Scale-Up to Pilot of a Non-Axenic Culture of Thraustochytrids Using Digestate from Methanization as Nitrogen Source.

The production of non-fish based docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for feed and food has become a critical need in our global context of over-fishing. The industrial-scale production of DHA-rich Thraustochytrids could be an alternative, if costs turned out to be competitive. In order to reduce production costs, this study addresses the feasibility of the non-axenic (non-sterile) cultivation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei on industrial substrates (as nitrogen and mineral sources and glucose syrup as carbon and energy sources), and its scale-up from laboratory (250 mL) to 500 L cultures. Pilot-scale reactors were airlift cylinders. Batch and fed-batch cultures were tested. Cultures over 38 to 62 h achieved a dry cell weight productivity of 3.3 to 5.5 g.L-1.day-1, and a substrate to biomass yield of up to 0.3. DHA productivity ranged from 10 to 0.18 mg.L-1.day-1. Biomass productivity appears linearly related to oxygen transfer rate. Bacterial contamination of cultures was low enough to avoid impacts on fatty acid composition of the biomass. A specific work on microbial risks assessment (in supplementary files) showed that the biomass can be securely used as feed. However, to date, there is a law void in EU legislation regarding the recycling of nitrogen from digestate from animal waste for microalgae biomass and its usage in animal feed. Overall, the proposed process appears similar to the industrial yeast production process (non-axenic heterotrophic process, dissolved oxygen supply limiting growth, similar cell size). Such similarity could help in further industrial developments.

Comparative study of three analysis methods (TTGE, flow cytometry and HPLC) for xenobiotic impact assessment on phytoplankton communities.

The impacts of the fungicide Opus (epoxiconazole) on marine phytoplankton communities were assessed in a 12-day field experiment using in situ microcosms maintained underwater at 6 m depth. Three community analysis methods were compared for their sensitivity threshold in fungicide impact detection. When phytoplankton communities were exposed to 1 microg l(-1) of epoxiconazole, no effects could be demonstrated using TTGE (Temporal Temperature Gradient gel Electrophoresis), flow cytometry or HPLC. When exposed to 10 microg l(-1), TTGE fingerprints from PCR amplified 18S rDNA of communities exhibited significant differences compared with controls (ANOSIM, P = 0.028). Neither flow cytometry counts, nor HPLC pigment profiles allowed to show significant differences in microcosms exposed to 10 microg l(-1) of epoxiconazole. When exposed to 100 microg l(-1), all three methods allowed to detect significant differences in treated microcosms, as compared to controls. The TTGE analysis appears in this study as the most sensitive method for fungicide impact assessment on eukaryote microbial communities.

Potential effects of deep seawater discharge by an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plant on the marine microorganisms in oligotrophic waters.

Installation of an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion pilot plant (OTEC) off the Caribbean coast of Martinique is expected to use approximately 100,000 m3 h-1 of deep seawater for its functioning. This study examined the potential effects of the cold nutrient-rich deep seawater discharge on the phytoplankton community living in the surface warm oligotrophic waters before the installation of the pilot plant. Numerical simulations of deep seawater upwelled by the OTEC, showed that a 3.0 °C temperature change, considered as a critical threshold for temperature impact, was never reached during an annual cycle on the top 150 m of the water column on two considered sections centered on the OTEC. The thermal effect should be limited, <1 km2 on the area exhibited a temperature difference of 0.3 °C (absolute value), producing a negligible thermic impact on the phytoplankton assemblage. The impact on phytoplankton of the resulting mixed deep and surface seawater was evaluated by in situ microcosm experiments. Two scenarios of water mix ratio (2% and 10% of deep water) were tested at two incubation depths (deep chlorophyll-a maximum: DCM and bottom of the euphotic layer: BEL). The larger impact was obtained at DCM for the highest deep seawater addition (10%), with a development of diatoms and haptophytes, whereas 2% addition induced only a limited change of the phytoplankton community (relatively higher Prochlorococcus sp. abundance, but without significant shift of the assemblage). This study suggested that the OTEC plant would significantly modify the phytoplankton assemblage with a shift from pico-phytoplankton toward micro-phytoplankton only in the case of a discharge affecting the DCM and would be restricted to a local scale. Since the lower impact on the phytoplankton assemblage was obtained at BEL, this depth can be recommended for the discharge of the deep seawater to exploit the OTEC plant.

Antifouling activities of N-substituted imides: antimicrobial activities and inhibition of Mytilus edulis phenoloxidase.

In the search for novel biodegradable antifouling agents, a series of imides (N-substituted maleimides and succinimides) have been synthesized. A large majority of N-substituted maleimides and succinimides showed an antimicrobial activity toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi of marine origin with minimal inhibition concentrations in the range of 6 to 24 microg/ml. The imides with an alkyl substituent showed higher activities than aromatic analogues, but structure-activity relationships were not clearly established. Some compounds were powerful inhibitors of Mytilus edulis phenoloxidase. This inhibition was noncompetitive as demonstrated with 2 maleimides, a 3-acetoxy succinimide and a succinimide. Thus, this family of products has potential interest as antifouling agents.

Evaluation of the partial renewal of in situ phytoplankton microcosms and application to the impact assessment of bentazon and dimethenamid.

Microcosms, each consisting of 2L natural surface seawater maintained in 2.3-L glass bottles, were immersed at a depth of 6m. The renewal of 10% of microcosm volumes was carried out every other day. Phytoplankton-containing seawater was used for renewal (previously filtered through 25-, 50- or 200-µm cut-off). Phytoplankton community pigment analysis (by HPLC) and flow cytometry analysis were performed. After 13 days, data exhibited phytoplankton characteristics in microcosms in the same range as that of the natural surrounding sea water over the same period. Furthermore, in these microcosms, a negative correlation was observed between the filtration cut-off used for renewal water, and the total cell count. Herbicides were tested as commercial mixtures at 1, 10 and 100 µgL(-1) active substance. Both Frontier® (dimethenamid) and Basamais® (bentazon) induced significant modifications of the phytoplankton populations at every concentration tested. Such results suggest a possible disturbance in polluted coastal areas.

In-situ microcosms, a tool for assessment of pesticide impacts on oyster spat (Crassostrea gigas).

Effects of the herbicide Basamaïs (bentazon) and the fungicide Opus (epoxiconazole) on oyster spat (Crassostrea gigas) were assessed using in-situ microcosms in a field experiment lasting 13 days. Six-week-old hatchery spat (mean size 1.1 mm), previously collected on PVC plates, was immersed in glass bottles filled with 200 mum filtered seawater. Bottles were maintained underwater at 6 m depth and their water content changed every other day. Growth, measured as shell area index increase, was 126 +/- 4% in the control bottles. While no growth differences were observed between control and individual pesticide treatments at 10 microg l(-1), oysters treated with a mix of 10 microg l(-1) Opus and 10 microg l(-1) Basamaïs showed a 50% growth reduction compared with the control (P < 0.0001), suggesting a synergistic effect of these contaminants. Laboratory controls in microcosms maintained in a water bath with filtered natural light, were not significantly different from in-situ microcosm controls in the field, for organic weight content or growth. This in-situ experiment in microcosms allowed us to conclude that: (1) oyster spat can achieve significant growth in bottles immersed in situ without supplementary food; (2) this microcosm system is reliable and easy to use for environmental toxicity tests with C. gigas spat; (3) such microcosm systems can also be run in a laboratory water bath instead of more technically difficult immersed field experiments; (4) the synergistic effect observed here, at a concentration simulating a peak agricultural runoff event, suggests that the impacts of pesticides could be a real threat for oysters in estuarine areas.

Impact of Roundup on the marine microbial community, as shown by an in situ microcosm experiment.

The effects of the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) on natural marine microbial communities were assessed in a 7-day field experiment using microcosms. Bottles were maintained underwater at 6m depth, and 10% of their water content was changed every other day. The comparison of control microcosms and surrounding surface water showed that the microcosm system tested here can be considered as representative of the natural surrounding environment. A temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) was run on 16S and 18S rDNA-amplified extracts from the whole microbial community. Cluster analysis of the 16S gel showed differences between control and treatment fingerprints for Roundup at 1 microg L(-1) (ANOSIM, p=0.055; R=0.53), and 10 microg L(-1) (ANOSIM, p=0.086; R=0.40). Flow cytometry analysis revealed a significant increase in the prasinophyte-like population when Roundup concentration was increased to 10 microg L(-1). This study demonstrates that a disturbance was caused to the marine microbial community exposed to 1 microg L(-1) Roundup concentration, a value typical of those reported in coastal waters during a run-off event.