A pilot project to detect and forecast harmful algal blooms in the northern Gulf of Mexico

More timely access to data and information on the initiation, evolution and effects of harmful algal blooms can reduce adverse impacts on valued natural resources and human health. To achieve this in the northern Gulf of Mexico, a pilot project was initiated to develop a user-driven, end-to-end (measurements to applications) observing system. A key strategy of the project is to coordinate existing state, federal and academic programs at an unprecedented level of collaboration and partnership. Resource managers charged with protection of public health and aquatic resources require immediate notice of algal events and a forecast of when, where and what adverse effects will likely occur. Further, managers require integrated analyses and interpretations, rather than raw data, to make effective decisions. Consequently, a functional observing system must collect and transform diverse measurements into usable forecasts. Data needed to support development of forecasts will include such properties as sea surface temperature, winds, currents and waves; precipitation and freshwater flows with related discharges of sediment and nutrients; salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll concentrations (in vivo fluorescence); and remotely-sensed spatial images of sea surface chlorophyll concentrations. These data will be provided via a mixture of discrete and autonomous in situ sensing with near real-time data telemetry, and remote sensing from space (SeaWiFS), aircraft (hyperspectral imagery) or land (high-frequency radar). With calibration across these platforms, the project will ultimately provide a 4-dimensional visualization of harmful algae events in a time frame suitable to resource managers.     

Decrease of NH4+-N by bacterioplankton accelerated the removal of cyanobacterial blooms in aerated aquatic ecosystem

We used aerated systems to assess the influence of the bacterioplankton community on cyanobacterial blooms in algae/post-bloom of Lake Taihu, China. Bacterioplankton community diversity was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(PCR-DGGE) fingerprinting. Chemical analysis and nitrogen dynamic changes illustrated that NH4+-N was nitrified to NO2-N and NO3-N by bacterioplankton. Finally, NH4+-N was exhausted and NO3-N was denitrified to NO2-N, while the accumulation of NO2-N indicated that bacterioplankton with completely aerobic denitrification ability were lacking in the water samples collected from Lake Taihu. We suggested that adding completely aerobic denitrification bacteria(to denitrify NO2-N to N2)would improve the water quality. PCR-DGGE and sequencing results showed that more than 1/3 of the bacterial species were associated with the removal of nitrogen, and Acidovorax temperans was the dominant one. PCR-DGGE, variation of nitrogen, removal efciencies of chlorophyll-a and canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the bacterioplankton significantly influenced the physiological and biochemical changes of cyanobacteria. Additionally, the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means revealed there was no obvious harm to the microecosystem from aeration. The present study demonstrated that bacterioplankton can play crucial roles in aerated ecosystems, which could control the impact of cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophicated fresh water systems.     

富营养化水体中黑水团的吸收及反射特性分析

对黑水团水体光学特性进行研究,是利用遥感技术监测和评估黑水团事件的前提.针对2015年7月在太湖发生的黑水团现象,采集了太湖黑水团区(区域一)、蓝藻水华区(区域二)、清水区(区域三)共36个水样,对这3个区域的水体遥感反射率以及吸收特性进行对比分析.结果表明:1区域一水体的总颗粒物、色素颗粒物和非色素颗粒物吸收系数比区域二、区域三高出1~2倍,在400~500 nm之间,区域一CDOM吸收系数相比另外两个区域的水体高出2倍左右.导致黑水团区域水体具有很低的遥感反射率,被人眼感知时呈现为黑色;2黑水团区域水体M值低于滇池、巢湖和太湖的M值变化范围,说明黑水团中CDOM的腐殖酸含量较高.此外,叶绿素a浓度与CDOM在350 nm处吸收系数之间具有很好的相关性,表明蓝藻的降解可能是黑水团中CDOM的一个主要来源;3在380 nm之后,黑水团区域的水体总吸收以色素颗粒物占主导,但在短波350~380 nm处,CDOM对总吸收的贡献率高于色素颗粒物和非色素颗粒物.     

Chemical and ecotoxicological analyses of sediments and elutriates of contaminated rivers due to e-waste recycling activities using a diverse battery of bioassays

A multi-trophic, multi-exposure phase assessment approach was applied to characterize the toxicity of sediments collected from two rivers in Guiyu, China, an e-waste recycling centre. Elutriate toxicity tests (bacterium Vibrio fischeri and microalga Selenastrum capricornutum) and whole sediment toxicity test (crustacean Heterocypris incongruens) showed that most sediments exhibited acute toxicity, due to elevated heavy metals and PAHs levels, and low pH caused by uncontrolled acid discharge. The survival rates of crustaceans were negatively (p < 0.05) correlated with total PAHs in sediments (411-1755 mg kg⁻¹); EC50s of V. fischeri on the elutriates were significantly correlated with elutriate pH (p < 0.01). Significant (p < 0.05) correlations between the induction of hepatic metallothionein in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb) in sediments were also observed, when fish were fed with diets containing sediment. The results showed that uncontrolled e-waste recycling activities may bring adverse effects to local aquatic ecosystem.     

Physicochemical substance properties as indicators for unreliable exposure in microplate-based bioassays

In the last years many efforts were made to transform standardized algal test protocols into low-cost microplate assays. While advantages were pointed out frequently, limitations are not systematically addressed, thus hindering a widespread utilisation. In this study a group of organic substances with a wide distribution of volatility (log K_AW from −6.53 to −2.13) and lipophilicity (log K_OW from 1.26 to 4.92) was investigated with respect to the influence of these physicochemical properties on their algal toxicity in different assays. Therefore the EC₅₀ values were determined with a microplate assay based on ISO 8692 protocol and the results were compared with those of an established algal growth inhibition test conducted in air tight glass vessels. Using the ratio of the EC₅₀ values, a clear connection between biological response and volatility as well as lipophilicity of test substances could be detected. Chemicals with a log K_OW higher than 3 or a Henry coefficient log K_AW higher than −4 were identified as less effective in the microplate assay than in the comparative assay. The loss in nominal concentration due to physicochemical properties could be shown to contribute to this using HPLC analysis. Consequently, when using microplate assay’s one should be aware that lipophilic and volatile chemicals might be underestimated in their toxicity, which could be indicated from evaluating related physicochemical properties modelled from structural information prior to an experimental investigation.     

挺水植物化感作用抑制藻类生长的机理与应用

根据国内外挺水植物化感作用抑制藻类的研究,对菖蒲等15科20种挺水植物化感抑制水华鱼腥藻等18种水华藻类的作用予以评述;归纳了挺水植物化感作用在影响藻细胞亚显微结构、酶体系活性、呼吸作用、光合作用、细胞膜和细胞内小分子物质的含量等6方面的抑制藻类生长的机理;对移植栽种植物共培养、从植物中提取化感物质和直接施加化感物质等3种类型抑制藻类的应用方式进行概述;结合当前中国水华频发、抑藻和除藻任务繁重的现状,指出存在的主要问题并提出今后研究和应用化感作用抑制藻类的展望。     

巢湖蓝藻的机械清除工艺以及藻水分离实验研究

对巢湖蓝藻进行机械清除以及藻水分离实验研究,实验采用的浮式围栏引导一机械清除．投加剥离液辅助机械清除工艺处理量大,除藻效率高,筛网过滤-浓缩-卧螺离心机脱水成藻泥的藻水分离工艺较为理想,藻泥含水率仅为89％。2011年5-10月在巢湖运用上述方法清除湖面水华蓝藻,共处理富藻水1．6万m3,得到藻泥970t,累计清除蓝藻106．7t（干重）。按照所清除蓝藻的总氮、总磷的平均含量计算,相当于从湖中移除了氮6．25t,磷2．1t。表明在富营养湖泊中水华蓝藻大量暴发时,采用上述方法除藻,对控制蓝藻水华污染,有效降低内源氮、磷等污染物负荷具有十分重要的作用。     

巢湖蓝藻的机械清除工艺以及藻水分离实验研究简

对巢湖蓝藻进行机械清除以及藻水分离实验研究,实验采用的浮式围栏引导-机械清除-投加剥离液辅助机械清除工艺处理量大,除藻效率高,筛网过滤-浓缩-卧螺离心机脱水成藻泥的藻水分离工艺较为理想,藻泥含水率仅为89%。2011年5—10月在巢湖运用上述方法清除湖面水华蓝藻,共处理富藻水1.6万m³,得到藻泥970 t,累计清除蓝藻106.7 t（干重）。按照所清除蓝藻的总氮、总磷的平均含量计算,相当于从湖中移除了氮6.25 t,磷2.1 t。表明在富营养湖泊中水华蓝藻大量暴发时,采用上述方法除藻,对控制蓝藻水华污染,有效降低内源氮、磷等污染物负荷具有十分重要的作用。     

Factors Influencing Prymnesium parvum Population Dynamics During Bloom Initiation: Results from In-lake Mesocosm Experiments1

Roelke, Daniel L., Leslie Schwierzke, Bryan W. Brooks, James P. Grover, Reagan M. Errera, Theodore W. Valenti, Jr., and James L. Pinckney, 2010. Factors Influencing Prymnesium parvum Population Dynamics During Bloom Initiation: Results from In-Lake Mesocosm Experiments. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):76-91. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00392.x Abstract: The alga Prymnesium parvum forms large fish-killing blooms in many Texas lakes. In some of these lakes, however, P. parvum occurs but does not develop blooms. In this study, we investigated factors that may influence bloom initiation by conducting a series of in-lake experiments involving mixing of waters from Lake Whitney, which has a history of P. parvum blooms, with waters from Lake Waco where no blooms have occurred. In all experiments, the addition of Lake Waco waters resulted in a poorer performance of P. parvum. Various experimental treatments and field data show that differences in grazing, pathogens, nutrients, and salts between the two lakes were not likely factors that contributed to this observation. Industrial and agricultural contaminants, allelochemicals and algicidal chemicals were not measured as a part of this research. However, anthropogenic contaminants other than nutrients were not observed at levels exceeding water quality standards in Lake Waco in recent years. On the other hand, nuisance cyanobacteria are common in Lake Waco, where Microcystis sp. and Anabaena sp. were abundant during the initiation of our experiments, both taxa are known to produce chemicals with allelopathic properties. In addition, the emergent field of algal-heterotrophic bacteria interactions suggests that chemicals produced by heterotrophic bacteria should not be overlooked. Further research focusing on the chemical interactions between cyanobacteria and P. parvum, as well as the potential role of algicidal bacteria, in the initiation of P. parvum blooms is necessary, as it may be important to the management of these blooms.     

Development of a combined isotopic and mass-balance approach to determine dissolved organic carbon sources in eutrophic reservoirs

A combined mass-balance and stable isotope approach was set up to identify and quantify dissolved organic carbon (DOC) sources in a DOC-rich (9 mg L⁻¹) eutrophic reservoir located in Western France and used for drinking water supply (so-called Rophemel reservoir). The mass-balance approach consisted in measuring the flux of allochthonous DOC on a daily basis, and in comparing it with the effective (measured) DOC concentration of the reservoir. The isotopic approach consisted, for its part, in measuring the carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C values) of both allochthonous and autochthonous DOC sources, and comparing these values with the δ¹³C values of the reservoir DOC. Results from both approaches were consistent pointing out for a DOC of 100% allochthonous origin. In particular, the δ¹³C values of the DOC recovered in the reservoir (−28.5 ± 0.2‰; n = 22) during the algal bloom season (May-September) showed no trace of an autochthonous contribution (δ¹³C in algae = −30.1 ± 0.3‰; n = 2) being indistinguishable from the δ¹³C values of allochthonous DOC from inflowing rivers (−28.6 ± 0.1‰; n = 8). These results demonstrate that eutrophication is not responsible for the high DOC concentrations observed in the Rophemel reservoir and that limiting eutrophication of this reservoir will not reduce the potential formation of disinfection by-products during water treatment. The methodology developed in this study based on a complementary isotopic and mass-balance approach provides a powerful tool, suitable to identify and quantify DOC sources in eutrophic, DOC-contaminated reservoirs.