KELEA Assisted Nature’s Allostasis
Recently conducted studies indicate that a far more effective approach to removing at least certain forms of pollution from water is to enhance Nature’s allostasis capacity. This is achieved by increasing the water levels of the environmental force termed KELEA, an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction [10]. Volcanic rock materials that are pulverized and heated to their partial melting temperature before being cooled and pelleted comprise a simple, inexpensive means of adding KELEA to water. The pellets are marketed as Kiko Technologies (Figure 1). Relatively few Kiko pellets were used in conjunction with biochar to treat several heavily blue-green algae-contaminated tidal basins, referred to as sloughs, of Spirit Lake, Iowa. The first treated region was a small tributary connecting the Sandbar Slough to Spirit Lake. The toxic algae in the tributary disappeared within several days. Moreover, there was a noticeable progressive reduction in the levels of algae contamination throughout the entire slough. The treated site was revisited 6-weeks later. To the astonishment of the person visiting the treated site, a beaver had constructed a dam across the tributary [11]. The individual could not recall seeing any beaver activity adjacent to Spirit Lake over the previous five decades. Encouraged by this finding, several other toxic-algae-contaminated sloughs of Spirit Lake were treated. Based on prior experience, approximately 500 ml of a mineral and amino acid-rich solution were included with the pellets and biochar. The combination again led to the prompt reduction of the toxic algae both at and beyond the treated areas in the sloughs [12-14].
Without requiring further interventions, the treated sloughs have shown a remarkable progressing return of aquatic, land, and flying wildlife. Sightings have included muskrats, bullfrogs, crayfish, moose, mink, foxes, eagles, and swans. Fishermen are catching certain species of fish that were rarely being caught in prior years. These include yellow perch. The conclusion from fishermen, residents, members of the Spirit Lake Association, and others is that Spirit Lake and accompanying aquatic, land-based, and flying wildlife is of an especially high quality this year. Thus, quality improvements have seemingly extended into the entire Spirit Lake.
Along with regions of the Great Lakes, Spirit Lake has seen periodic massive increases in the number of zebra and quagga mussels. [15] These are considered invasive species that originally came from Ukraine and other parts of Europe, likely being carried in the ballast water of international shipping. They are detrimental to many other aquatic life forms due to nutrient depletion yet can also promote the growth of toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).
Various means have been tried to eliminate zebra and quagga mussels from the many affected lakes, including the use of copper-containing compounds. These have not been particularly effective nor highly specific in the killing of the invasive mussels. Major efforts are also underway to reduce the transferring of mussels between lakes due to their attachments to the hulls of recreational boating.
A partial die-off of invasive mussels typically occurs in early summer and is generally attributed to a rising water temperature [15]. Arguably, directly related to the apparent restoration of normal wildlife in Spirit Lake, the invasive mussels may be diminishing in numbers due to increases in natural predators, such as crayfish and yellow perch. Spirit Lake is experiencing an earlier die-off of the mussels beginning in mid-December of 2023. A notable feature in the die-off is the more rapid disintegration of the shells, such that they more rapidly convert to granular materials rather than remaining intact shells.
Similar improvements in water quality have occurred in other recently treated locations within the United States. These include a blue-green algae-contaminated lagoon and a similarly contaminated golf course waterhole in Alameda County, California [12].
These observations can be summarized as follows. Small numbers (~10) of Kiko pellets administered in conjunction with approximately a pound of biochar (42-biochar), and 500 ml of a nutrient solution can trigger a progressive and seemingly stepwise, time-dependent process leading to the reduction in water pollution, restoration of normal wildlife, and die-off of invasive species. Once triggered, the continuing presence of the Kiko pellets and biochar is no longer necessary. Nor are the benefits restricted to the treated areas of water but extend into water contiguous with that of the treated areas. Major benefits have been seen at various locations in the US and elsewhere. This summation raises various questions that when answered should lead to further optimization of the anti-pollution measures.