Mexico City Uses Solar Energy To Clean Up Historical Canals Of The Aztec Era

Aztec-era Xochimilco Canal in Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons/LBM1948)

JAKARTA - Mexican scientists have developed a unique 'nanobubble' system, using solar energy to improve water quality in the canals of Mexico City's Xochimilco ecological zone, a popular tourist attraction.

25, officials in Mexico City focused on cleaning up the long-polluted waters of Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the few areas in the Mexican capital that still has a network of canals dating back to Aztec times.

A research team from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) has developed a method of using solar energy to activate a pump that sends cleaning 'nanobubbles' into the water.

The bubbles help oxidize water, remove harmful pollutants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading to healthier flora and fauna, according to Refugio Rodriguez Vazquez, a Cinvestav researcher.

"We've looked at places where we find the Montezuma frogs breeding well," Rodriguez said, referring to a species of amphibian native to Mexico.

To note, Xochimilco is known as 'chinampas', floating beds of agricultural produce cultivated by the Aztecs in the 14th century to feed the pre-Hispanic townspeople.

"The nanobubble system itself allows local farmers to work on their chinampas and make them productive by having a cleaner environment and conditions," said Rodriguez.

The Cinvestav team said the nanobubble system was also applied in two water treatment plants. It also has the potential to be replicated in other waterways in Mexico City, where water quality is considered poor and supplies often depend on drought.

The solar panels that power the nanobubble technology sit aboard the famous Xochimilco 'trajineras', the barge-like boats that transport tourists through the canals. They also provide onboard electricity.

"This can provide more benefits for us, both national and international tourism," said Miguel Poblano Lugo, a traditional service provider.

"People who bring their phones and don't have batteries can recharge them there," he concluded.