Baikal, also known as the Pearl of Siberia, is the deepest and cleanest lake in the world, a masterpiece of nature. However, the dignity of Baikal, as the cleanest lake, was subjected to another threat. Why did it turn out that the water in Baikal became toxic and dangerous for human health?
Ecological and public organizations announced that the entire ecosystem of the lake was under serious threat. The culprit of such an event was the algae of the Spirogyra type, which are considered to be among the most common freshwater algae in all parts of the world. Despite its prevalence, these algae can turn into a significant threat to any pond if they become too much. This is exactly what happened with the shoals of Lake Baikal, where, due to the summer heat, Spirogyra began to actively multiply, forming a slimy mass.
How did it happen that ordinary algae started poisoning Baikal with toxic discharges? It should be understood that any algae is organic, which tends to decompose under the influence of the environment. Because of this, the water began to foul and become dangerous for humans, but also for the inhabitants of Baikal themselves. Already now, spirogyra actively destroys the Baikal sponge, various Baikal underwater plants and a lot of fish: more than 500 dead fish were found only in a small area in the rotted remains of Spirogyra.
The situation is also aggravated by wastewater treatment plants that do not cope with the current volumes of wastewater. According to experts, in addition to raising the temperature, Baikal suffers from a small number and imperfection of treatment facilities. A member of the Irkutsk ARPF, an eco-activist and a journalist of local newspaper, Yulia Mamontova, said that in the last water samples, excess substances were recorded that indicate significant pollution of lake.
