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
1. EU Directive 76/160/EWG on the Quality of Bathing Water
2. Implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive in Hessen
3. Determination and analysis of the biomass of
phytoplankton and cyanobacteria
4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters
cyanobacteria blooms in Diemeltalsperre
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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
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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 microbiological 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
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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
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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.
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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/
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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 with
excellent 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
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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 phytoplankton in bathing waters.
Indication cyanobactria
BUGA-See in Kassel
current situation of mass
proliferation
low
perspective of mass
proliferation
high
The determination of the
biomass of phytoplankton
and cyanobacteria is
necessary for this evaluation.
Indication phytoplankton /
makro-algea
perspective of mass
proliferation of phytoplankton
moderate
perspective of mass
proliferation of makro-algea
moderate
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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
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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)
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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
Datum
Sichttiefe
(m)
fluorom.
Gesamtchlo a
(µg(l)
fluorom.
Cyano
(µg/l)
24.03.09
1,0
8,3
0,0
22.04.09
1,5
2,7
0,1
18.05.09
2,0
1,7
0,7
09.06.09
1,5
2,7
0,0
13.07.09
0,2
120
99
24.08.09
0,6
37,9
0,7
15.09.09
0,7
23,5
0,7
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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
Mess
stselle
Datum
1
Chlorophyll
Chloro-phyll
Cyanoel. Leitfähigkeit gesamt (bbe) bakterien
Schlier
AufmS/m
µg/l
µg/l
Färbung
en
rahmung
Uhrzeit
Wassertemp. °C
pH-Wert
O2
mg/l
30.7.200
8
08:30
23,8
8,9
16,9
58
90
67
grün
Ja
Nein
2
30.7.200
8
08:45
23,4
8,6
15,7
61
73
51
grün
Nein
Nein
1
1.8.2008
09:15
24,4
19,8
60
204
158
grün
Ja
Nein
2
1.8.2008
09:45
24,3
59
106
80
grün
Ja
Nein
9,0
15,0
9,2
Warnstufen gemäß Badewasserkommission des Umweltbundesamtes 1997
Überschreitung Warnstufe 1: Chlorophyllkonz. > 40 µg/l und Dominanz von Cyanobakterien
Überschreitung Warnstufe 2: Chlorophyllkonz. > 150 µg/l und Dominanz von Cyanobakterien
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Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG)
4. Examples of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in bathing waters
Management measures when cyanobacteria blooms occur
Temporary
bathing
warning or
bathing ban
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
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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
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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 agriculture
conservational soil cultivation
intercropping
directional cultivation methods
mulch seed
• reduction of nutrient load from wastewater treatment plants
extension of phosphorus precipitation in treatment plants
sanitation of sewage pipes
• structural measures
creation of a sufficient amount of river bank space
planting of natural river bank woodland
development of nature-oriented waters
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Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG)
Many thanks for your attention and happy bathing in 2010
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