Seven years from the first application of polyaluminium chloride in the Czech Republic – effects on phytoplankton communities in three water bodies

Abstract

This study determines the efficiency of polyaluminium chloride application on phytoplankton species as a consequence of five reservoir restorations in the Czech Republic during the years 2005 and 2008, including the first ever large-scale application. Although polyaluminium chloride has been used in water treatment plants across the world, information about its application toward cyanobacterial blooms in nature is poor. Although the application of polyaluminium chloride did not cause any fundamental long-term changes in the composition of phytoplankton species or phosphorus load, instead causing fast and acute removal of the phytoplankton community, it may act as an algicidal compound with fast removal efficiency. All treated water bodies described in our study remained unaffected by cyanobacterial blooms and the hygienic limit for the purposes of recreation was not exceeded in any particular season. This article should serve as notice of the advantages and disadvantages of polyaluminium chloride application, and also warn against the uniform usage of this chemical as a method of reducing phytoplankton species in all types of water bodies where cyanobacteria are present. Moreover, data about the effects on non-target (invertebrates) species and microcystin release from cyanobacterial cells are also mentioned.

Keywords:

• blue–green algae
• removal
• PAX-18
• management
• microcystin

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a long-term research development project no. RVO 67985939 and grant NAZV QH81012 (National Agency of Agricultural Research, Czech Republic).