A project to clear Van Lake in Ha Noi’s Temple of Literature is currently taking place with results expected this weekend.
The project is seen as a timely move since after many years of neglect, Van Lake resembles a stagnant pond with various kinds of algae seriously polluting the lake. It was this grim situation which prompted scientists to find ways to clean the water, said Nguyen Phu Tuan, the leader of the four-member team of scientists at the Hoa Lac High Technology Industrial Zone.
After two years of researching and developing a solution, a purifying substance, named LTH 100, was created from agricultural waste; it also met environmentally friendly standards. This has been certified by the Viet Nam Institute of Science and Technology, said Tuan.
The scientists applied for an invention certificate from the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Department two months ago. A litre of LTH 100 can purify 60-80cu.m of water. Van Lake, measuring 14,000cu.m of water, will thus need 400 litres of the substance, according to Tuan.
Before clearing Van Lake, the scientists successfully purified two ponds in the Temple of Literature. They sprayed LTH 100 onto the ponds and saw that after only one day the water had cleared, the algae had died but the fish were still alive.
The team of scientists themselves paid for the expenditure, which cost VND60 million (US$3,750). If they had used foreign technology, the procedure could have cost more than VND400 million (US$25,000).