DESC:NUTRIENT MIXTURE FOR DIATOMS AND ITS METHOD OF PREPARATION

Field of the Invention

The invention discloses a nutrient mixture and its method of preparation for water and waste water treatment to enhance the growth of Diatoms in ponds, lakes, aquifers, waste water pools and other wetlands. Diatoms help in the treatment of water bodies against uncontrolled blue-green algal bloom. The invention finds its use in Aquaculture, Fish Farming and Fisheries.

Background

Surface and water bodies in many parts of the world are affected due to contamination, depletion and eutrophication. Excess Nitrogen and Phosphorus trigger the growth of blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) in a short period of time, also called algal bloom. These blooms disrupt the ecosystem by consuming all Oxygen and increasing the nutrient load in effluents. This results in insufficient supply of essential nutrients, cutting off Oxygen supply and spoiling the water quality. The alga settle at the bottom making the pond water deteriorate further leading to stress and increase in mortality of fish fry/shrimp larvae.
When these blue- green algal blooms produce chemicals, or toxins, it is called a harmful algal bloom. This can occur in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, bays and coastal waters. These toxins are harmful to human health and aquatic life.
Elevated nutrient levels and algal blooms can also cause problems in drinking water in communities nearby and upstream from dead zones.
Sustainable treatment of wastewater using algal systems is considered to be important in establishing more effective nutrient and pollutant reduction in comparison to the conventional method of remediation. Phycoremediation refers to the use of algae for pollutant removal or treatment of wastewater. To control eutrophication, there is an urgent need to promote the growth of live feed such as phytoplankton. In phytoplankton community some of the species of diatoms contribute in clearing blue-green algal bloom and are also the first bioavailable food for fish and shrimps from the stage of larvae to adult.
Diatoms are unicellular aquatic microorganisms that belong to a major group of algae called the golden-brown algae. Diatoms get energy from sunlight and use organic matter as food (Carbon source) found in ponds, lakes, wastewaters, brackish waters.
This invention discloses a novel nutrient mixture and its method of preparation for water and waste water treatment to enhance the growth of microalgae, more specifically the Diatoms in ponds, lakes, aquifers, waste water pools and other wetlands. While synthetic and uncontrolled nutrient enrichment of water bodies is known to cause algal blooms, the nutrient mixture disclosed herein helps achieve the growth of Diatoms and increases the water quality in a controlled manner over a period of time. Diatoms play an important role in nutrient cycling and food chains in the aquatic ecosystem. The growth of Diatoms, which are food for the fish, is known to be directly proportional to the maintenance of fish population in water. The invention also finds its use in increasing the Oxygen content of the water body through photosynthesis by diatoms, allowing for the growth and proliferation of other aquatic species in water. The invention finds its use in Aquaculture, fish farming, fisheries and waste water purification systems for non-drinking, non-bathing purposes. The microalgae grown also have several commercial benefits.

We have developed a unique nutrient mixture to enhance and rejuvenate beneficial diatoms in all kinds of freshwater, brackish water, wastewater and ponds. The live diatoms in the pond ecosystem destroy the growth of harmful Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) as nutrients like Phosphate and Nitrate are consumed by diatoms. Silica and Iron in the nutrient mixture creates favourable environment for diatoms and difficult environment for Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Diatom species such as Chaetoceros spp., Navicula spp., Nirzschia spp. are naturally available in a pond. The novel nutrient mixture promotes the natural growth of phytoplankton without disturbing the environment and diatoms in turn oxygenate the pond.

Summary

The invention consists of admixture of commercially available plant derived extracts further diluted to a range of 1x10-1 to 1x 10-12, macro form of salts of Iron, Silicon, Manganese, Magnesium, Molydenum, Boron, Cobalt, Zinc and others as disclosed in Table 1 and salts in nanoscale form in the ratio disclosed. The method of preparation comprises of the steps taken to dilute the plant extracts of one or more from: Alfa alfa, Avena sativa, Bryonia, Curcuma longa from the commercially available solution to a range of 1x 10-1 to 1x 10-12 (Solution 1), preparing the nutrients in macro form (Solution 2) and salts in nanoscale form (Solution 3) and mixing them in the specified ratio. The invention can be easily applied to any water body at optimized rates for different types of water bodies as discussed in this specification. One aspect of this invention is to improve the quality of water in the water body by enhancing the diatomaceous species which help against blue-green algal bloom, promote Oxygen production and improve water quality.

Detailed Description

The invention consists of the following solutions, the method of preparation of these is provided below:
Solution 1 Plant derived extract (readymade, purchased from medicine shops) diluted to a a range of 1x 10-1 to 1x 10-12.
Solution 2 Nutrients solution by mixing different salts as shown in table 1 (macro nutrients).
Solution 3 Nutrients in nanoscale form, 1x10-8 of the same salts as used in preparation of macro nutrients (prepared from salts of AR /LR/SQ grade and sugars).

Solution 1 of the nutrient mix is prepared from plant derived extracts in water alcoholic mixtures of one or more from: Alfa alfa, Avena sativa, Bryonia, Curcuma longa. These are commercially available from any of the following manufacturers: Medilife Impex Private Limited, New Life Laboratories Private Limited, Natcure Biotech Private Limited and Bhargava Phytolab Private Ltd. The plant derived extract is prepared by diluting commercially available solutions of one or more of Alfa alfa, Avena sativa, Bryonia, Curcuma longa. 10 mL of this mother solution alongwith 40 mL of purified water and 50 mL of ethyl alcohol is termed as Solution 1B. Such a repetitive dilution is carried out till the mother solution is diluted 1x 10-1 to 1x 10-12 times.

Solution 2 salts for macronutrient preparation are as given in Table 1.
Table 1: Mixture composition of macronutrients salts in the nutrient mixture.
S.No Element Salts % range in solution

1.
Iron Ferric ammonium citrate , Iron (III) chloride hexahydrate, Iron ( III) chloride anhydrous, Iron (II) sulphate heptahydrate 0.5- 5.0

2. Silica Sodium metasilicate 0.5- 5.0

3. Copper Copper (II) Sulphate pentahydrate , Copper ( I) chloride , Copper (II) sulphate , Copper ( II) chloride 0.5- 5.0

4. Zinc Zinc sulphate heptahydrate, Zinc phosphate, Zinc(II) chloride 0.5- 5.0

5. Manganese Manganese (II) acetate tetrahydrate, Manganese (II) chloride tetrahydrate, Manganese (II) sulphate monohydrate 0.5- 5.0
6.
Magnesium Magnesium (II) Sulphate heptahydrate, Magnesium citrate hydrate, Magnesium Chloride hexahydrate 0.5- 5.0
7
Cobalt Cobalt ( II) nitrate hexahydrate, cobalt (II) sulphate heptahydrate , Cobalt ( II) chloride hexahydrate 0.5- 5.0
8
Molybdenum Sodium molybdate dihydrate, 0.5- 5.0

10. Boron di-sodium tetraborate, Boric acid 0.5- 5.0

11 Sodium Sodium chloride , sodium sulphate 0.5- 5.0

12 Potassium Potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate Anhydrous, Potassium chloride, Potassium Bicarbonate 0.5- 5.0

Solution 3: Salts used in the preparation of macronutrients are also used to prepare nanoscale nutrient mixture.

The detailed procedure for preparation of Solution 3 of the Nutrient mixture is given below:
1. To 1gram of salts, 10 gram of sugar, preferably sucrose or lactose is added to make it a total of 11 grams. This triturate is ground in pestle and mortar for 30 minutes or milling machine for 15 minutes.
2. To 1 gram of the material from the above triturate, 10 gram of fresh sugar, preferably sucrose or lactose is added to a total of 11 gram. This triturate is ground in pestle and mortar for 30 minutes or milling machine for 15 minutes.
3. To 1 gram of the material from the above triturate, 10 gram of fresh sugar, preferably sucrose or lactose is added to a total of 11 gram. This triturate is ground in pestle and mortar for 30 minutes or milling machine for 15 minutes.
The above steps are repeated eight times. The original material will reach a state of 1x10-8 by top-down process. The material produced at the last seventh step is the source material of the nutrient mixture solution 3. This material is put in beaker and 100 ml of water is added to make it a solution. The solution is decanted into separate beaker. To this decanted solution 10ml ethanol is added. The ethanol in this solution acts as a preservative.
To formulate the final mixture solution, these three different constituting components are mixed in various proportion to make final solution as given in Table 2 below. The ratio of the constituting solutions is varied depending on the quality of water, the desired outcome and the extent of algal bloom.
Table 2: Ratio Range of Solutions 1, 2 and 3 for application
Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 3
10-50% 0-40% 10-50%

The use of the above nutrient mixture requires sunlight for its proper action and growth of diatoms. Its continuous application leads to the following stages in the water body being treated:

1. First stage:
Sunlight + CO2 + Water + Nitrogen + Phosphorus +Novel Nutrient Mixture = Diatom Algae + Oxygen
2. Second Stage:
Diatom Algae + Oxygen = Zooplankton food+ reduced BOD +reduced turbidity + bad algae degradation = Clean Water.
The use of the above nutrient mixture when added to a source of water along with sunlight or an artificial source of light leads to cleaning of water resources of blue green algae.
Dosage: - For fish pond 50-100 ml for 20,000 litres of water
For Waste water: - 100-500 ml for 20,000 litres of water
Dosage may vary according to water quality. The dose should be restricted below 50 mL for fish ponds. As the oxidation reaction starts in the pond, Ammonia and H2S gases trapped in the pond escape, which may accidentally kill the fish.
The recommended application time to the water body is 7 to 12 days till the bloom is clear and twice weekly following this initial reduction of blue green algae.

With respect to the above disclosure, it is humbly submitted that the invention used for treatment of water bodies against blue-green algal bloom has several applications for different types of water bodies and wetlands including marine ecosystems. The above described nutrient mixture and its method of application may be used in conjunction with and for varied purposes like pearl culture, fisheries, hatcheries and other aquaculture. The applications enumerated here are merely illustrative and not exhaustive.

Description of Drawings
Figure 1 is a photograph of a water body with blue-green algal blooms before treatment with the Nutrient mixture.
Figure 2 is a photograph of the water body clear of the blue-green algal blooms after treatment with the Nutrient mixture.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A novel nutrient mixture for enhancing the growth of diatoms in a water body using a mixture of diluted plant based extracts called Solution 1, Macronutrients called Solution 2 and nanoscale nutrients called Solution 3, combined in the specified ratio; a novel method of preparing such a nutrient mixture; a method for treatment of a water body against blue-green algal bloom and a method for increasing oxygen content of a water body.

2. A novel nutrient mixture as claimed in Claim 1 which consists of Solution 1, Solution 2 and Solution 3 mixed in the range of solution 1: 10-50%, Solution 2: 0-40% and Solution 3: 10-50% of the applied volume.

3. A novel nutrient mixture claimed in Claim 1, where Solution 1 consists of diluting commercially available solutions of Alfa alfa and Avena sativa by taking 10 mL of original solution alongwith 40 mL of purified water and 50 mL of ethyl alcohol, with 10 mL diluted repetitively till diluted to 1x10-1 to 1x10-12 times.

4. A novel nutrient mixture claimed in Clam 1, where solution 2 is made by dissolving salts of the following elements from among the selected salts: Iron from Ferric Ammonium Citrate, Iron (III) Chloride Hexahydrate, Iron (III) Chloride anhydrous or Iron (II) Sulphate heptahydrate, Silica from Sodium metasilicate, Copper from Copper (II) Sulphate pentahydrate , Copper ( I) Chloride , Copper (II) Sulphate or Copper ( II) Chloride, Zinc from Zinc sulphate heptahydrate, Zinc phosphate or Zinc(II) chloride, Manganese from Manganese (II) acetate tetrahydrate, Manganese (II) chloride tetrahydrate or Manganese (II) sulphate monohydrate, Magnesium from Magnesium (II) Sulphate heptahydrate, Magnesium citrate hydrate or Magnesium Chloride hexahydrate, Cobalt from Cobalt ( II) Nitrate hexahydrate, Cobalt (II) Sulphate heptahydrate or Cobalt (II) Chloride hexahydrate, Molybdenum from Sodium molybdate dehydrate, Boron from Di-Sodium Tetraborate or Boric acid, Sodium from Sodium Chloride or Sodium Sulphate, Potassium from among Potassium Dihydrogen Orthophosphate Anhydrous, Potassium Chloride or Potassium Bicarbonate in water in the range of 0.5 to 5%.
5. A novel nutrient mixture claimed in Clam 1, where solution 3 is made by adding 1gram of salts to 10 gram of sugar, from among sucrose and lactose and grinding this triturate in pestle and mortar for 30 minutes or milling machine for 15 minutes; wherein 1 gram of the triturate so obtained is similarly processed with the above procedure; and the said procedure being repeated eight times to obtain nanoscale nutrients 1x10-8 in top down approach.
6. A novel method of preparing the novel nutrient mixture claimed in claim 1 by preparing Solution 1, Solution 2 and Solution 3 and mixing these in the range of solution 1: 10-50%, Solution 2: 0-40% and Solution 3: 10-50% of the applied volume.

7. A novel method for treatment of a water body against blue-green algal bloom by applying the recommended dosage range of 50 to 500 mL of the Nutrient mixture claimed in Claim 1 to 20,000 Litres of water.

8. A novel method for treatment of a water body against blue-green algal bloom by applying the recommended dosage of Nutrient mixture claimed in Claim 1 to a water body for 7 to 12 days.

9. A novel method for treatment of a water body against blue-green algal bloom by applying the recommended dosage of Nutrient mixture claimed in Claim 1 to a water body twice a week after significant reduction of blue-green algal bloom.

10. A novel method for increasing the Oxygen content of a water body using the nutrient mixture claimed in Claim 1.