Hilbertz et al. [54 Method of enhancing the growth of aquatic organisms, and structures created thereby us005543034A buy Patent Number: 5,543,034

al. The Oceans: Their Physics, Chemistry and General ³⁰
Biology, Premiss-Hall, Inc., in New Jersey 1942; and Culkin and Goldberg in Volume 1, Chemical Oceanography, pp. 121—196, Academic Press, London 1965). The constancy of the ratios of the major elements throughout the oceans has
long been well known (Dittmar, Challenger Reports, Physics ³⁵
and Chemistry, pp. 1—251, 1884).
In 1940 and 1947, G. C. Cox was issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,200,469 and 2,417,064, outlining methods of cathodic cleaning and protection of metallic surfaces submerged in
seawater by means of a direct electrical current. During the ⁴⁰
cleaning process, a coating is also formed cathodically, consisting of magnesium and calcium salts (Eichoif and Shaw, Corrosion, No. 4, pp. 363—473, 1948). If these coat-
ings are hard and continuous, they afford a considerable degree of corrosion protection to the enclosed metal (see ⁴⁵
Humber, Corrosion, No. 4, pp. 358—370, 1948, and Corro-
sion, Volume 4, No. 9, pp. 292—302, 1949).
Lower marine organisms utilize the minerals in solutions surrounding them to build structural formations. Mollusk ₅₀
shells, for example, are generally composed of calcium
carbonate crystals enclosed in an organic matrix. A signifi- cant proportion of the soluble protein in the matrix is composed of a repeating sequence of aspartic acid separated by either glycine or serine (see Jope in Volume 26, Com- prehensive Biochemistry, p. 749, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1971). This sequence, comprising regular repeating negative charges, could bind Ca²* ions and thus perform an important function in mineralisation of the template (Weiner and
Stood, Volume 190, Science, pp. 987-989, 1975). ₆₀
The present inventors have studied the electrodeposition
of materials from seawater over a considerable number of years (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,461,684, 4,440,605 and 4,246, 075, all of Hilbertz).
other organisms would in fact be stimulated by using the SBM substrate.
Schuhmacher et a1 in Bulletin oyMarine Science, 55(2-3); 627—679, 1994 describe integrated electrochemical and bio- genic deposition of hard material to provide a substrate for hard sea-bottom settlers. Brucite, aragonite and other mate- rials derived from the ambient seawater are precipitated on a cathode of the shape desired. An iterative pattern of direct-current phases and dead phases permits the calcareous matter to be deposited in an integrated.fashion by physical precipitation and by secretion by sessile organisms. During the dead phase the substrate is colonized by a diverse community of the type which occurs on natural hard sub- stances. However the experiments showed that simultaneous electrochemical and biogenic deposition of hard material was not possible. A dead phase of some four weeks was necessary. The present inventors consider that the lack of success in achieving growth of the lime-secreting organisms during electrodeposition was due to the location of the anode as shown in FIG. 3 on page 674 of the reference. The placing of the anode inside a cylindrical or conical cathode would have the result that hydrochloric acid generated at the anode would pass the cathode and would adversely affect living organisms in the vicinity of the cathode.
It is an object of the present invention to provide artificial reefs which are superior to traditional artificial reefs like those consisting of old cars, sunken ships, used automobile tires and precast plastic and concrete modules or elements.
It is a further object of the invention to grow shore defence structures like groins and sea walls economically using biological building materials in connection with the mineral accretion process.
It is another object of the invention to significantly increase the yield of mariculture crops or catches such as

In AMBIO—a Journal of the Human Environment, pub- lished by thc Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Vol. 21 No. 2, April 1992, page 126-129, Hilbertz, surveyed exist-
65 oysters, cockles and other shellfish, and to facilitate the farming of corals for the sea aquarium trade in order to reduce the exploitation of natural reef resources.

nities. Rather than organically becoming part of the 10
environment, these underwater structures become dangerous projectiles in the event of hurricanes. After Hurricane Andrew hit Southern Florida, a survey of traditional articial reefs in the area revealed that not a single one remained
cathode) so that the aquatic organisms grow in these conditions.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a method of creating conditions of increased electron availability for the biochemical electron transport chain of aquatic organisms in

intact. All moved, and while from one to many fragments were found of some, many vanished entirely.
The present inventors have found that on accreted artifi- cial reefs and shore protection structures, an enormous variety of sea life is attracted, including young settling
1s ^{an aqueous mineral-containing electrolyte which comprises:}

1. 
   installing a cathode and an anode in the electrolyte,
   
2. 
   applying a steady, pulsed or intermittent direct electric current across the cathode and the anode to edect electrolysis,
   

corals, juvenile fish, moray eels, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, ²⁰ crabs, squid, shrimps, bivalves, and even dolphins. The growth of corals on or near these structures is accelerated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

3. 
   providing accreted mineral material on the cathode,
   
4. 
   recruiting aquatic organisms on or in the vicinity of the cathode, and
   
5. 
   creating by electrolysis conditions of higher alkalinity
   

The present invention provides a method of enhancing growth of aquatic organisms in an aqueous mineral-contain- ing electrolyte which comprises:

1. 
   installing a cathode and an anode in the electrolyte,
   

₂₅ in the electrolyte in the vicinity of the cathode than in the electrolyte remote from the cathode to cause growth of the aquatic organisms in the conditions in the vicin-
ity of the cathode, the placement of the anode being done in such a way as to minimize the effects of

2. 
   applying a steady, pulsed or intermittent direct electric ³⁰ current across the cathode and the anode to e8ect electrolysis,
   
3. 
   providing accreted mineral material on the cathode,
   

hydrochloric acid produced at the anode.
In a particularly preferred aspect, the invention provides a method for the construction, repair and maintenance of structures in an aqueous mineral-containing electrolyte which comprises:

4. 
   recruiting aquatic organisms on or in the vicinity of the
   

cathode, and

5. 
   creating by electrolysis conditions of higher alkalinity in the electrolyte in the vicinity of the cathode than in the electrolyte remote from the cathode to cause growth
   

35 (a) installing a cathode and an anode in the e1ectrolytc,

2. 
   applying a steady, pulsed or intermittent direct electric current across the cathode and the anode to effect electrolysis,
   
3. 
   providing accreted mineral material on the cathode,
   

of the aquatic organisms in the conditions in the vicin- ₄₀ ity of the cathode, the placement of the anods being done in such a way as to minimize the effects of hydrochloric acid produced at the anode.
Preferably the electrolyte is selected from sea water,

2. 
   recruiting aquatic organisms which deposit calcareous substances on or in the vicinity of the cathode.
   
3. 
   creating by electrolysis conditions of higher alkalinity in the electrolyte in the vicinity of the cathode than in
   

brackish water or brine.
In one embodiment, the accreted mineral material is deposited on the cathode by the electrolysis.
In a second embodiment, the accrcted mineral material is pre-fabricated material which has been electrodeposited previously and which is fixed to the cathode.
According to one aspect of the invention, the cathode is seeded with the aquatic organisms.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the cathode is settled naturally by the aquatic organisms.
In one preferred embodiment, the aquatic organisms are organisms which deposit calcareous substances.
Preferably, the organisms are selected from corals and calcareous algae or from bivalves, worms, protozoans, sponges and crawling organisms including snails and echi- noderms. The organisms may also include organisms which use the artificial reef structures as a home or hiding place, even though they do not grow attached to it, such as lobsters, crabs and fish.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of enhanc-
ing growth of aquatic organisms in an aqueous mineral- containing electrolyte which comprises:

1. 
   installing a cathode and an anode in the electrolyte,
   

₄₅ the electrolyte remote from the cathode to cause growth of the aquatic organisms in the conditions in the vicin-
ity of the cathode, the placement of the anode being done in such a way as to minimize the effects of hydrochloric acid produced at the anode, and
50 (f) accumulating deposited calcareous substances on or in the vicinity of the cathode to form, repair or maintain a structure on or in the vicinity of the cathode.
The present invention provides inter alia a method of creating artificial reefs and coastal defence structures of any
55 shape and size with biological components from the time of soaking. The living organisms may be recruited from the surroundings of the structures. In the case of aquaculture facilities, larvae and spat, juvenile as well as mature organ- isms can be provided from other sources. In particular, the
60 present invention provides a method of rapidly growing reef and other communities as well as other aquaculture stock on or in the vicinity of electrodeposited substrate in a volume of electrically charged electrolyte whose chemical state has been altered.
65 In accordance with the present invention, while a mineral coating on cathodic material is obtained by accretion through the electrodeposition of dissolved minerals, or by

1. 
   ^{Soaking anode(s) and cathode(s) in a volume of elec-} 10 trolyte and the application of a steady or pulsed direct electric current, which source is for example the power grid, photovoltaic arrays, or wind-driven generators, thereby electrifying the electrolyte.
   

consisting of a cathode, to which accreted and subsequently
plasticized, altered and shaped material has been applied, with growing organisms.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation of a cathodic grid on which gastropods are growing.

2. 
   Inducing chcmical changes in the electrolyte.
   
3. 
   Deposition of limestone/magnesium-containing miner- als at the cathode.
   
4. 
   Recruitment and/or stocking of organisms like coral, coralline algae, bivalves, snails and shrimp on or in the vicinity of the cathode.
   
5. 
   The possible attraction of large numbers of juvenile and adult fish and other marine organisms.
   
6. 
   The possibility of supply of calcareous sand from algae and break-up of stony corals.
   
7. 
   The possibility of self-cementation to the sea floor, contributing to permanent shore protection.
   
8. 
   The ability to break waves and to slow or redirect ocean currents, contributing to permanent shore protection.
   
9. 
   The continued thriving of reef communities under water quality conditions which have deteriorated to the point of killing corals in the immediate vicinity.
   
10. 
    The ability for self-repair through continued or reap-
    

15 UG. 8 is a diagrammatic projection of an installation used in performing the invention.

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