We conducted a shipboard ballast water test using seawater of extreme turbidity collected from Shanghai Port (China) (>300 mg total suspended solids (TSS)/L), and normal seawater collected in other ports (<100 mg TSS/L). All three types of International Maritime Organization (IMO)-approved ballast water management system (BWMS) tested failed to properly operate because of filter clogging or insufficient generation of oxidants under near-fresh water conditions with extremely high concentration of suspended solid during ballasting. It was also found that the number of microorganisms increased with longer ballast water retention time, with higher numbers in the treated discharge water. The results suggest that when operating a BWMS involving a filter unit in areas with water having high concentrations of suspended solids, the filter unit should be used during ballast water discharge, rather than during ballasting. This method has the advantage of removing ≥50 µm organisms at discharge that could not be removed by a filter during ballasting. For ballast water retained for long storage times, the results suggest the use of BWMSs involving UV units or electrolysis during deballasting. In addition, BWMSs involving electrolysis units provide the opportunity to maintain residual total residual oxidant (TRO) levels, using a partial ballast tank. Although the BWMSs tested are a small subset of the large number of IMO-approved BWMSs, the results demonstrate that there is a significant gap between the technology currently available and capacity to meet IMO and US Coast Guard standards.

An in situ mesocosm experiment was performed to investigate the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on the coastal phytoplankton standing stock and species composition of a eutrophic coastal area in the temperate-subtropical region. Experimental treatments of natural seawater included three CO₂ and two temperature conditions (present control: ~400 μatm CO₂ and ambient temperature, acidification conditions: ~900 μatm CO₂ and ambient temperature, and greenhouse conditions: ~900 μatm CO₂ and ambient temperature +3 °C). We found that increased CO₂ concentration benefited the growth of small autotrophic phytoplankton groups: picophytoplankton (PP), autotrophic nanoflagellates (ANF), and small chain-forming diatoms (DT). However, in the greenhouse conditions, ANF and DT abundances were lower compared with those in the acidification conditions. The proliferation of small autotrophic phytoplankton in future oceanic conditions (acidification and greenhouse) also increased the abundance of heterotrophic dinoflagellates (HDF). These responses suggest that a combination of acidification and warming will not only increase the small autotrophic phytoplankton standing stock but, also, lead to a shift in the diatom and dinoflagellate species composition, with potential biogeochemical element cycling feedback and an increased frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms.

This study investigated the changes in concentrations of haloacetic acids (HAAs) and haloacetonitriles (HANs) as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) for different storage times (as long as 20 days) and temperatures (5 to 20°C). A ship’s voyage after treatment of its ballast water with active substances was considered. The HAA showed a clear trend of increasing concentration only with storage time, especially for dibromoacetic acid (DBAA). Dissolved organic nitrogen concentration was increased by the decomposition of dead organisms at 10 days, and then reacted with the remaining total residual oxidants, resulting in increased concentration of DBPs. An environmental risk assessment indicated that DBAN and monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) could have a negative impact on the marine environment. This study suggests that, because all international vessels must have a ballast water management system installed by September, 2024, the conc e ntra tio ns of DBPs, especially DBAN, MCAA, and DBAA, should be monitored in the waters at major international ports.