Researchers from the Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the University of Alicante have developed a new anti-jellyfish floating buoy that helps prevent these animals from reaching the coastline, thereby reducing the likelihood of stings among bathers.
The buoy is equipped with various electronic components, energy sources, and a series of coils that generate electromagnetic fields that paralyze jellyfish and prevent them from approaching bathing areas. This system has been designed and evaluated by a team from the Gandia Campus (UPV), coordinated by Jaime Lloret.
“The movement of jellyfish is based on pulsations through which they contract their bell to create a flow of water that allows them to move. By generating electromagnetic fields, it is possible to reduce the number of these pulsations, and even paralyze them, thus limiting their ability to move and maintain their position,” explains Lloret.
In this way, their movements are temporarily restricted, but once they move away from the emitter, due to gravity and currents, they fully recover their mobility.
The technology is completely safe and sustainable, as it produces an immediate deterrent effect on jellyfish without causing them any harm or generating any waste that could affect the marine environment. “The system is completely harmless and, once outside the device’s range, jellyfish can move normally,” adds César Bordehore, coordinator of the research group at the University of Alicante.
Moreover, unlike physical barriers that also affect other species, this system acts exclusively on jellyfish without causing negative effects on other marine life. Among its advantages, it also stands out for its lower cost compared to physical barriers and its reduced maintenance requirements due to its size. “In addition, the main elements of the device are concentrated in the floating buoy, making access, repair, or replacement of components easier,” they conclude.
Other Sensors
The buoy also incorporates additional sensors developed by the campus team, which allow measurement of different water parameters such as temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, and oxygen levels. This research is part of the Chair of the Sea and Sustainability of the Nautical Sector.
This new system is the result of more than five years of research by Jaime Lloret’s team. The UPV research team that developed this system also includes Sandra Sendra, Lorena Parra, and Alberto Ivars, who is currently completing his Bachelor’s Final Project focused on this buoy designed to protect bathers from stings without interfering with jellyfish.
