Evaluation of methods to treat ballast water - Evaluation of methods to treat ballast water

Annual report VISTA 2008

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: Johnsen, Ståle

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.

Status:

This project is focusing on four areas of disinfection efficiency. Particle protection of marine bacteria, recolonization, live/dead detection and ballast water transport of bacteria.

One article is published (Biotic and abiotic particles protect marine heterotrophic bacteria during UV and ozone disinfection). One will be submitted shortly (Recolonisation by heterotrophic bacteria after UV irradiation or ozonation of seawater; a simulation of ballast water treatment). The two others are in the start phase were preliminary experiments has been performed and literature collection has just started.

The project was extended with 8 months and the new termination date is 02.09.09.

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.