[Removal efficiency of red tide organisms by modified clay and its impacts on cultured organisms]

Removal efficiencies of Prorocentrum donghaiense (Prorocentrum dentatum) by Hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) bromide and organo-clay modified by HDTMA were identified. Moreover the toxicity of the unbound HDTMA and HDTMA plus clay to aquacultural organisms, Penaeus japonicus, was also tested. The results suggested that (1) The unbound HDTMA had an excellent ability to remove the red tide organisms. However, its strong toxicity to Penaeus japonicus would restrict its practical use in red tide control. (2) The toxicity of HDTMA could be remarkably decreased by addition of clay and the organo-clay complex had a good ability to removal red tide organisms. At the same time the availability of organo-clay to remove the red tide of P. donghaiense and Heterosigma akashiwo in the lab-imitated cultures were studied. The results indicated that the organo-clay complex could remove 100% P. donghaiense at the dosage of 0.03 g/L and effectively control H. akashiwo at 0.09 g/L while the survival rate of Penaeus japonicus larvae, which were cultured in the red tide seawater, is kept 100%. According to the results in laboratory, the mesocosm tests (CEPEX) in East China Sea were conducted in April and May of 2003. The removal efficiencies of original clay, organic clay and inorganic clay were compared during the CEPEX tests. The results revealed that both inorganic clay and organic clay could remove red tide organisms more effectively than the original clay.