals from highly contaminated garden soil

Link to official abstract

Project web page

__________________________________________________________________________

Project Acronym: LIFE+ TL-BIOFER – LIFE13 ENV/ES/000800

Project Title: NUTRIENTS AND REGENERATED WATER RECYCLING IN WWTPs THROUGH TWIN-LAYER MICROALGAE CULTURE FOR BIOFERTILIZERS PRODUCTION

Link to official abstract

Project web page