Naturally Restore Water Bodies with Nanobubble Treatment

Algae & HABs

Globally, harmful algae blooms (HABs) are intensifying, posing significant threats to water bodies worldwide. HABs are defined as algae blooms that produce toxic effects on people, fish, and other organisms. Rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns exacerbate nutrient runoff from agricultural and urban areas, leading to increased algae proliferation. The decomposition of large quantities of algae depletes oxygen levels in water, causing fish kills and disrupting aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, toxins released by harmful algae can cause illness or be fatal to humans and wildlife. These impacts have profound economic consequences on adjacent communities by rendering water unfit for recreational activities and jeopardizing industries reliant on clean water sources, such as fisheries and tourism.

To address this, nanobubble treatment by Moleaer offers a sustainable, long-term solution by oxygenating the entire water column, particularly the lake bottom where sediments, a major source of internal nutrient loading in most lakes, are found. By reversing oxygen-depleted conditions at the bottom of the lake, nanobubbles help immobilize phosphorus and curtail nitrogen release, reducing algae growth and preventing future blooms. Increasing the lake's oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) further enhances its resilience to algae toxin loading and reduces muck accumulation, making the lake a safer environment for human recreation and aquatic life.

Download the Case Study to learn how City of South Daytona reduced algae blooms in their stormwater basin. 

Eutrophication & Nutrients

Urban lakes are particularly susceptible to eutrophication, a process characterized by excessive nutrient enrichment leading to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and degraded water quality. Urbanization intensifies nutrient inputs into lakes through runoff from fertilized lawns, paved surfaces, and sewage systems, exacerbating eutrophication. The influx of nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, fuels the rapid growth of algae and aquatic plants, forming thick mats on the water surface and depleting oxygen levels as they decompose. These anaerobic conditions make it very difficult for organisms to survive, resulting in fish kills, and significantly slow down decomposition, causing organic matter to accumulate at the bottom of lakes. As a result, urban lakes suffer from decreased biodiversity, foul odors, and increased susceptibility to recurring toxic algal blooms, posing significant ecological and public health concerns.

Addressing eutrophication in urban lakes requires holistic management approaches that mitigate nutrient inputs, enhance water quality, and restore ecological balance. Moleaer is helping address this with nanobubble technology by oxygenating the entire water column, especially the lake bottom where sediments are a major source of internal nutrient loading. Reversing anaerobic conditions at the bottom helps immobilize phosphorus and restarts aerobic microbial activity, reducing nitrogen release and internal nutrient loading. Additionally, increasing the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the water enhances its ability to break down contaminants and organic matter, improving overall water quality and ecosystem resilience.

Learn More About Eutrophication by reading our blog about urban lakes like Lake Elsinore, California. 

Muck

Muck, a thick layer of decomposing organic matter at the bottom of lakes, poses significant problems for lake ecosystem health by reducing water clarity, depleting oxygen levels, and impairing the quality of habitat available for aquatic organisms.

Traditional control methods like muck dredging are costly and ecologically harmful. Dredging requires significant financial investment for permits, equipment, labor, and waterbody closures, and disposing of dredged materials adds to the overall costs. Ecologically, dredging disrupts sediment layers, releases nutrients and toxins, harms aquatic vegetation and wildlife, and often worsens water quality, highlighting the need for sustainable lake management approaches.

Moleaer helps solve this problem by oxygenating the entire water column, particularly the lake bottom where muck often accumulates. By reversing anaerobic conditions, Moleaer’s nanobubble technology restarts aerobic microbial activity, which digests the accumulated muck, increases water depth, and enhances fish habitat and aquatic vegetation growth. Additionally, increasing the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the water improves its ability to break down organic matter, making the lake more resilient to future muck accumulation.

Discover how a private rock quarry lake owner reduced muck and algae blooms without mechanical dredging. 

Foul Odors

Foul odors in water bodies are often caused by hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which forms under oxygen-depleted (anaerobic) conditions. These odors result from microbial processes that produce H₂S and methane in the absence of oxygen.

Moleaer helps combat this problem by oxygenating the entire water column, particularly the lake bottom where sediments are. Reversing anaerobic conditions and making them aerobic significantly reduces the production of these gases and foul odors.

Additionally, Moleaer's nanobubble technology helps reduce concentrations of taste and odor (T&O) compounds, such as Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), which are produced by cyanobacteria and cause musty and earthy off-flavors in surface waters. Nanobubble treatment reduces nutrient levels that fuel cyanobacteria growth and increases the volatilization and oxidation rates of Geosmin and MIB, improving the overall quality and odor of the water.

Read the Press Release About Dominguez Channel and how nanobubbles helped eliminate H₂S formation to naturally restore the water quality. 

Managing Water Quality in an Urban Lake: Evaluation of the Largest Nanobubble Technology Deployment in the U.S. at Lake Elsinore, CA

by Dr. Denise Devotta & Christian Ference, Moleaer

Because it does not involve the use of artificial chemicals, nanobubble technology is increasingly being used as a novel, sustainable tool for algae control and environmental remediation in lakes and ponds. Recently, nanobubble treatment was applied to Lake Elsinore in the City of Lake Elsinore, CA, representing the largest demonstration to date of the technology in the U.S. Historically, the lake has been plagued by moderate to severe harmful cyanobacterial blooms that have resulted in repeated lake closures and unpleasant odors impacting nearby communities. In response, the City of Lake Elsinore implemented a multi-faceted approach to remediate water quality in the lake, including treatment of the Elm Grove Beach Lake area with nanobubble technology. This treatment, installed and commissioned on February 8th, 2024, consists of a barge-mounted, containerized oxygen and ozone nanobubble injection system. The equipment recirculates water at 2,400 GPM. To determine treatment effectiveness, multi-parameter sondes were deployed in seven locations in the treatment area to continuously monitor water quality.  Periodic sediment hardness mapping was also conducted. As of this abstract submission, only the first month of operational data has been analyzed. Lake clarity (i.e. Secchi depth) increased by over 200%, from a historical average of 0.2m-0.3m to 0.8m. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) also more than doubled, while relative Chl a fluorescence was approximately eight times lower than at the start of treatment (ORP: 263 vs. 119 mV; Chl a: 0.38 vs. 3.20 RFU). This presentation will cover deployment of the nanobubble treatment, the contribution of this treatment to the City’s overall lake management plan, and water quality results from the first six months of operation. 

Managing Water Quality in an Urban Lake: Evaluation of the Largest Nanobubble Technology Deployment in the U.S. at Lake Elsinore, CA

by Dr. Denise Devotta & Christian Ference, Moleaer

Because it does not involve the use of artificial chemicals, nanobubble technology is increasingly being used as a novel, sustainable tool for algae control and environmental remediation in lakes and ponds. Recently, nanobubble treatment was applied to Lake Elsinore in the City of Lake Elsinore, CA, representing the largest demonstration to date of the technology in the U.S. Historically, the lake has been plagued by moderate to severe harmful cyanobacterial blooms that have resulted in repeated lake closures and unpleasant odors impacting nearby communities. In response, the City of Lake Elsinore implemented a multi-faceted approach to remediate water quality in the lake, including treatment of the Elm Grove Beach Lake area with nanobubble technology. This treatment, installed and commissioned on February 8th, 2024, consists of a barge-mounted, containerized oxygen and ozone nanobubble injection system. The equipment recirculates water at 2,400 GPM. To determine treatment effectiveness, multi-parameter sondes were deployed in seven locations in the treatment area to continuously monitor water quality.  Periodic sediment hardness mapping was also conducted. As of this abstract submission, only the first month of operational data has been analyzed. Lake clarity (i.e. Secchi depth) increased by over 200%, from a historical average of 0.2m-0.3m to 0.8m. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) also more than doubled, while relative Chl a fluorescence was approximately eight times lower than at the start of treatment (ORP: 263 vs. 119 mV; Chl a: 0.38 vs. 3.20 RFU). This presentation will cover deployment of the nanobubble treatment, the contribution of this treatment to the City’s overall lake management plan, and water quality results from the first six months of operation. 

Lake restoration using nanobubble treatment: What does this look like?

By Dr. Denise Devotta, Moleaer & Jon Morales, Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District

Being a terminal lake, Tadd Lake had been plagued with high nutrient levels, organic matter (or “muck”) accumulation, low water clarity, foul odor, and excessive algae growth for years. Because it does not involve the use of artificial chemicals, nanobubble (NB) technology is increasingly being used as a novel, sustainable tool for water quality restoration in lakes. In July 2024, the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District (MCFRWD) implemented a multi-faceted restoration program in Tadd Lake, with nanobubble treatment as the foundational component of this program. Monitoring data from the first month of NB treatment indicate reduced dissolved nutrient load, and significant improvements in water clarity, muck, dissolved oxygen, and oxidation-reduction potential levels in the lake. Our presentation will highlight these results, and results from monitoring after July, to showcase longer-term impacts of NB treatment on the lake.