Marine weed killer

The Problem

Marine weeds are a huge problem for many countries as they are capable of disrupting and taking over from native plants in our environments. With a diverse marine environment, no other methods currently exist apart from manually pulling out weeds or applying very toxic chemicals, that can drift and cause damage to the ecology of the site.

Our Proposal

Acoustic resonance of algae has been deployed in many situations such as dams and ponds around the world with targeted frequencies only effecting key parts of the weed that don't exist in the other species in the environment. Applying a similar method to the marine environment could mean having an effective tool to reclaim the marine ecology that many countries are trying to address with manual techniques. The solution is an ultrasonic acoustic device that can be set up to cover an area of 10m3 in the marine environment powered by solar battery. This device will pulse and send ultrasonic frequencies to the area that are set to target only a specific biological component of the targeted weed, removing the risk to other species in the surrounding area. Linking a cluster of these devices in ports or key transport locations would provide national security for the marine ecology of the country by providing a deterrent for those weeds and a method of eradicating them if needed. Being targeted, this solution would also be able to address some bio-fouling on ships docked in key ports rather than applying chemicals or manually removing it.

We Assume that...

we assume that there are marine areas that have cataloged the marine species in that area and can begin investigating what they don't share with Fan Worm

we assume that there is sufficient off the shelf technology that can be used in testing

we assume that due to the device currently being used in fresh water environments in NZ and internationally that there is limited regulation limiting trials

we assume that many countries are facing a common problem and that marine pest often don't receive as much attention as they are not seen by the public

we assume that there will be a growing need to identify technology in the marine space, particularly around transport routes, ports and marinas to satisfy local bio-security regulation

we assume that the method of manually removing the weeds is ineffective

we assume that new targeted technologies will be a sustainable choice for marine pest management

Constraints to Overcome

The problem is very complex as the ecology of many marine species isn't fully understood (Sponges for example being a complex species). Apply ultrasonic in the marine environment is difficult because identifying a specific target in the invasive weed would then require investigation of all the other species in that environment to ensure it doesn't share the targeted part with a non-target. Ultrasound has also had negative impacts on whales for example and this problem aims to be solved by understanding and targeting the species not broadly targeting the area.

Current Work

The initial task would involve further discussions with academia to identify a biological trait specific to fan worm. This will lead to testing in the lab where we will identify the frequency and pulse rate required that does not pose a risk to the other species in the environment.

Current Needs

The project will require a facility, permits to collect specimens and ultrasound devices to trial. With permits in place, we would require further academia discussion to understand the pest and other species for a targeted tool. Network in the marine and acoustic space would be advantageous to the project.