Evaluation of the use of eucalyptus to control algae bloom and improve water quality

Lakes represent an important source of drinking water resource for human beings. The presence of harmful algae blooms can pose a serious threat to lakes water quality. This study explored the feasibility of using eucalyptus plants and leaves extracts for controlling algae proliferation in an aquatic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2019-06, Vol.667, p.412-418
Main Authors: Zhao, Wei, Zheng, Zheng, Zhang, JunLei, Roger, Saint-Fort, Luo, XingZhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae blooms
Allelopathy
Eucalyptus
Macro nutrient competition
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Summary:Lakes represent an important source of drinking water resource for human beings. The presence of harmful algae blooms can pose a serious threat to lakes water quality. This study explored the feasibility of using eucalyptus plants and leaves extracts for controlling algae proliferation in an aquatic milieu. After 30 days of treatment, the inhibitory efficiencies were 85.8% and 20.9% for treatments planting eucalyptus and eucalyptus leaves extracts, respectively. The synergistic effects of allelopathy and competitive absorption for macro nutrients were attributed to the effective control of algae proliferation in the mesocosm systems. Moreover, the analysis of microbial community structures indicated that eucalyptus plants or leaves extracts had no adverse effect on species diversity and their relative abundance. The choice of using eucalyptus to control algae bloom will be dictated by environmental and economic considerations within a geographical region. Eucalyptus has the ability to treat eutrophic water body through the interplay of nutrients absorption and allelopathy. [Display omitted] •Using eucalyptus to control algae blooms was tested for the first time.•Planting eucalyptus was more effective at controlling algae proliferation than eucalyptus leaves extracts.•Allelopathy and nutrients absorption are the primary mechanisms at controlling algae.•Effect of eucalyptus on diversity and abundance of microbial community structures was negligible.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.276