Ships’ Ballast Water

Treatment to Kill
Invasive Species
The Target:
Invasive
Marine
Species
RESEARCH ON SHIPS’ BALLAST WATER TREATMENT
NOAA, NUTECH O3, NETECHSERV, UNCW, UWS, ISU, et al.
TONSINA UPGRADING – May 2004, Port Angeles, WA
Cross section of ships showing ballast
tanks and ballast water cycle
Propeller exposed under
unballasted conditions
Into the Tonsina’s ballast tanks
View of ballast tanks from below
Interconnectivity of ballast tanks in sideview
Inside the ozone generator aboard the Tonsina
Ozone Reactions in Seawater

1. O3 + Br- Î OBr- + O2

2. OBr- + O3 Î 2O2 + Br-

3. OBr- + O3 Î BrO2- + O2

4. BrO2- + O3 Î BrO3-

5. H+ + OBr- Ù HOBr
HOBr main contribution to total residual oxidant (TRO)
 TRO Decay with time (early results)
Unfiltered Puget Sound TRO Decrease
0.00
TRO Decrease (mg/L)

-0.40
TRO 4.0
-0.80 TRO 3.0
TRO 2.0
-1.20

-1.60

-2.00
0 50 100 150 200
Time (h)
Decrease in TRO (mg/L Br2) in unfiltered Puget Sound seawater over time,
starting at 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/L Br2. Data are the mean + SD of four replicates.
Ballast Water Problems
 Introduction of invasive species
An example of marine biogeography/biodiversity contours

Marine species are carried around the world in ships’

ballast water. When discharged into new environments,
they may become invasive and severely disrupt the
native ecology; impact fisheries, aquaculture and
industry; and cause diseases and even death in humans.
Lampreys – Atlantic
Invader in the Great Lakes
Lake trout populations in Lake Superior, already in decline from
over-fishing and environmental problems, were decimated by the
sea lamprey invasion. Initiation of the sea lamprey control program
resulted in a quick decline in the numbers of sea lamprey and
allowed some recovery in the numbers of lake trout in Lake Superior.
Algal invaders in US Waters
George
Bank
Bottom
Invaders
ZEBRA MUSSELS