Cyanobacteria Growth in Nitrogen- & Phosphorus-Spiked Water from a Hypereutrophic Reservoir in Kentucky, USA

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hughes SE ; Marion JW
• Description:
  Cyanobacteria may adversely impact aquatic ecosystems through oxygen depletion and cyanotoxin production. These cyanotoxins can also harm human health and livestock. In recent years, cyanobacterial blooms have been observed in several drinking water reservoirs in Kentucky, United States. In Kentucky, the paradigm is that phosphorous is the limiting nutrient for cyanobacteria growth. To explore this paradigm, an indoor microcosm study was conducted using hypereutrophic Guist Creek Lake water. Samples were collected and spiked with various combinations of locally used agricultural grade fertilizers, including ammonium nitrate, urea, and triple phosphate (calcium dihydrogen phosphate). Samples were incubated indoors for the photoperiod-specific to the time of the year. Cyanobacteria density, measured by phycocyanin, did not demonstrate increased growth with the addition of phosphate fertilizer alone. Cyanobacteria growth was enhanced in these conditions by the combined addition of ammonium nitrate, urea, and phosphorus fertilizer. Growth also occurred when using either ammonium nitrate or urea fertilizer with no additional phosphorus input, suggesting that phosphorus was not limiting the cyanobacteria at the time of sample collection. The addition of both nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and urea) at the concentrations used in this study, in the absence of phosphorus, was deleterious to both the Chlorophyta and cyanobacteria. The results suggest further studies using more robust experimental designs are needed to explore lake-specific dual nutrient management strategies for preventing cyanobacterial blooms in this phosphorus-rich hypereutrophic lake and possibly other hypereutrophic lakes. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Environmental Pollution Fertilizers Occupational Health Phosphorous Compounds Safety
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Chemicals Author Keywords: Nutrient Limitation Bacteria Cyanobacteria Bloom Ecological Systems Environmental Contamination Environmental Impacts Eutrophication Fertilization Harmful Algal Bloom Nitrate Loading Phosphorous Loading Phosphorus Primary Productivity

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• ISSN:
  2152-2197
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSI - Division of Science Integration
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  75-89
• Volume:
  12
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062104
• Citation:
  J Environ Prot 2021 Feb; 12(2):75-89
• Contact Point Address:
  Jason W. Marion, Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Health Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, USA
• Email:
  jason.marion@eku.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ammonium nitrate (CAS RN 6484-52-2) ; Calcium dihydrogen phosphate (CAS RN 7758-23-8) ; Nitrogen (CAS RN 7727-37-9) ; Phosphorus (CAS RN 7723-14-0) ; Urea (CAS RN 57-13-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Environmental Protection
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f34487c8bda0ef241cfc28a5a0468f2d87e06735154b4297aea87e0e26073af8be17695018c7d247e3593b0d78795d7b63b3e8f0f14941e5ccadb3df8c100eb1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225417/cdc_225417_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 896.50 KB ]