While there have been many attempt to eradicate the invasive Zebra Mussel, all have failed. The first taste of success came in 2014, on a small area of Christmas lake in Minnesota, where Zequanox was used. Zequanox is a bio-pesticide developed by Marrone Bio Innovations. The main ingredient was Pseudomonas Fluorescens, bacteria commonly found in soil. The reason this pesticide works is that Zequanox is derived from dead cells of a naturally occurring microbe. The mussel does not look at the Zequanox as a threat and therefore eats it as food, where the bacteria destroy the inner lining of the gut and eventually kills it in about thirty days. After the Zequanox, was administered, they followed it up with copper treatment, as well as 1000 pounds of potassium chloride. Later, scuba divers searched the treated area for Zebra Mussels but found none. The drawbacks to the treatment would be the expense. One report stated that the treatment of less than one acre of Christmas lake approximately costs $100,000, rending unrealistic for treatment of large lakes such as the great lakes.
Failed Attempts:
-Raise Salinity Levels: Zebra Mussels have been found to be successful in salinity levels of 1 to 2 parts per thousand.
-Christmas Lake: Although considered the most successful,in 2015, the zebra mussel population began to surge again. Problem with Zequanox is that it can only be used in closed lakes and cant have any utility usage or runoffs.