Phytoplankton hydrocarbons

From observations of the annual variations of dissolved, particulate and phytoplankton hydrocarbons and chlorophyll a content in Mediterranean clean coastal waters, Goutx and Saliot (1980) found a significant correlation (r = 0.63) between total hydrocarbons and chlorophyll a, and this supports the conclusions of Zsolnay for unpolluted areas (upwelling regions). 

Phytofiltration, defined, 3 759t Phytohormones, 13 284 Phytol, 24 550 Phytonadione, 25 794-795 Phytoplankton, fertilizers and, 11 126 Phytopthora palmivora, 13 348 Phytoremediation, 3 784 9 446 in bioremediation, 25 842 defined, 3 759t hydrocarbons, 3 769 Phytostabilization, 3 785 defined, 3 759t... 

McKay WA, Turner MF, Jones BMR, et al. 1996. Emission of hydrocarbons from marine phytoplankton - Some results from controlled laboratory experiments. Atmos Environ 30(14) 2583-2593. 

Freeman KH, Hayes JM (1992) Fractionation of carbon isotopes by phytoplankton and estimates of ancient CO2 levels. Global Biogeochem Cycles 6 185-198 Freeman KH, Hayes JM, Trendel JM, Albrecht P (1990) Evidence from carbon isotope measurements for diverse origins of sedimentary hydrocarbons. Nature 343 254-256 Freyer HD (1979) On the C-record in tree rings, I, C variations in northern hemisphere trees during the last 150 years, TeUus 31 124-137... 

McKay, W. A., M. F. Turner, B. M. R. Jones, and C. M. Halliwell, Emissions of Hydrocarbons from Marine Phytoplankton—Some Results from Controlled Laboratory Experiments, Atmos. Environ., 30, 2583-2593 (1996). 

C from Furnas et al. (1976) for phytoplankton production and from the organic P reported by Nixon (1981) for rivers and sewage using a C P ratio of 106 1 by atoms. Total N and P inputs from Nixon (1981). Sewage includes urban runoff. Metals from rivers and sewage measured by Hunt (unpublished report). Cu in rivers also includes data for small rivers and smaller sewage treatment plants reported by Hoffman and Quinn (1989). Metals from atmosphere estimated from data for nearby areas summarized by Nixon and Lee (in press). Hydrocarbons from Hoffman and Quinn (1989), and E. Hoffman (pers. comm, as reported in Santschi et al. in press) include Mt Hope Bay inputs and area. 

Figure 6.7. Influence of the Barents Sea ecosystem on the dynamics of oil hydrocarbons in seawater. Curves 1 and 2 show the simulation results for phytoplankton (solid curve) and oil hydrocarbons (dashed curve), respectively. Curves 3 and 4 show the yearly distribution of phytoplankton in the southwestern, northern and, northeastern aquatories of the Barents Sea, respectively. From Terziev (1992).

Figure 6.7 indicates that the vegetative period for phytoplankton in the Barents Sea lasts 4.9 months as shown by the ecosystem s contribution to the self-cleaning of oil hydrocarbons (dashed curve). In the case considered, the Barents Sea ecosystem neutralizes about 25% of oil hydrocarbons during the vegetative period. The rest of the time this value oscillates near 3%. Dispersion of these estimates with latitude reaches 53%. For example, in the northern part of the Barents Sea the vegetative... 

Phytoplanktonic microalgae, which are important sources of food in both oceans and fresh water habitats, use an activated form of chemical defense to reduce grazing by predators. Damaged microalgal cells convert unsaturated fatty acids into unsaturated aldehydes which affect reproductive outcomes in herbivorous cope-pods and other planktonic grazers.30 Representative products of these biotransformations include the C10 aldehydes 1 and 2 in the diatom Thalassiosira rotula, and Cg diene hydrocarbons and the trienoic acid aldehyde 3 in Asterionella formosa.31... 

C.A. Marwood, R.E.H. Smith, K.R. Solomon, M.N. Charlton, B.M. Greenberg (1999). Intact and photodified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inhibit photosynthesis in natural assemblages of Lake Erie phytoplankton exposed to solar radiation. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., 44, 322-327. 

Both phytoplankton and zooplankton vary in their sensitivity to whole oil or hydrocarbons in the water column. Plankton are killed by relatively low concentrations of oil, but are present in such numbers that lost individuals are replaced quickly with little detectable disturbance. Plankton also tend to depurate low concentrations of hydrocarbons within days. Some sublethal effects of oil on zooplankton include narcosis, reduced feeding, and disruption of normal responses to light. 

Autenrieth, R.L. and J.V. DePinto. 1991. Desorption of chlorinated hydrocarbons from phytoplankton. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 10 857-872. 

From flux calculations at this Sargasso Sea station, Gagosian and Nigrelli (1979) found that a maximum of 0.05—0.3% of the sterols produced by phytoplankton in surface waters are deposited to the ocean floor. A similar calculation was done for hydrocarbons by Farrington and Tripp (1977) and found to be 0.01—1%. The sterol residence time (the average lifetime of a sterol molecule before it is metabolized) in the euphotic zone was calculated to be approximately one month, whereas the deep-water residence time value was found to be 20—150 years. This monthly turnover of surface water sterols is in contrast with that of more labile dissolved organic compounds such as amino acids whose turnover time has been estimated to be on the order of several days (Lee and Bada, 1977). 

Isoprenoids from phytoplankton The isoprenoid hydrocarbon pristane was found to be present in trace concentrations in different species of marine phytoplankton (Blumer et al., 1971). 

Branched alkenes from phytoplankton Paoletti et al. (1976) identified squalene as the major hydrocarbon (24.7%) together with the n-Ci7 in the fresh-water alga Uronema terrestre. 

Zsolnay (1973b) reported the existence of a significant linear correlation (r = 0.63 P 0.001) between the non-aromatic hydrocarbons and the chlorophyll a content in the euphotic zone of the water off West Africa during a short period (six days) of high biological activity in March 1972. It was suggested, therefore, that the non-aromatic hydrocarbons present resulted essentially from phytoplankton activity. 

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