Marijana Pećarević

Pilot Studies of Ozonation for Inactivation of Artemia salina Nauplii in Ballast Water

A pilot-plant study was conducted in the Republic of Croatia to determine the applicability of ozonation for inactivation of non-indigenous species and to provide necessary information regarding use of ozone as a ballast water treatment option. Nauplii of the brine shrimp Artemia salina were used as model organisms to investigate the efficacy of ozonation at three different ozone dosages (2.4, 3.7 and 10.9 mg L−1). Mortality of Artemia nauplii at 98.6%, was achieved after 3 h of exposure in ozone-treated water with the highest ozone dosage. Our results indicated that ozonation is a promising treatment for controlling non-indigenous and potentially invasive species; however, to draw more general conclusions, several species with higher level of resistance to ozone are required and will be studied in the future.

Status of faecal pollution in ports: A basin-wide investigation in the Adriatic Sea

Ports are subject to a variety of anthropogenic impacts, and there is mounting evidence of faecal contamination through several routes. Yet, little is known about pollution in ports by faecal indicator bacteria (FIB). FIB spatio-temporal dynamics were assessed in 12 ports of the Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed basin under strong anthropogenic pressure, and their relationships with environmental variables were explored to gain insight into pollution sources. FIB were abundant in ports, often more so than in adjacent areas; their abundance patterns were related to salinity, oxygen, and nutrient levels. In addition, a molecular method, quantitative (q)PCR, was used to quantify FIB. qPCR enabled faster FIB determination and water quality monitoring that culture-based methods. These data provide robust baseline evidence of faecal contamination in ports and can be used to improve the management of routine port activities (dredging and ballast water exchange), having potential to spread pathogens in the sea.