Relationship between petroleum hydrocarbon and plankton in a mesocosm experiment

~IOXWith economic development and consumer demand, oil pollutants have been one of themain marine pollutants in the coastal regal Of China. The oil-contaminated area incrsharply to 69% in 1995 and its average criterion index reached up to 2. 17 in the ChangjiangEstuary (NBEP, 1996). TO assess the influences Of the oil POllutants on the marine ~tern, it is neceSSary to develOP a mathematical kinetic model of the tranSport, distribution andfate in the marine ~teln, espeCially to esthate …

Relationship between petroleum hydrocarbon and plankton in a mesocosm experiment

A mesocosm experiment was carried out from May 26 to June 1, 1998 at the location of 30'52'N, 122'36'E, the Changjiang Estuary, in order to measure the influence of petroleum hydrocar- bon to the ecosystem, furthermore, to estimate the environmental capacity. In the experiment, it is found that the petroleum hydrocarbon can, in some degree, enhance the growth of diatom, but inhibit the growth of dinoflagellate. In general, the petroleum hydrocarbon can inhibit the growth of both Phytoplankton and zooplankton, and can the inhibit the growth of total plankton (including phytoplankton and zooplankton) as well. A kinetic model was presented to estimate the uptake/release rate constants of petroleum hydrocarbon by plankton, and thereafter, the uptake and release rate constants (k1, k2), bioconcentration factor (BCF) as well as the petroleum bydrocarbon influenced influenced uptake and release rate constants of nutrients by phytoplankton (kup, krel) were obtained. The results imply that the bioconcentration of petroleum hydrocarbon by plankton is fairly large and petroleum hydrocarbon caused no significant influence on the uptake of N- NO3, but significant influence on that of P -PO4. In addition, the application of kinetic model for the bioconcentration of volatile organic toxic compound by organism suggests that the uptake of petroleum hydrocarbon by plankton was an important process for the environmental capacity of petroleum hydrocarbon.