Ballast Water and VHS
David Hand, a professor at Michigan Tech, has devised a way to treat ballast water in boats. The method would kill the virus that causes viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a disease that has been attacking fish populations in lakes.
The process disinfects the ballast water with bleach. Then it is treated with vitamin C, which neutralizes the bleach before the water is released back into the lake.
The method was tested on the Ranger III, a National Park Service vessel that shuttles visitors and staff between the mainland and Isle Royale National Park. The Great Ships Initiative will conduct lab tests on the system at the University of Wisconsin–Superior to help determine the next step for the method.
June 5, 2008 6:50 AM | Category: Boats