Evaluation of methods to treat ballast water - Biannual report Vista 2009

Biannual report VISTA 2009

Project title Evaluation of methods to treat ballast water

Project director: Vadstein, Olav, Dept. Biotechnology, NTNU

Post-doc/ scholar: Hess-Erga, Ole-Kristian

Project duration: 01.08.05 - 2.09.09

Technical contact person in Statoil:

Division head: Mostad, Helle Brit

Project number: 6147

Object

It is well documented that ballast water has been the cause of unwanted introduction of marine organisms. When the organisms are discharged into new environments, they may become invasive and severely disrupt native ecology, impact economic activities such as fisheries and cause disease and even death in humans. With this as background, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted a ballast water convention in February 2004 and by doing so initiated further development of ballast water treatment technology. Our project focus on these matters and the main object will be to evaluate two methods to treat ballast water and how to monitor the efficiency. The one sure measurement of treatment success will be the discrimination between live and dead organisms and this will be one of the projects greatest challenges. An array of test assays with different approaches will be needed to explore this problem. In addition, we will investigate regrowth of heterotrophic bacteria, substrate modification and generation.

Status:

This project is focusing on four areas of disinfection efficiency. Particle protection of marine bacteria, recolonization, substrate modification/generation and ballast water transport of bacteria.

One article is published (Biotic and abiotic particles protect marine heterotrophic bacteria during UV and ozone disinfection). One manuscript is resubmitted for review (Recolonisation by heterotrophic bacteria after UV irradiation or ozonation of seawater; a simulation of ballast water treatment). A review manuscript (Introduction of bacteria by ballast water and possible effects of disinfection) are in preparation. Due to difficulties with live/dead detection of bacteria, we chose to work further with substrate generation results from the recolonization manuscript. These results initiated an experiment where dissolved organic matter (DOM) modification and substrate utilization were studied. Some DOM analyses remains and the manuscript (DOM characterization of UV irradiated seawater) is in preparation.

I am planning to hand in the thesis late October this year.

Publications:

Hess-Erga, O-K., Attramadal, K.J.K., Vadstein, O. 2008. Biotic and abiotic particles protect marine heterotrophic bacteria during UV and ozone disinfection. Aquat. Biol. 4:147-154.

Resubmitted:

Hess-Erga, O-K., Blomvågnes-Bakke, B., Vadstein, O. Recolonisation by heterotrophic bacteria after UV irradiation or ozonation of seawater; a simulation of ballast water treatment.

In prep:

Hess-Erga, O-K., Enger, Ø., Vadstein, O. Introduction of bacteria by ballast water and possible effects of disinfection.

Hess-Erga, O-K., Aachmann, F., Christensen, B.E., Bruheim, P., Vadstein, O. DOM characterization of UV irradiated seawater.