Development of a Method to Determine the Number of Viable Organisms >or- 50 micrometers (Nominally Zooplankton) in Ships' Ballast Water: A Combination of Two Vital, Fluorescent Stains

摘要

Federal and international agencies charged with regulating aquatic nuisance species (ANS) face many obstacles when assessing the quality and efficacy of ballast water management systems (BWMS). Some of these challenges are physical, such as handling and testing large volumes of water. Other challenges are biological or chemical, such as differences in water quality and plankton assemblages at ports throughout the world. Because determining the efficacy of a BWMS hinges on the ability to identify living organisms in the discharged water, developing methods to assess diverse and dynamic plankton assemblages has become a major focus of investigation at the national and international level. In 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, which is undergoing ratification. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program, published a Draft Protocol for the Verification of Ballast Water Treatment Technologies.