Nuisance algae characterization and management West M. Bishop
Algae Scientist and Water Quality Research Manager
SePRO Corporation SePRO Research and Technology Campus, 16013 Watson Seed Farm Rd., Whitakers, NC 27891 252-801-1623 (mobile);
[email protected] (email)
Outline 1. Identification/ Classification/ Description 2. Negative Impacts 3. Proactive Management 4. Reactive Management
Game:
Algae or Not?
Algae or not
• Colonial Hydroid (animal)
– With zoochlorellae symbiont algae
Algae or not
• Paramecium – Protist
Algae or not
• Bryozoan – Animal
Algae or not
• Paralemanea – Red alga
Algae or not
• Plant
– Coontail
Algae or not
• Green algae
– Chlorococcum
Algae or not
• Bryophyte
– Aquatic Moss (Fontinalis)
The Algae
The Algae • Diverse Classification (many kingdoms)
• Elaborate Characteristics
• No true roots, stems or leaves • >> 30,000 described species • Identification – Important in determining management
Introduction to Algae Phyla • Chlorophyta
• Charophyta (Streptophyta)
– Green algae
– Plant like, erect/ desmids
• Cyanophyta – Blue-green algae
• Euglenophyta – Flagellated, eye spot (some red)
Introduction to Algae Phyla • Dinophyta – Dinoflagellates, transverse flagellum
• Bacillariophyta – Diatoms, silica wall
• Chryso/ Synurophyceae – Yellow-green, Heterkonts
• Haptophyta – Golden algae
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Lyngbya
Cyanophyta
filamentous, toxin/taste and odor producer, mucilaginous, mat-former
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Prymnesium parvum “golden alga”
Haptophyta
Unicellular, toxin producer, planktonic, flagellated
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Microcystis, Anabaena
Cyanophyta
Colonial or filamentous, toxin producer, mucilaginous, planktonic, scum-former
(Dolichospermum)
Aphanizomenon, Planktothrix, etc.
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Euglena
Euglenophyta
Unicellular, potential toxin-producer, planktonic, scum-former, flagellated
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Spirogyra “silk algae”
Streptophyta
Filamentous, two part wall, mat-former
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Pithophora “Cotton algae, Horsehair algae”
Chlorophyta
Filamentous, mat-former, branched, Akinetes
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Nostoc
Cyanophyta
Colonial, softer gel balls, toxin
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Aphanothece stagnina
Cyanophyta
Colonial, hard gel balls
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Chara “Muskgrass”
Charophyta
Plant-like, smelly, rough
(Streptophyta)
The bad
The good?
Fisheries
Problematic Algae Drinking/ irrigation
Algal impacts
Economic
Flood control/ navigation Property values/ tourism
Toxins/ taste & odor compounds
Ecological
Disrupt habitat/ Outcompete beneficial Water characteristics
(Speziale et al. 1991; Falconer 1996; WHO 2003)
Algae Impacts • Secondary Compounds – Toxins • • • •
Hepatotoxins “liver” Neurotoxins “brain” LPS “stomach” Aplysiatoxins “skin”
– Taste and odor • Geosmin “dirty” • MIB “fishy”
Harr et al. 2008
Hepatotoxins
Microcystins, Nodularin, Cylindrospermopsin
Microcystins LR
(Also nephrotoxin; affects kidneys)
Neurotoxins Anatoxins, Saxitoxin, Neosaxitoxin, BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine) Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy (AVM)
Parkinsons Dementia Complex (PDC) and Alzheimer’s
Elk deaths
Taste and Odor Compounds Geosmin
2-methylisoborneol (MIB) Human senses can detect ~10 ppt in water
Watson, 2003
cyc Hep Hex Htd Merc Nonenal Ott tri-meth
b-cyclocitral heptadec-cis-ene cis-3-hexane-1-ol hepta-trans, cis 2,4,dienal isopropyl mercaptan 2-trans-nonenol Octa-trans, cis 1,3,5-triene trimethylamine
Toxins
What you did not want to know…
From Hudnell 2010
Who is impacted? • Dogs – Mahmood et al. 1988, Gunn et al. 1992, Edwards et al. 1992, Wood et al. 2007, Puschner et al. 2008
• Cows – Kerr 1987; Mez et al. 1997; Loda et al. 1999
• Pigs, ducks – Cook et al. 1989
• Sheep – Carbis et al. 1995
Are we safe if no toxin detected? • Toxin production is intermittent • Shown to be toxic but no toxin has been isolated and characterized • Coelosphaerium, Cylindrospermopsis, Fischerella, Gloeotrichia, Gomphosphaeria, Hapalosiphon, Microcoleus, Schizothrix, Scytonema, Spirulina, Symploca, Tolypothrix, Trichodesmium (Scott 1991; Skulberg et al. 1992b)
• New toxin classes • Lyngbyaureidamides, nodulopeptins, jamaicamides, aeruginosins (Edwards et al. 2004; Ishida et al. 2009; Zi et al. 2012; Schumacher et al. 2012)
Are we safe if close the lake?
What about flushing?
How are we exposed?
Potential toxin exposure routes Recreation Food consumption
Inhalation Drinking
Exposure Analysis Toxin Group
Toxin Name
Exposure Signs & Symptoms
Hepatotoxins (liver/kidney)
Microcystins
Numbness of lips, tingling in fingers/toes, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, jaundice, shock, abdominal pain/distention, weakness, nausea/vomiting, severe thirst, rapid/weak pulse, acute pneumonia
Nodularins Cylindrospermopsin
Neurotoxins (brain)
Anatoxins Saxitoxins β-Methylamino-Lalanine
Dermatitis/Gastrointestin al (skin/digestive)
Aplysiatoxins Lipopolysaccharides
Tingling, burning, numbness, drowsiness, incoherent speech, paralysis, weakness, staggering, convulsions, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, muscle twitching, gasping, backward arching of neck in birds, and death Rash, redness, burning, skin irritation, acute dermatitis, hives, blisters, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea
Lyngbyatoxin modified Codd et al. 1999; WHO 1999; Graham 2007, Jewet et al. 2008
What about the fish? Microcystin LR exposure: • Damaged gonad tissue in fish – Lesions, cell apoptosis, and testicular ultrastructure alteration • Trinchet et al. 2011; Zhao et al., 2012; Qiao et al. 2013
• Endrochrine disruption • Rogers et al. 2011
• Decrease growth/ immune function of juvenile fish (adult exposure) • Liu et al. 2014
• Kills Fish embryos • Developmental defects and physiological stress • Oberemm et al. 1997; Wang et al. 2005
Proactive management
2007 EPA National Lakes Assessment • 46% of waters are eutrophic/hyper-eutrophic
Natural
Man Made
• Nutrient levels are second biggest issue threatening waters • Regulations – NPDES Carpenter, S.R. 2008. Phosphorus control is critical to mitigating eutrophication. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:11039–11040.
Statistical assessment of health of ponds, lakes, reservoirs
Sources of Nutrients • • • • • • • •
Fertilizer Pet waste Wildlife Livestock/agriculture Municipal wastewater Industrial effluent Atmospheric deposition Internal cycling – Sediment nutrient pump
NPDES Section 2.2.2 b. Pest Management Options
Intensity of Management • Biomass correlation – Liebig’s law of the minimum – Critical burden • Mass/mass relationship • Rate calculation Schindler, D.W., Hecky, R. E., Findlay, D. L., Stainton, M. P., Parker, B. R., Paterson, M., Beaty, K. G., Lyng, M. & Kasian, S. E. M. 2008 Eutrophication of lakes cannot be controlled by reducing nitrogen input: results of a 37 year whole ecosystem experiment. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 11 254–11 258.
Phosphorus is key
Watson et al. 1997
Cyanobacteria and phosphorus • Fix Nitrogen (dependent on P availability) – (Paerl 1990, 1991; Stewart and Alexander 1971)
• Low N:P ratio dominate – (Smith 1983; Seale et al. 1987; Ghadouani et al 2003)
• Migrate to sediments to acquire phosphorus – (Perakis et al. 1996; Barbiero and Welch 1992)
• Store phosphorus – (Ganf and Oliver 1982; Kromkamp et al 1989)
• Rapidly uptake – (Jacobson and Halman 1982)
Phosphorus Management Options • In situ management – Aluminum sulfate (Alum, non-specific, pH/other impacts) – Lanthanum modified bentonite (Phoslock®, specific, no buffer, permanent) – Algaecide combined with phosphorus remover (SeClear) – Polymers (Floc Log, Chitosan) – Iron (non-specific, release)/ Calcium (high pH only, release)
• Other – Aeration (oxygenate benthic layers) – Dredging (remove/re-suspension possible) – Bacteria
Phosphorus Mitigation Efficacy • • • •
8.2 surface acres; Lake Lorene, WA Avg. depth 5 feet, max. depth 12 feet Multi-purpose lake, community focal point Cyanobacteria blooms, toxins (mcy >2,000 ppb; atx >100ppt)
Lake Lorene, WA Summary
August 2011
Phosphorus Summary 120.0 TP
100.0
FRP
ug/L
80.0 60.0
July 2012
40.0 20.0 0.0 6/11/2012
7/11/2012
8/11/2012
9/11/2012
10/11/2012
Lanthanum/Bentonite (Phoslock®) Application
Discussion/Summary • Phosphorus amount and stoichiometric ratios with other nutrients are key factors in water resource management • Phosphorus is tied to intensity of management and promotes nuisance algae • In situ mitigation is critical to address cause of negative water quality – Legacy P
• Phosphorus mitigation integration can have significant impacts
Reactive Management
Control Techniques • Action Options • Mechanical • harvesters, sonication
• Physical • dyes, aeration, raking, flushing
• Biological • bacteria, grass carp, tilapia
• Chemical
Mechanical • Pros – Remove biomass and nutrients – Can open channels rapidly
• Cons – Selective efficiency • Algae type and location in water
– Fragment and spread – Increase turbidity and suspend legacy nutrients – Operational feasibility
Physical: Aeration • Pros – Organisms breath oxygen – Take the cyanobacteria buoyancy (scum) advantage out of play – Keep circulated to select for better types of algae.. usually – Oxygenated benthic zone to decrease internal phosphorus cycling, other sediment gas release
• Cons? – Temperature increase throughout water column – Carbon addition – Circulate nutrients from benthic zones
Turbulent mixing • Huisman et al. 2005
Pretty good mixing, still toxic cyanos
Algae name
Phylum
Characteristics
Raphidiopsis /Anabaena planctonica
Cyanophyta
Unicellular, planktonic, growing in moving water
Physical: Light • Absorb light at different wavelengths – Reflect different colors
• Different functions • Diagnostic of different groups • Carotenoids Algal Pigment
– Carotenes v. xanthophylls
• Chlorophylls • Phycobilins
Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll b
Divisions of algae and pigments they contain
Chlorophyta (Green algae)
Cyanophyta (Cyanobacte ria)
Bacillariophy ta (Diatoms)
Pyrrophyta (Dinoflagella tes)
Haptophyta (Golden algae)
X
X
X
X
X
X
Fucoxanthin
X
Peridinin Phycocyanin
X X
X
X
Dyes
Light Absorbance Spectrum: SePRO Blue 0.0200 SePRO Blue 64oz/4AF
0.0180
Absorbance (OD)
0.0160 0.0140 0.0120 0.0100 0.0080 0.0060 0.0040 0.0020 0.0000 350
400
450
500
550
600
Light Wavelength
650
700
750
800
Shade balls
Biological • Preferences – Grass carp prefer to eat Hydrilla 55x > Lyngbya (Dyck 1994)
• Increase turbidity • Viability of algae • Suspend legacy nutrients
Chemical • Diquat Dibromide – PSI inhibition
• Endothall
– Proteins and lipid disruption
• Peroxides • PPO’s • Copper
– Chelated v. free ion
• Adjuvants
Risk-based Analysis Cyano toxins
Copper
• No good level to have • EPA candidate contaminate list drinking water; HA listings • WHO guidelines in recreational water • WHO possible carcinogen list • Accumulates through time • ALS, PDS, Alzheimer's link • Caused deaths of cows, elk, dogs, birds, people etc.
• Essential nutrient – Hemocyanin – Suggested Daily Intake (2mg)
• High affinity to algae • 26th most abundant element in Earths Crust • Does not bio-accumulate • Transfers to less available sediment forms through time • No swimming/ drinking/ irrigation restrictions on label
No Action • Risks of no treatment – Water quality degradation – More toxin produced • More risk • Eventually released anyway • Leaky cell mindset flawed
– Chronic exposure potential – Hot spot exposure potential – Wildlife…..
Chorus and Bartram 1999
Action • Risks of treatment – Dead algae biomass • But going to die anyway
– Product risks to non-targets • Select high affinity to target
– Toxin biodegradation/ dilution • Total toxin decreases with effective treatment • No chronic or concentrated exposure potential • Leaky cell hypothesis?
How copper works (dose) • Electron transport chain disruption (Jursinic and Stemler 1983)
• Combine with glutathione (GSH) prevents cell division (Stauber and Florence 1997) • Inhibits enzyme catalase and others, free radical susceptibility (Stauber and Florence 1997) • Interfere with cell permeability and binding of essential elements (Sunda and Huntsman 1983)
Copper Formulation Matters Infused copper 0.16
1.25
0.14 0.12
mg copper Infused
2.5
*^ *^
5
*^
7.5
0.1
10
0.08 *^
0.06 0.04
^
0.02 0
XTR 1 Chelate
Ultra 2 Chelate
Treatment formulation
CopperCSsulfate
Copper myths • Kills all non-target organisms – Minimal direct non-target species toxicity • Rapid algae binding • Rare to achieve the exposure duration to fish/inverts
• Builds up to toxic levels – Typically transfers to sediment and less available forms through time
• Lyse algae cells – Not necessarily – Some forms more likely (copper sulfate), rate matters
Peroxide algaecides • Oxidize cell membranes and other organic compounds • Can be more effective on some blue-green algae • Breaks down into oxygen and water • Relatively safe to desirable non-target species
Peroxide
• Yes
– Kills many algae and some bacteria • Mats = tougher
– Relative safety to non-targets – NSF and OMRI certified (many formulations)
• Myths – Does not oxidize sheath – Does not oxidize (much) toxin – There is resistance potential Pyo and Yoo 2011
Drinking Water Reservoir: Algae control
Pre-treatment: Pre-treat High density filter clogging cyanobacteria
Post-treatment (PAK® 27): 10DAT Increased water clarity – significant control
Treatment Response 100% 90%
Taxonomic Proportion
80% 70% 60% Cyanophyta
50%
Synurophyta
40%
Euglenophyta
30%
Charophyta
20%
Chlorophyta
10% 0%
Time
Summary • Algae are diverse and becoming more problematic in freshwater resources • Algae can restrict uses of a water resource and pose threats to wildlife and humans • Both Proactive and Reactive techniques should be considered for efficient algae management • Algae characteristics, algaecide formulation, and water chemistry can all impact control
Questions
West Bishop; Algae Scientist and Water Quality Research Manager SePRO Research and Technology Campus, 16013 Watson Seed Farm Rd., Whitakers, NC 27891
252-801-1623 (mobile);
[email protected] (email)