The UPV researchers work in the constant purification of l'Albufera

This natural system that have been applied for more than a year to leverage the ability of purification of wetlands to reduce suspended solids, organic matter and nutrients present in the waters of the Lake.

"What we propose is the purification of the waters of the lagoon through the artificial wetland in the pipe Tancat," noted Professor Miguel Martin Monerris, who stands out at the same time, the scarcity of cases at the global level of employment of artificial wetlands with similar goals.

The former rice field of 40 hectares of this wetland, located in the municipality of Valencia, in the North of l'Albufera, was expropriated by the Ministry of environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, in order to recover a space to reproduce the atmosphere of the natural park. On this occasion, was built a unique kind of 'artificial surface flow wetland', called Tancat of pipe, which have promoted research and public activities such as the commissioning of this system of treatment.

The artificial wetland operates as a system of water treatment whose entries are those of the l'Albufera Lake. It has seven compartments with surfaces ranging between 0.36 and 2.75 hectare, with a total of 10 hectares, approximately. The vegetation consists of a set of plants emerging Macrophytes: Aeneas primarily, but also lilies and reeds.

For Martin Monerris, the results obtained during the first year of operation were very positive, considering that it was the year that was implemented in putting up and the growth of plants, trying as well to a total of 1.85 hm3 of water.

He also stressed that the amount of nutrients removed in this year's exercise represents 5% of the existing ones in the Lake, while the samples obtained are closer to those that would be desirable to retrieve the State of 'eutrophication' which is this Valencian wetlands.