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News Releases
Topical Experts
Sewage
Wastewater Major Pollutant
Challenge
Sewage is a threat to the marine environment because
it often contains harmful chemicals, disease-causing bacteria
and viruses, and dissolved material and solid matter. It enters
the marine environment either through direct pipeline discharges
or is carried from upstream sources via river systems. Storm
water runoff from streets, parking lots, lawns and commercial
and industrial developments are often combined into common
collections systems draining directly into major watersheds
with minimal or no treatment. The presence of contaminants
in wastewater is a direct threat to human health. Pathogens
can cause a variety of illnesses. Humans are exposed to these
organisms through contaminated water and fish. Many chemicals
pose risks even at very low concentrations and can remain
a threat for long period of time as they bioaccumulate in
animal or human tissue. Technology has brought a new viewpoints
to wastewater treatment and is moving towards rapidly lowering
the high economic costs associated with water treatment.
EXPERT SOURCES / COMMENTARY:
LOUISIANA SEA GRANT
Ronald F. Malone, Professor of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Louisiana State University (O)(504) 388-8666,
FAX: (504) 388-8662
Areas of Research / Media Topics: High-density aquaculture
; biofiltration; water quality modeling; lake restoration;
wastewater management for seafood processors; computer-controlled
aquaculture systems; design of recirculating aquaculture systems
for raising finfish, alligators, shrimp, koi and other ornamental
fish, and producing soft-shelled crabs and crawfish. Holds
patent on bead biofilters being used nationwide in a variety
of aquaculture applications--hatcheries, commercial facilities,
university aquaculture laboratories, and even for a fish exhibit
at EPCOT. Malone and his associates are now working at adapting
this biobeadfilter process to treatment of municipal waste
water. Preliminary research indicates strong potential for
a cost-effective system that could treat sewage and wastewater
for small cities.
Louisiana Sea Grant
Research: Louisiana Sea Grant research in the development
of a biofiltration unit for treating the water used in aquaculture
systems is showing promise for meeting needs in other water
treatment areas. The patented bead filters developed by
Ronald Malone and his associates at Louisiana Sea Grant
accomplish both nitrification and solids removal in a single
efficient unit that can be built in various sizes to accommodate
applications ranging from home water gardens to commercial
aquaculture facilities. Malone believes the same biofiltration
process can be applied to assist small towns and third-world
areas treat waste water in an economical manner. Industries
could also apply the filter treatment process to better
reduce their waste water discharges as well. The fact that
the biofiltering systems can be easily maintained, have
proven reliable over long-term usage and are well-adapted
to automation is a major plus in their future application
to sewage and wastewater treatment.
NEW JERSEY SEA GRANT
John Tiedemann, Director,
Education and Outreach, New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium
(O) (908) 872 1300 ext. 17
Areas of Research / Media Topics: Watershed management;
Marine debris; Nonpoint source pollution; Educator training;
Coastal water quality; Recreational fisheries; Marine Education;
Citizen monitoring programs; Watershed management.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SEA
GRANT
Burton H. Jones, Research Professor, Department of
Biological Sciences and Hancock Institute for Marine Studies,
University of Southern California (O) (213) 740-5765, E-Mail
Address: mailto:,%20bjones@usc.edu
Areas of Research / Media Topics: Oceanography in nearshore
environments; Oceanography of sewage effluents; Physical and
biological dynamics of sewage outfall plumes in the coastal
region; Sewage outfall dynamics.
Tommy Dickey, Professor
of Earth Sciences; Head, Ocean Physics Group, University
of Southern California, (O) (213) 740-6734, E-Mail Address:
mailto:,%20dickey@usc.edu
Areas of Research / Media Topics: Multi-variable moored
systems for the study of bio-optical and physical properties
of the ocean; Ecology and physics of the upper ocean; Instrumentation
for oceanographic research; Systems for measuring ocean
processes; Sewage outfall geophysics.
USC Sea Grant Sediment
Research: Ocean outfalls in Southern California pump
a tremendous quantity of particulates, metals, dissolved
organic matter, and pathogens into the local marine environment.
Although the quality of effluent discharged from Southern
California's ocean outfalls has improved greatly since the
early 1970's due to improved waste water treatment and better
source control, large quantities of pollutants continue
to be discharged into the local marine environment. Storm
drain sources, in particular, emit large amounts of untreated
waste water into the nearshore environment, especially in
periods of heavy rainfall. Recent improvements in the technology
of mapping the coastal ocean are now being used to evaluate
how storm water run-off affects nearshore habitats. Oceanographers
at the University of Southern California, supported by the
Southern California Sea Grant Program, have been pioneers
in the development and application of instrument packages
which map large ocean outfall "plumes," and measure their
dispersion and effect on marine ecosystems. This research
has helped municipal authorities to make decisions on how
to most economically and effectively manage their emission
and wastewater treatments. Examples of successful applications
of this management decision process can be found in Orange
County, California where savings are projected to be approximately
$50 million dollars per year for the next 30 years. The
application of the research in Southern California can be
extended to other regions where large populations live adjacent
to the coastal zone.
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC
INSTITUTION
Brian L. Howes, Associate Scientist, Biology Dept.,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (O) (508) 457-2000, ext.
2319, Fax: (508) 457-2169, E-Mail: mailto:,%20bhowes@whoi.edu
Areas of Research / Media Topics: Ecology; Pollutants;
Resource policy; Water quality; Watersheds and wetlands; Groundwater
transport of nutrients to coastal waters; Long-term impact
of sea-level rise on community structure of wetland ecosystems;
Differential transport of nitrogen and phosphorous from septic
systems through a coastal watershed.
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