Akdeniz University develops early warning system against sea pollution

ANTALYA

Academics from Akdeniz University in the southern province of Antalya have developed a project that will allow the detection of marine pollution in advance.

Thanks to the system installed as part of the project, four parameters consisting of sea water temperature, pH and turbidity conductivity values that provide information about the pollution level can be measured and monitored instantly and mapped.

Providing information regarding the project, researcher Fırat Yücel stated that with the remote access to the wireless sensor network they set up in the coastal areas of the sea, it is possible to monitor and analyze water quality parameters in real time.

Yücel noted that they started with the question: “Can we design a system that will detect the effects of mucilage and other pollutants on the sea beforehand and warn the relevant institutions?”

The team established a system consisting of three sensor nodes floating at a certain distance from each other on the sea surface with the wireless network, while the test measurements were successfully completed, he expressed.

“Thanks to this system, the parameter measurement values sent are instantly transferred to a central node located on land and sent from the central node to the server computer,” Yücel said.

Yücel explained that sensor parameters, such as pH, sea water temperature, conductivity, turbidity and location information, were collected from each node, adding that authorized institutions and organizations can make necessary interventions on time and place.

The use of new technologies has gained importance in monitoring and evaluating seawater and coastal areas in terms of environmental effects, Yücel noted.

He also reminded that in traditional systems, measurements are made by taking samples from certain points at certain periods. “Besides the setbacks experienced in routine control processes, we aim to find solutions to problems such as transportation problems, labor surplus, financial resources and time losses in points that are difficult to analyze.”

He underlined that the most significant difference of the new system from other measurement systems is that it is easily portable, has low power consumption, and is also a wireless sensor network system easy to install in sea, lake and river environments.

Thanks to the proposed system, some factors such as oil spills and industrial harmful wastes will be detected early, timely measures will be taken and the problem will be eliminated before it grows, he said.

Yücel underlined that it would also be possible to quickly take the necessary measures in terms of public health in the sea swimming areas.