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Date Published: 04/06/2021
ARCHIVED - University of Cartagena develops new automated buoy to take samples in the Mar Menor
The device takes daily samples at different depths and reports the data in real-time
In order to improve the monitoring of the water levels and quality in the Mar Menor, the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) has developed an underwater buoy that records samples of different environmental parameters.
The buoy measures temperature, salinity and the levels of chlorophyll and oxygen levels in the water at different levels, which allows specialists to analyse the differences between the layers of the Mar Menor.
Using ballast deposits to modify its buoyancy, the buoy rests on the seabed and emerges once a day, taking samples as it rises. The data is then sent to the investigators using Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
This new device also allows the analysis of the Mar Menor to be completely automated, preventing unnecessary boat trips and providing precise information in real-time.
The launch of this project coincides with World Environment Day, which will be celebrated on Saturday June 5, and with this year’s theme: “Regenerating Ecosystems”.
Investigators from the UPCT developed the new device at the request of the General Directorate of the Mar Menor in the Region of Murcia and they have also carried out previous research and projects in the saltwater lagoon, including using underwater robotics to locate submerged garbage and studying the exchange of water between the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean.
The UPCT has also carried out a research project about the correlation between the water quality in the Mar Menor and the local economy.
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