High rate algal pond operating strategies for urban wastewater nitrogen removal

Two experimental high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) (1.5m², 570 L per unit), each with a secondaryclarifier for algal biomass separation (0.025 m²,without recirculation), were fed with urban wastewaterfor a one-year period (June 1993 to July 1994). TheHRAPs were installed on the roof of the Department ofHydraulic, Coastal and Environmental Engineering ofthe Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona,Spain (lat. 41^° 24 42 N; long. 2^° 742 E). Nitrogen removal efficiency and changes intotal nitrogen, total organic nitrogen,NH₄ ⁺-N, and oxidized nitrogen underdifferent hydraulic retention times (HRTs) werecompared. HRAP A was always operated at a higherHRT than HRAP B. Both HRAPs were subjected to thesame environmental conditions of solar radiation, airtemperature and influent water quality. Grab samplesof influent, effluent of the HRAP (mixed liquor) andfinal effluent from the clarifiers were taken once aweek. The annual average nitrogen removal was 73% forHRAP A, and 57% for HRAP B. Higher removal in HRAP Awas due to a lower inorganic nitrogen concentration inits effluent. Significant differences (p> 0.05) inthe relative proportions of nitrogen forms between thetwo HRAPs were observed only in autumn and winter.This was mainly because HRAP B did not achieve a highlevel of NH₄ ⁺-N removal by stripping andalgal uptake, as observed in HRAP A. NH₄ ⁺-Nstripping was the most important mechanism fornitrogen removal (mean efficiency of 47% and 32% inHRAP A and B, respectively) followed by algal uptake,and subsequent algal separation in the clarifiers(mean efficiency of 26% and 25% in HRAP A and Brespectively). The conclusion of this study is thatHRT determines both the nitrogen removal efficiencyand the distribution of nitrogen forms in the effluentof a HRAP. The nitrogen removal level can becontrolled through suitable HRT operating strategies.By operating at a HRT of 4 days in spring and summer,and 10 days in autumn and winter, nitrogenconcentration in the effluent of a HRAP system can bereduced to less than 15 mg L^-1 N.     

Biological interactions in enclosed plankton communities including Alexandrium catenella and copepods: Role of phosphorus

A microcosm approach was used to test whether: a) growth under unbalanced nutrient conditions (varying N:P ratios) affected the susceptibility of a phytoplankton community including the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella (a paralytic shellfish toxin producer) to mesozooplankton grazing, and b) the potential effects of unbalanced nutrient conditions were mediated by changes in toxicity of A. catenella or by other mechanisms. The experimental setup consisted of fifteen 30 l microcosms, filled with water from the Barcelona Harbour and subjected to treatments combining nutrient inputs at three different N:P ratios (Redfield N:P ratio or nutrient-balanced, high N:P and low N:P), addition or omission of A. catenella (an estimated initial concentration of 38 A. catenella cells ml^− 1, a value typical for blooms in harbours of the Catalan coast), and selective addition of a cultured population of Acartia grani. P sufficiency had a strong positive effect on the growth of A. grani, both with or without A. catenella addition, presumably due to enhanced food quality of the prey community. The presence of this copepod resulted in lower concentrations of ciliates, A. catenella, and other dinoflagellates, suggesting active grazing by the copepods. No noxious effects of A. catenella on the copepods were detected at the relatively low cell concentrations of that dinoflagellate used in the experiment.     

Factors Controlling Phytoplankton Blooms in a Temperate Estuary: Nutrient Limitation and Physical Forcing

A combination of enclosure nutrient enrichment experiments and historical data analysis was used to identify the factors controlling seasonal dynamics and competition of the phytoplankton community in the Curonian lagoon (Southeast Baltic Sea). Experiments using different nutrient (N, P and Si) manipulations were performed in 10-l enclosures for 48 h. Changes in chlorophyll a concentrations, inorganic nutrient concentrations, and plankton cell density were monitored. Results revealed that phytoplankton development in the lagoon is strongly affected by ambient physical factors (wind, temperature). Nutrient limitation, however, also plays an important role in seasonal succession mechanisms showing quite distinct seasonal development patterns. Based on the data, available phytoplankton seasonal succession in the Curonian lagoon could be described as composed by three phases corresponding to different domination and regulatory mechanisms.     

稻、麦秸秆对球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa)生长的抑制作用

考查了秸秆及其浸出液对球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa)生长的影响,分析了秸秆附着微生物及秸秆物理吸附作用对秸秆抑藻活性的影响,观察了稻杆浸出液对藻细胞形态的影响。结果显示,一定量的物理破碎稻杆、麦杆及其浸出液均可有效抑制棕囊藻的生长,灭菌与未灭菌秸杆之间抑藻效果相差不大。不同条件处理的秸杆浸出液总酚含量与抑藻作用间均存在很大差异,但两者之间并无明显相关性。原子力显微镜观察发现,秸秆处理组细胞膜破裂、细胞塌陷,结构不完整,细胞粗糙度明显增加。这些结果提示微生物和物理吸附对秸杆抑藻作用的贡献很小,秸秆中存在的或降解产生的抑藻活性成分是秸秆抑藻的主要原因;除了酚酸类物质外,秸杆中可能存在其他可以显著抑制藻类生长的物质;秸秆通过破坏藻细胞的膜结构,导致藻细胞出现空洞,细胞内容物流出,从而抑制或杀灭藻细胞。     

Optimization of algal photobioreactors using flashing lights

It has been reported that flashing light enhances microalgal biomass productivity and overall photosynthetic efficiency. The algal growth kinetics and oxygen production rates under flashing light with various flashing frequencies (5 Hz-37 kHz) were compared with those under equivalent continuous light in photobioreactors. A positive flashing light effect was observed with flashing frequencies over 1 kHz. The oxygen production rate under conditions of flashing light was slightly higher than that under continuous light. The cells under the high frequency flashing light were also observed to be healthier than those under continuous light, particularly at higher cell concentrations. When 37 kHz flashing light was applied to an LED-based photobioreactor, the cell concentration was higher than that obtained under continuous light by about 20%. Flashing light may be a reasonable solution to overcome mutual shading, particularly in high-density algal cultures.     

BIOVOLUME CALCULATION FOR PELAGIC AND BENTHIC MICROALGAE

Microalgal biovolume is commonly calculated to assess the relative abundance (as biomass or carbon) of co-occurring algae varying in shape and/or size. However, a standardized set of equations for biovolume calculations from microscopically measured linear dimensions that includes the entire range of microalgal shapes is not available yet. In comparison with automated methods, the use of microscopical measurements allows high taxonomic resolution, up to the species level, and has fewer sources of error. We present a set of geometric shapes and mathematical equations for calculating biovolumes of >850 pelagic and benthic marine and freshwater microalgal genera. The equations are designed to minimize the effort of microscopic measurement. The similarities and differences between our proposal for standardization and previously published proposals are discussed and recommendations for quality standards given.     

Nitrogen stable isotope ratios in surface sediments, epilithon and macrophytes from upland lakes with differing nutrient status

1. Thirty small upland lakes in Cumbria, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were each visited once during June and July 2000. From each lake, samples of surface sediment epilithon, macrophytes and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were collected for nitrogen stable isotope analysis. As part of a wider programme, samples were also collected for chemical analysis and bioassays. 2. Considerable variation was found in δ¹⁵N values in all measured nitrogen compartments. Some regional variation was evident but was generally weak. Sediment and epilithon δ¹⁵N were positively correlated with δ¹⁵N of TDN, suggesting that baseline nitrogen isotope ratios influence those in some organic matter compartments in the lakes. 3. Sediment δ¹⁵N was higher when inorganic nitrogen concentration in the water was low, possibly reflecting reduced isotope fractionation under these conditions. However, this was not the case for epilithon or macrophytes. Sediment δ¹⁵N values were also negatively related to annual nitrogen deposition. 4. Sediment, epilithon and macrophyte δ¹⁵N values all showed significant relations to nutrient limitation in the lakes as determined by algal bioassays. We suggest that sediment δ¹⁵N might be developed as a simple integrating measure of the degree of nitrogen limitation in lakes.     

DISTRIBUTION,MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND EVIDENCE FOR POLYPLOIDY IN NORTH AMERICAN ZYGNEMATACEAE (CHLOROPHYTA)1

Large-scale collections of Zygnemataceae in the continental United States of America were made between March and August in 1982, 1983, and 1984. Collections were made on a 31000-km transect through 35 states. Zygnemataceae were found at 318 sites was inspected. Temperature average 19°C and p^H averaged 6.1 over all sites. Algal strains in collections were identified to genus, characterized for filament width, chloroplast number, and end wall type, then photographed and isolated into unialgal culture. Spirogyra was the most common genus collected(632 strains), followed in abundance by Zygnema (174 Strains) and Mougeotia (135 strains). These three genera contained 95% of the strains collected and were equally widely distributed. Strains of the three genera frequently occurred together; no genus displayed evidence of habitat specialization among the three habitat types: flowing water, permanent ponds or lakes, and temporary pools. In Spirogyra, strains with plane (flat) end walls were four times more abundant than those with replicate (interlocking) end walls. Spirogyra with plane end walls showed more variation in filament width than Zygnema, Mougeotia, or Spirogyra with replicate end walls. In Spirogyra with plane end walls, filament width was correlted with nuclear DNA content and number of strains found per collection site was twice that of other genera or Spirogyra, with replicate end walls. Spirogyra strains wider than 70 μm were more frequent on the northern part of the transect. It is proposed that polyploidy may be of widespread occurrence in Spirogyra with plane end walls and that associated morphological plasticity may account for the high apparent specied diversity and survival of the genus in a wider variety of microhabitats than occupied by other Zygnemataceae.     

First report of the potentially toxic marine diatom Pseudo‐nitzschia simulans (Bacillariophyceae) from the East Australian Current

Certain species of the marine diatom genus Pseudo‐nitzschia are responsible for the production of the domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin that can bioaccumulate in the food chain and cause amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) in animals and humans. This study extends our knowledge by reporting on the first observation of the potentially toxic species Pseudo‐nitzschia simulans from this region. One clonal strain of P. simulans was isolated from the East Australian Current and characterized using light and transmission electron microscopy, and phylogenetic analyses based on regions of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the D1–D3 region of the large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear‐encoded ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA), as well as examined for DA production as measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Although this strain was non‐toxic under the defined growth conditions, the results unambiguously confirmed that this isolate is the potentially toxic species P. simulans – the first report of this species from the Southern Hemisphere.     

不同斜生栅藻密度下布洛芬浓度对多刺裸腹溞生命表统计学参数的影响

以多刺裸腹溞为受试生物,在较低(0.5×10⁶ cells·mL^-1)、中等(1.0×10⁶ cells·mL^-1)和较高(2.0×10⁶ cells·mL^-1)的斜生栅藻密度下研究了不同浓度(0、0.45、0.9、1.8、3.6、7.2 和14.4 mg·L^-1)的布洛芬对多刺裸腹溞生命表统计学参数的影响.结果表明: 在较低和较高的食物密度下,布洛芬浓度分别对多刺裸腹溞的种群内禀增长率和生命期望具有显著性影响;但在3个食物密度下,布洛芬浓度对多刺裸腹溞的世代时间、净生殖率和总生殖率均无显著性影响.与对照组相比,在较低的食物密度下,暴露于0.45、0.9、3.6和14.4 mg·L^-1布洛芬溶液中的多刺裸腹溞的种群内禀增长率显著降低;在较高的食物密度下,暴露于3.6 和14.4 mg·L^-1布洛芬溶液中的多刺裸腹溞的生命期望显著延长.表明在较低的食物密度下,布洛芬对多刺裸腹溞的种群增长具有不利的影响;但在中等和较高的食物密度下其不利影响消失.在较高的食物密度下,布洛芬对多刺裸腹溞的存活具有促进作用;但在较低和中等食物密度下其促进作用并未出现.布洛芬对多刺裸腹溞部分生命表统计学参数的影响因食物密度的不同而异.