Sharjah24 – Reuters: Mexican scientists have developed a unique "nanobubble" system using solar energy to improve the water quality in the capital's Xochimilco ecological zone, a popular tourist attraction.

A team of researchers from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) developed a method that converts solar energy into photovoltaic energy, activating a pump that sends "nanobubbles" into the water.

The bubbles help oxygenate the water, eliminating harmful pollutants and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which leads to healthier plantlife like flora and fauna, according to Refugio Rodriguez Vazquez, a Cinvestav researcher.

Officials in Mexico City have been focused on cleaning up the polluted waters of of Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the city's few remaining canals that date back to Aztec times.

The area is known for "chinampas," floating beds of farm produce cultivated by the Aztecs in the 14th century to feed the pre-Hispanic city.

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

The Cinvestav team said the nanonbubble system was also being applied in two water treatment plants. It could also potentially be replicated in other waterways in Mexico City, where water quality is considered poor and supplies are often at the mercy of routine droughts.

The solar panels that are powering the nanobubble technology sit atop the famous "trajineras" of Xochimilco, barge-like boats that shuttle tourists through the canals. They also provide onboard electricity.