Effects of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on hemoglobin content and oxygen consumption of freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus)

Lethal effects of nitrogenous compounds ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio were studied and the static LC50 values obtained for these 3 toxicants for 24 hr were 0.80 ppb, 171.36 ppm; 1075.10 ppm and continuous flowthrough LC50 values for 24 hr were 0.72 ppb, 154.31 ppm; 967.63 ppm respectively. The fish were exposed to lethal concentrations to study the changes in hematological parameters and the rate of oxygen consumption. During the period of exposure general decline in the content of hemoglobin was observed. Methemoglobin content increased in case of nitrite exposure consequently the hemoglobin levels decreased drastically. It is also observed that rate of oxygen consumption decreased progressively with the increase of toxicant concentration and duration of the exposure.     

Biological production of nitrite in seawater

The relative importance of 3 different sources for biological production of nitrite in seawater was studied. Decomposition of fecal pellets of the copepod Calanus helgolandicus (at a concentration of approximately 12 g-at N/l), in seawater medium, released small amounts of ammonia over a 6 week period. It nitrifying bacteria were added to the fecal pellets nitrite was barely detectable over the same period. Decomposition of phytoplankton (present at a concentration of about 8 g-at particulate plant N/l) with added heterotrophic bacteria, released moderate amounts of ammonia over a 12 week period. If the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosocystis oceanus was added to the decomposing algae, nitrite was produced at a rate of 0.2 g-at N/l/week. Heterotrophic nitrification was not observed when 7 open-ocean bacteria were tested for their ability to oxidize ammonia. The diatom Skeletonema costatum, either non-starved or starved of nitrogen, produced nitrite when growing with 150 or 50 g-at NO ₂ ^- -N/l at a light intensity of about 0.01 ly/min. When nitrate in the medium was exhausted, S. costatum assimilated nitrite. If starved of vitamin B₁₂, both non-N-starved and N-starved cells of S. costatum produced nitrite in the medium with 150 g-at NO ₃ ^- -N/l. Nitrate was not exhausted and cell densities reached 2x10⁵/ml due to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. If light intensity was reduced to 0.003 ly/min under otherwise similar conditions, cells did not grow due to insufficient light, and nitrite was not produced. In the sea, it appears that, in certain micro-environments, decomposition of particulate matter releases ammonia with its subsequent oxidation to nitrite. The amounts of these nutrients and the rate at which they are produced are dependent upon the nature of the materials undergoing decomposition and the associated bacteria. In certain other areas of the sea, where phytoplankton standing stock is high and nitrate is non-limiting, excretion by these organisms is a major source of nitrite.     

序批式膜反应器处理高氨氮渗滤液同步硝化反硝化特性

应用序批式生物膜反应器(SBBR)处理实际垃圾渗滤液,在DO浓度分别为0.45mg.l-1和1.19mg.l-1条件下,研究了系统的有机物,氨氮和总氮去除特性以及游离氨(FA),DO对系统同步硝化反硝化(SND)类型的影响.250d试验研究表明:SBRR系统能够稳定高效地同步去除渗滤液内高浓度有机物和高浓度氨氮.在初始COD浓度为122—2385 mg.l-1的情况下,出水COD浓度为23—929 mg.l-1,有机物最大去除速率25.6 kgCOD.m-2载体.d-1.在初始NH4+-N浓度为40—396.5 mg.l-1的情况下,出水NH4+-N浓度为0—41.2 mg.l-1,最大硝化速率2.87 kgN.m-2载体.d-1.SBBR系统内发生了明显的同步硝化反硝化(SND)现象,TN平均去除率分别为73.8%(DO=0.45 mg.l-1)和30%(DO=1.19 mg.l-1)左右.当FA浓度在1.5—11.6 mg.l-1范围内时,系统中共存硝酸型SND和亚硝酸性SND.当FA从18.6 mg.l-1增加到56 mg.l-1,系统中形成稳定的亚硝酸SND.因此,FA是影响系统SND类型的主要因素,DO可促进亚硝酸性SND向硝酸型SND转化.     

Lethal effects of ammonia and nitrite onPenaeus chinensis juveniles

Juveniles of the prawnPenaeus chinensis (3.96 ±0.18 cm, 0.36±0.06 g) reared in Taiwan in 1989 were exposed to different concentrations of ammonia and nitrite, by a static renewal method in 33 seawater at pH 7.94 and at 26 °C. The 24, 48, 96 and 120 h LC₅₀ (median lethal concentration) of ammonia were 3.29, 2.10, 1.53 and 1.44 mg l^–1 for NH₃-N (un-ionized ammonia as nitrogen) and 79.97, 51.14, 37.00 and 35.09 mg l^–1 for ammonia-N (un-ionized plus ionized ammonia as nitrogen). The 24, 96, 120, 144 and 192 h LC₅₀ of nitrite-N were 339, 37.71, 29.18, 26.98 and 22.95 mg l^–1. The LC₅₀ decreased with increasing exposure time. During the first 96 h,P. chinesis juveniles were more susceptible to ammonia than nitrite. However, prawns were less tolerant to nitrite than ammonia when exposed for more than 96 h. The threshold was found at 120 and 192 h for ammonia and nitrite, respectively, on the toxicity curves. Incipient LC₅₀ was 1.44 mg l^–1 for NH₃-N, 35.09 mg l^–1 for ammonia-N and 22.95 mg l^–1 for nitrite-N. The safe value forP. chinensis juveniles was 0.14, 3.51 and 2.30 mg l^–1, respectively.     

Environmental impact of nitrogen fertilization in tea eco-system

To quantify the nitrogen losses through runoff and leaching under a tea plantation in hilly soil, a field experiment was conducted from October 2001 to October 2002 at United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI), Coonoorin Nilgiri district. Runoff water was collected in the collection tub on most rainy days but the leachate was collected in the soil water sampler when the rainfall exceeded 150 mm. Higher nitrogen fertilization levels significantly influenced the NO3-N concentration in both the runoff and leachate and it was likely to cause adverse environmental impact at the delivery end. The NH4-N and NO3-N concentrations in runoff decreased with the days after fertilizer application. NH4-N concentration reduced from 10.27 mg/l on the 9th day to 1.72 mg/l on the 34th day after fertilizer application. NO3-N concentration reduced from 23.5 mg/l on the 9th day to 4.32 mg/l on the 34th day after fertilizer application. Nitrogen loss varied depending on the quantity of rainfall and runoff. The NO3-N concentration in the leachate increased with increase in depth (18.06 mg/l at 22.5 cm depth to 20.98 mg/l at 45 cm depth) whereas NH4-N concentration decreased with increase in depth (6.32 mg/l at 22.5 cm depth to 5.79 mg/l at 45 cm depth.     

Lethal effects of elevated pH and ammonia on juveniles of neotropical fish Colosoma macropomum (Pisces, Caracidae)

Ammonia is the main nitrogenous waste material excreted by gills, then is oxided first to nitrite and then to nitrate. The proportion of ionized-un-ionized ammonia depends on pH and temperature, when this variables increase in a solution containing ammonia the equation goes to left, so the proportion of NH3 increases and the solution becomes more toxic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute lethal effects of elevated pH and ammonia on tambaqui juveniles. With a constant ammonia concentration of 5.0 mg/l NH3, there was no mortality a pH of 6.0 (control) and 7.0; but was of 10-20% a pH of 8.0 and 100% at 9.0. The lethal effects of elevated pH and un-ionized ammonia should be recognized as a potential factor contributing to the variable success of tambaqui production ponds, but this species is highly resistant in comparison with other freshwater fish.     

Changes in the dissolved nitrogen pool across land cover gradients in Wisconsin streams

Increases in anthropogenic nitrogen fixation have resulted in wide-scale enrichment of aquatic ecosystems. Existing biogeochemical theory suggests that N enrichment is associated with increasing concentrations of nitrate; however, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is often a major component of the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) pool in streams and rivers, and its concentration can be significantly elevated in human-influenced basins. We examined N concentrations during summer base flow conditions in 324 Wisconsin streams to determine whether DON was a significant component of TDN and how its relative contribution changed across a gradient of increasing human (agriculture and urban) land use for 84 of these sites. Total dissolved nitrogen varied from 0.09 to 20.74 mg/L, and although DON was significantly higher in human-dominated basins relative to forested and mixed-cover basins, its concentration increased relatively slowly in response to increasing human land cover. This limited response reflected a replacement of wetland-derived DON in low-N streams by anthropogenic sources in human-dominated sites, such that net changes in DON were small across the land use gradient. Nitrate-N increased exponentially in response to greater human land cover, and NH4-N and NO2-N were present at low levels. Nitrite-N exceeded NH4-N at 20% of sites and reached a maximum concentration of 0.10 mg/L. This examination suggests that basic mechanisms driving N losses from old-growth forests subject to N saturation also shape the summertime N pool in Wisconsin streams, in addition to other processes dictated by landscape context. The overwhelming role of human land use in determining the relative and absolute composition of the summertime N pool included (1) rapid increases in NO3-N, (2) limited changes in DON, and (3) the unexpected occurrence of NO2-N. High (>3 mg/L) TDN conditions dominated by NO3-N, regardless of landscape context or forms of N inputs, indicate a state of "N hypersaturation", which appears to be increasingly common in human-influenced streams and rivers. Many sites in agriculturally rich areas had NO2-N and NO3-N concentrations that, if sustained, are at chronically toxic levels for sensitive aquatic biota, suggesting that N enrichment now has local consequences for resident stream biota in addition to contributing to coastal eutrophication.     

好氧异养硝化菌Acinetobacter sp.YY-5的分离鉴定及脱氮机理

通过异养硝化培养基获得一株高效脱氮细菌,并通过形态学特征、生理生化反应及16S rDNA同源性比较对筛得菌株进行了鉴定;分别以NO3--N和NO2--N为唯一氮源,通过对脱氮过程中各种含氮代谢物的定量及对脱氮相关基因氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)、羟胺氧化酶基因(hao)、周质硝酸盐还原酶亚基基因(napA)的扩增及测序比较,对该菌株的生理途径及脱氮机理进行了研究.结果表明,高效脱氮细菌YY-5不能发生好氧反硝化,但能在3 d内将氨氮由95.23 mg/L降解至1.29 mg/L,降解率达妻98.6%,同时未发现亚硝酸盐氮、硝酸盐氮积累;对该菌主要代谢气体产物进行检测,发现CO2和N2明显增多,无N2O生成;经鉴定,初步判定该菌为不动杆菌属,命名为Acinetobacter sp.YY-5;从该菌基因组中均能扩增出amoA、hao、napA等基因,其中napA与hao基因与已报道的napA与hao基因进行Blaster较,发现具有较大差别.图6表3参15     

石灰预处理对树叶堆肥过程中养分转化的影响

以树叶干质量的0%、1.00%、2.50%和4.00%的石灰预处理树叶,24h后分别将预处理后的树叶与鸡粪联合堆肥,研究不同用量石灰预处理树叶对树叶堆肥过程中养分转化的影响。试验在自制的堆肥反应器内进行,采用间歇式强制通风的方式,进行为期59d的堆肥试验。结果表明:石灰预处理树叶24h可以有效的降低树叶中的有机质质量分数,以4.00%的石灰预处理的树叶其有机质降幅达6.00%;石灰预处理24h后,各处理pH相差不大;EC的变化与pH相似;预处理前后,各处理总氮、总磷和总钾的质量分数相差不大。用石灰预处理后的树叶堆肥有利于堆肥有机质的降解,尤以2.50%石灰预处理的效果最好;有利于堆肥w(C)/w(N)的降低,其降低幅度与石灰用量成正比;有利于减少堆肥过程中氮素的损失,且氮素损失与石灰使用量呈反比;有利于堆肥NH4 -N质量分数的降低;提高堆肥终产品NO3--N的质量分数,其质量分数与石灰用量呈正比;有利于堆肥中钾的浓缩;对堆肥的pH、EC、w(NH4 -N)/w(NO3--N)和总磷的影响不大。综合考虑试验结果后认为,以4.00%石灰预处理的效果最为理想。     

三种载体上生物膜硝化作用动力学初步研究

通过测定水中COD、：NH4^ —N、NO2^-—N及NO3^-—N的浓度变化，研究了淹没式废水处理装置中沸石、活性炭和沙粒3种载体上硝化作用生物膜的动力学过程和反硝化作用。结果表明，3种载体上生物膜降解有机物(以COD表示)的过程可用一级动力学方程描述，反应速率常数分别为：沙粒0．0848h^-1、活性炭0．1187h^-1、沸石0．1334h^-1。3种载体上生物膜去除氨态氮的过程则可用零级动力学方程描述，反应速率常数分别为：沙粒-0．7743h^-1、活性炭-0．9886h^-1、沸石-1．0714h^-1．附着于沙上的生物膜去除亚硝酸盐氮的过程也可用零级动力学方程描述，反应速率常数为-0．6057h^-1，水中硝酸盐氮浓度较高时，载体沸石和活性炭上可能附着生长反硝化菌。图5表2参15。     

空心菜浮床栽培对集约化养殖鱼塘水质的影响

以叶绿素a(Chla)、TN、NH4+-N、NO2-N、NO3-N、TP、PO43-P、CODMn等为主要水质指标研究浮床栽培空心菜对集约化养殖鱼塘的净化作用。结果表明,通过4次收获,空心菜产量可达69618.0～73161.6kg.hm-2;空心菜覆盖率为10%和20%处理组通过收获空心菜直接从1hm2养殖池塘中移出的TN分别为27.51、52.35kg,TP分别为2.83、5.39kg。在相同监测时间下,Chla、TN、NH4+-N、NO2-N、NO3-N、TP、PO43-P、CODMn等各项水质指标按对照组、10%处理组、20%处理组的顺序均呈逐渐降低趋势;其中20%处理组对Chla、TN、NH4+-N、NO2-N、NO3-N、TP、PO43-P、CODMn的去除率分别为15.16%～49.02%、9.04%～36.56%、19.23%～46.34%、22.76%～47.74%、13.33%～56.52%、33.33%～45.10%、27.27%～48.15%、3.13%～19.05%。与对照塘相比,处理塘鱼类成活率明显提高,说明在主养鱼为鲫鱼的苗种养殖池塘中采用浮床栽培空心菜能够促进水体物质循环,加强...     

水动力条件下苦草对沉积物氮释放的影响

在浅水湖泊中,沉积物易受到水流的扰动释放出原本沉降于其中的氮营养盐。沉水植物一方面能够减少水动力的作用,一方面又能够吸收沉积物中的和已经释放到上覆水中的氮营养盐供其生长同时改善水质。因此,研究沉水植物对沉积物中氮营养盐释放的影响具有很重要的实际意义。借助自主开发的生态水槽,研究苦草（Vallisneria spiraslis L.）在动、静水条件下对沉积物氮的释放的影响。实验装置包括四组水槽,两组动水槽中的一组只铺沉积物,另一组在沉积物上种植苦草,两组静水槽也如此设置。在40 d的实验周期内,我们在实验始末采集沉积物样品,在每一个采样时间点（0、1、3、6、12、20、30、40 d）采集水样,并测定沉积物中总氮含量,原水样中的总氮含量以及过滤水样中的总氮、氨氮、硝氮和亚硝氮的含量。研究结果表明：没有苦草的实验组0～1 cm沉积物层总氮下降幅度较大,有苦草的实验组表面0～1 cm沉积物层氮含量较高。苦草从根系周围沉积物中吸收氮,1～4 cm沉积物层的吸收量多于4～8 cm沉积物层。各水槽上覆水中总氮含量在第1天就有较大的增加,从0.09 mg·L^-1分别升到0.60、0.50、0.379、0.36 mg·L^-1在水动力影响下的增加更显著,后缓慢上升。动水槽中进入到上覆水的氮中80%以上是以溶解态氮形式存在,静水槽中这个比例高达90%以上。苦草对溶解态和颗粒态氮的去除率最高可达27.6%和84.3%。3种氮形态中硝态氮的含量比重较大,在动水条件下,苦草对氨氮,硝氮和亚硝氮的去除率最高可达30.0%、25.0%和60.0%。但苦草对水中氮形态的比例的影响并不明显。以上结果说明水动力条件明显促进沉积物中氮的释放,沉水植物苦草通过保护表层沉积物,吸收下层沉积物中氮,去除进入上覆水中的氮,特别是颗粒态氮和溶解态中的亚硝态     

生态沟渠净化稻田排水动力学分析和生物相特征

本研究以太湖流域常见的菱角、水葫芦、梭鱼草、圆币草等水生植物和人工水草、塑料立体弹性填料为生态强化载体,构建"水生植物-载体生物膜-菌藻"复合型生态系统,研究了稻田排水中的氮、磷等营养元素的去除特性,构建氮、磷污染物的降解动力学模型,并调查了沟渠内"微生物-藻类"生物相特征.结果表明,生态沟渠运行期间,随着水稻进入不同的生长阶段,系统内氮、磷等营养元素的去除率都呈普遍下降趋势,总磷、氨氮、总氮、硝态氮平均去除率分别达到87.1%、92.3%、77.5%、88.6%,其中氨氮的去除率最高,化学需氧量(CODMn)的去除效果并不显著,各实验周期的污染物降解趋势均符合一级动力学降解模型.经生物相分析揭示:随着复合生态系统运行延续,系统内微生物、藻类的种类及Shannon-Weiner index等多样性指数呈不断增长趋势,表明复合生态系统水质改善后更适于多种类细菌与藻类生存与繁殖;复合生态系统中的菌、藻、水生植物及其表面附着的生物膜对污染物的去除具有协同作用,强化了生态沟渠的自净能力.     

不同结构生态滤池处理城镇污水研究

研究了不同结构生态滤池处理城镇污水的效果。复合床生态滤池采用初沉池出水作为进水，用中颗粒填料和粗颗粒填料作为惰性填料层，在不同水力负荷下(HLR)，CODCr、NH4^ -N去除率分别达74％-85％、30％-90％，出水浊度低。出水中NH4^ -N质量浓度下降，NO3^ -N质量浓度显著增加。氮的转化受HLR影响较大。中颗粒填料较粗颗粒填料的处理效果好，惰性层在硝化方面起着重要作用。进出水中碱度差与硝酸根质量浓度差、氨氮质量浓度差均呈显著相关性。介绍了生态滤池内的物质流、食物链及生态滤池的工作原理。     

Prototype design for a closed marine system employing quarternary water processing

A small 2, 271-1 (600-gallon) prototype recirculating marine water system was designed and evaluated (26 months). The system employed a quaternary (mechanical, algal, bacterial and chemical) series of processing units with the aim of achieving long-term seawater quality and constancy without water replacement. Total ammonia (0.05±0.005 ppm), un-ionized ammonia (0.0036±0.0003 ppm), nitrite (0.10±0.014 ppm), nitrate (24.6±2.0 ppm), phosphate (14.0±2.1 ppm), dissolved oxygen (6.5–7.2 mg/l) and pH (7.80 to 8.25) were maintained at acceptable levels for the entire period. The biomass load (1.82 kg/397 l) consisted of 4 nurse sharks which were fed ad-lib twice a week. Further, low levels of total bacteria (1.5×102 bacteria/ml) and coliforms [most probable number (MPN) index 17/dl] were present in the seawater. The system design is suggested for use in laboratory and mariculture installations.     

Pollutant removal by an integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland treating simulated river water by reoxygenation

The effects and mechanism of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration removal by an integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland were studied in the wetland system during one inlet–outlet operating period, in two typical stages (each stage is connective 24 h, sampled once every 4 h). The concentration of ammonia decreased along the flow direction in the system, while levels of nitrate (NO₃^?-N) increased. In one operating period, total nitrogen (TN) concentration fell with rising operation time due to evacuative reoxygenation. The TN and NH₃-N removal rates in the system were 26.6% and 97.5%, respectively. COD decreased rapidly in the early stages and more gradually in the direction of water flow of the wetland system. Average total phosphorus (TP) removal rate was 20.71%. TN and NO₃^?-N levels in water of the wetland had a tendency to decline gradually with increasing operation time. Ammonia concentrations displayed only a small variation with operation time. The results also indicated that the wetland was able to maintain its temperature. The oxygen content differed during the various operating stages and exerted a marked influence on COD, TP, and TN removal.     

低温下曝气生物滤池预处理污染河水的试验研究

采用两段曝气生物滤床串联工艺预处理入滇新运粮河河水,研究了其在冬天低温条件下对有机物和氨氮的去除效果,并考察了pH值的变化。结果表明,在进水流量为2.4 m3.d-1、水温为13-16℃、原水ρ（CODCr）为66.46-107.82 mg·L-1、ρ（氨氮）为22.15-30.68 mg·L-1的水质特征条件下,系统对CODCr和氨氮的去除率分别为36.08%-50.37%和76.98%-93.56%。其中,碳氧化段以去除有机物为主,硝化段以去除氨氮为主;系统中硝酸氮质量浓度明显升高,无亚硝氮的积累;装置对总氮的平均去除率为19.56%,可以认为总氮的去除是同步硝化反硝化的结果。系统中pH值有所变化但维持在7-8之间,其中碳氧化段pH值升高,硝化段pH值下降。系统对有机物和氨氮良好的去除效果为后续进一步的生物处理提供了条件。     

沿淮麦区大气无机态氮质量浓度的观测研究

2010年6月6日至6月16日,运用采样器TH-110B和TH-150C收集了地处沿淮麦区3个观测点的气体（NH3和NO2）和气溶胶样品,初步探讨了小麦收获期大气气态氮和颗粒态氮质量浓度的特征。结果表明：气态氮质量浓度以NO2最高,其时均质量浓度和日均质量浓度分别为0.57～0.64 mg.m-3和0.29～0.63 mg·m-3,且均超标（0.24和0.12 mg·m-3）;颗粒态氮质量浓度以NH4＋-N最高（4.12～78.28μg·m-3）,占总氮的47.00%～71.19%。此外,农业活动如收割,可增加大气气溶胶及无机态氮的质量浓度。     

Early responses of soil ammonium and nitrate nitrogen to forest gap harvesting of a Pinus massoniana plantation in the upper reaches of Yangtze River北大核心CSCD

To understand the short-term effects of forest gap by human harvesting on soil available nutrient in Pinus massoniana plantations, the variations of soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations in the gap center and gap edge during growing season were observed in seven gaps of different size (Gl: 100 m2; G2:225 m2; G3:400 m2; G4:625 m2; G5:900 m2; G6:1225 m2; G7:1600 m2) and pure understory of a 39-year-old masson pine plantation in a hilly area of the upper reaches of Yangtze River. The results showed that in the early stage of gap formation, the gap size had significant effect on NH4+-N, the season changes on NP3--N, and the interaction effect of gap size and seasonal variation on NH4+-N and NO3--N. The difference of NH4+-N and NO3--N between the gap center and gap edge was not significant. (I) The NH4+-N content was 4.30-11.99 mg kg-1, and NO3--N content was 2.57-10.81 mg kg-1. There was no obvious difference in NH4+-N and N03--N among gaps of different size in early or late growing seasons, when both increased first and decreased afterwards in the middle of growing season. The gaps of 100∼400 m2 area had a higher content of available nitrogen. (2) The seasonal dynamic differed between NH4+-N and NO3--N, with the former lower in middle growing season whereas the latter higher in the middle growing season but lower in the end of growing season. The soil NH4+-N was higher than NO3- -N in the early and late periods, but lower in the middle period. (3) The soil NH4+-N and NO3--N in parts of gaps were lower than understory in the early and late growing season. (4) Correlation analyses showed that NH4+-N had significant positive correlation with microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and NO3--N with soil temperature, MBN and organic matter. But the impact of soil water content on available nitrogen was not significant. These results suggested that soil temperature and microbial activity variation caused by gap harvesting are the main factors affecting soil available nitrogen content of Pinus massoniana plantations.     

Population dynamic studies on phytoplankton cultures

The use of ozone as an oxidative supplement to biological filtration and to control epizootic microbial outbreaks coincident with maintaining a biological filter was investigated in a 2,271-1 (600 gallon) closed marine-water system. Under conditions of a relatively large biomass load (1.82 kg/3801), filter-bed effluent levels of total ammonia (0.135±0.01 ppm), un-ionized ammonia (0.0074±0.0006 ppm) and nitrite (0.17±0.01 ppm) were maintained within acceptable limits. Reservoir ozonation (100 mg/h/380 l) further significantly reduced (P<0.005) these levels. Nitrates were significantly elevated (P<0.005) with ozonation. Cessation of ozonation elevated total ammonia, un-ionized ammonia and nitrite levels above acceptable limits within 24 h. Resuming ozonation rapidly reversed this trend. Ozone reduced the microbial content of the culture water. Ozonation is suggested as a means of maintaining oxidative flexibility when used as a supplement to biological filtration. Further, prevention of epizootic microbial outbreaks may be accomplished without danger to the biological filter provided a proper system design is utilized.Contribution No. 342, Department of Biology.