Inhibition of Algae Growth in Landscape Water Using Tetrasilver Tetroxide-Coated Pebbles.

Abstract: The antibacterial property of silver has long been known and used in various applications due to its high toxicity to bacteria and low toxicity to humans. Excessive algae growth has been a common problem for landscape water in many urban areas in China. In this study, silver oxide in the form of tetrasilver tetroxide coated on pebbles was used to investigate its effect on inhibiting algae growth. Experiment results showed that a rapid and long-lasting algaeinhibiting effect was produced by the tetrasilver tetroxide-coated pebbles, provided that the water depth was less than a certain value. The first-three-days algae removal rates all reached above 50%, and the 90-day algae removal rates stabilized above 90% for experiments with water depths of 0.4 and 0.7 m. No algae-inhibiting effect was found when the water depth was increased to 1 m. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]