GAVAND, M.**; MCCLINTOCK, J.B.; AMSLER, C.D.; PETERS, R.W.; Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham; Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham; Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham; Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham: The use of sonication and advanced chemical oxidants as mechanisms to eradicate macroinvertebrates in ballast water under static and continuous flow regimes

Ballast water is a major contributor to the introduction of invasive invertebrates. Using an invertebrate model system with three discrete life history phases, cysts, naupliar larvae, and adults of the brine shrimp Artemia salina were subjected to single and combined treatments of sonication and advanced chemical oxidants (hydrogen peroxide and ozone) under both static and continuous flow regimes and over different time periods. Combinations of sonication (1.4 kHz) coupled with hydrogen peroxide (100 ppm) and ozone (100 ppm) were synergistic and resulted in mortality levels of 66% (3 min exposure), 100% (2 min exposure) and 100% (3 min exposure) for cysts, larvae and adults, respectively, under both static and continuous flow conditions. Exposure of cysts, larvae and adults to single treatments of sonication or advanced oxidants were less effective and required significantly greater periods of exposure to approach inactivation levels seen in combined treatments. These findings indicate that different life history phases of a macroinvertebrate model organism are inactivated over different time courses but that acoustic cavitation combined with advanced chemical oxidants may be an effective method to eradicate even the most resistant life phases (e.g. cysts) of macroinvertebrates in ballast water. Supported by a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to R. W. Peters, C. D. Amsler, and J. B. McClintock.