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Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG). Phytoplankton and Cyanobacteria in Bathing Waters. Andreas Gründel AquaLife 2010 2nd June 2010 KITZ, Kiel. Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG). Contents. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water
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Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) Phytoplankton and Cyanobacteria in Bathing Waters Andreas Gründel AquaLife 2010 2nd June 2010 KITZ, Kiel
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) Contents • EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water • Implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive in Hessen • Determination and analysis of the biomass of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria • Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters cyanobacteria blooms in Diemeltalsperre 2
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 1. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water • bathing lakes are a European issue • to protect the environment and human health the EU has passed a comprehensive set of regulations regarding: • 1. the monitoring and classification of bathing waters • 2. the management of bathing waters with regard to quality • 3. the release of information to the public on bathing water quality • these tasks are the responsibility of the member states, who also have to transfer the data to the European Commission and publish comprehensive information on bathing water quality 3
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 1. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water • The analysis and classification of bathing waters is based on the micro-biological parameters • Intestinal Enterococca • Escherichia coli • which as indicator bacteria show faecal pollution by birds and mammals. • The analysis of bathing water is classified as: excellent, good, sufficient or poor quality • For the management of the bathing water, a profile for each bathing water site has to be compiled. This profile contains: • a description of all the relevant characteristics of the bathing water • analysis of all hygienically relevant causes of pollution • a risk assessment of the mass proliferation of cyanobacteria • a risk assessment of the mass proliferation of phytoplankton and/or macro-algae 4
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 1. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-of-bathing-water-1/bathing-water-data-viewer This website provides detailed information on bathing water quality in the EU 5
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 1. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water The member states must submit a bathing water profile for each site by 24th March 2011. These bathing water profiles must, if appropriate, describe the proliferation of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria. 6
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 2. Implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive in Hessen • Bathing Water Regulation from 21st July 2008 • responsible authorities are the Local Health Authorities • analysing and classifying bathing water quality, providing information to the public and compiling the bathing water profiles is performed by the Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) • the Hessian Ministry for the Environment provides the data to the European Commission via the Federal Ministry for the Enivronment • the current results from 64 bathing water have been published under: http://badeseen.hlug.de/ 7
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 2. Implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive in Hessen • 64 bathing water sites were investigated in Hessen during the bathing season of 2009 • ... from these, the following information was passed on to the European Commission: • 51 bathing water sites withexcellent water quality • 13 nathing water sites with good water quality • 8 bathing sites showed dominant cyanobacteria development • measures: bathing warning and/or introduction of monitoring programmes for more detailed analysis of the bathing waters 8
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 2. Implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive in Hessen Bathing water profiles are currently being compiled in Hessen, including an indication of the current situation and the perspective of mass proliferation of cyanobacteria and phytoplanktonin bathing waters. The determination of the biomass of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria is necessary for this evaluation. 9
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 3. Determination and analysis of the biomass of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria • possible procedure for the determination of phytoplankton • depth visibility rapid determination at site, unspecific • microscopic count exact determination of biomass, laboarious and time-consuming • chlorophyll content according to DIN 38412 L 16 good approximation of biomass, however no algae differentiation • fluorometric measurement of chlorophyll content field method, determination of biomass and cyanobacteria content at site 10
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 3. Determination and analysis of the biomass of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria On-site measurement of chlorophyll and cyanobacteria using the bbe AlgaeTorch The EU Bathing Water Directive prescribes no method and limit values for the determination and analysis of cyanobacteria and phytoplankton. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment provides recommendations for the protection of bathers against cyanotoxins (Bundesgesundheitsbl. 2003 . 46:530-538) 11
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 3. Determination and analysis of the biomass of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria An example of phytoplankton measurement in a polytrophic lowland lake using DIN chlorophyll-a, microscopic counting and depth visibility 12
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters Example of monitoring of a bathing water using measurements of chlorophyll content and amount of cyanobacteria in the “BUGA-See” in Kassel 13
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters Management measures when cyanobacteria blooms occur Attention To all bathers Due to current investigation results we have issued a precautionary bathing warning. If however you still wish to bathe, you should pay attention to the following: In the “BUGA-See“ at the moment there is a mass proliferation of blue-green algae due to a high concentration of nutrients. You can recognise this by the strong, greenish turbidity and the noticable smears. These cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) can be toxic and cause skin irritations! The toxic effect can increase when you swallow increased amounts of water containing algae. This is why: you should avoid swallowing water when bathing/swimming! you should avoid particularly affected bathing areas! babies and small children are particularly at risk! If symptoms occur after bathing (skin irritation or wheals, sickness, breathlessness), consult your doctor immediately. And: dogs are other warm-blooded animals are also at risk. Additionally, please note that the microbiological investigation results have yet not shown any noticeable problems. Regional Health Authority Kassel Temporary bathing warning or bathing ban 14
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters Management measures when cyanobacteria blooms occur Introduction of detailed investigations to minimse the nutrient load in the catchment area of the bathing water An increase in total phosphorous and decrease nitrate uptake facilitates cyanbacteria blooms 15
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) 4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters Management measures when cyanobacteria blooms occur • Possible measures to reduce blooms of cyanobacteria in a reservoir: • reduction of diffuse substance load from agricultureconservational soil cultivation intercropping directional cultivation methods mulch seed • reduction of nutrient load from wastewater treatment plantsextension of phosphorus precipitation in treatment plants sanitation of sewage pipes • structural measurescreation of a sufficient amount of river bank space planting of natural river bank woodland development of nature-oriented waters 16
Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG) Many thanks for your attention and happy bathing in 2010 17