EnBiorganic Technologies (EBT) — innovator and provider of patented turnkey autonomous systems for the natural, biological treatment of wastewater — is the recipient of an Innovative Technology Grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to launch a pilot program in the coming weeks at the Pinecrest Gardens, a popular botanical garden attraction in Pinecrest, Florida.

Harmful algae blooms and cyanobacteria have been a persistent problem and health concern for local wildlife in the garden’s lake and nearby Veterans Way Pond. Created by waterfowl waste, heavy bioloads and high temperatures, the HABs produce episodic cyanobacteria blooms that result in fish kills, anoxic conditions and changes to the lake and pond environments. The attraction has been using mechanical methods to address the issues, but with limited success.

The purpose of the grant funded pilot is to demonstrate the effectiveness of EnBiorganic’s EBS-Di for the remediation of the HAB via a natural, sustainable method that will add all-natural, active-state soil microbiology to the water bodies to restore the proper balance of cyanobacteria and eliminate HABs, including the cyanotoxins. EnBiorganic is looking to partner with local researchers to conduct testing throughout the project duration to document the impact and efficiency of the process with particular attention to the effects of EBT’s proprietary non-toxic, non-pathogenic and non-GMO microbes on the HAB and its effectiveness to drastically improve the quality of life in the entire ecosystem.

EnBiorganic Technologies’ EBS-Di is a disruptive bioaugmentation method that combines the use of autonomous bio-dispensing via a remote-controlled generator to dispense customized soil bacteria. The bacteria used are a consortium of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved bacillus microbes that are BioSafety Level One, non-pathogenic, non-GMO and on the FDA’s Generally Recognized As Safe list. The introduced bacillus outcompetes cyanobacteria for nutrients which will result in the lake and pond’s cyanobacteria being restored to a natural balance and cyanotoxins eliminated in a relatively short period of time. Long term, the pond will no longer have HAB challenges, water clarity will improve, and odors will be eliminated, according to EBT.

“The EBS-Di is proving its effectiveness in removing HAB during other performance trials, such as on the TSU Nashville Campus wetlands, and has proven complete elimination of Microcystin at a lagoon in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, so we are confident that during this study, we will bring the water bodies back into balance, eliminate what HAB and cyanotoxins are present and prevent blooms from recurring,” says Darrell Liski, CEO of EnBiorganic Technologies.