BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS N WATER POLLUT1 on April 23
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BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS N WATER POLLUT1 ON Transactions of a Seminar on Biological Problems in Water Pollution held at the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center Cincinnati, Ohio April 23 - 27, 1956 Compiled and Edited by CLARENCE M. TARZWELL U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Public Health Service Bureau of State Services Division of Sanitary Engineering Services Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center 1957 PREFACE During the past few years a number of State Health Departments and Water Pollution Control Boards have initiated or expanded investigations in the field of sanitary biology. Universities and other research organizations are showing increased interest in biological problems connected with the detection and abatement of stream pollution. A few universities are now giving courses directed toward the training of sanitary biologists, and several are considering the establishment of curricula for the training of aquatic biologists for work in the water works, sewage treatment, and stream pollution fields. In recent years industries have added sanitary biologists to their staffs, and several aquatic biologists have undertaken consultant activities. Biologists engaged in pollution investigations and research often work alone and are somewhat isolated. For some time, therefore, there had been recognized a need for a conference of those engaged in the study of biological problems in water pollution control, to acquaint them with current developments and new methods of approach, and to enable them to become acquainted with other workers in the field. The first such gathering was held as a seminar at the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, April 23 - 27, 1956. The meeting was well attended, as ninety persons were registered at the Seminar. Repre- sentatives were present from twenty-eight states, the District of Columbia, and the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, Canada. The following states were represented: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washing- ton, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Participants included workers from industry, State Conservation Departments, Universities, State Boards of Health, and Stream Control Commissions. Representatives were also present from the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, the Illinois State Natural History Survey, the Atomic Energy Commission, the U. S. Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. A total of twenty- three were in attendance from the Public Health Service, six from outside the Cincinnati Area. The Dow Chemical Company, Atlantic Refining Company, Sulphite Pulp Mfg. Research League, Institute of Paper Chemistry, General Electric Company, and Pantech, Inc. had representatives at the Seminar. Representatives were present from Conservation Departments of the following states: Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Representatives were present from sixteen universities as follows: Pennsylvania State University, University of Florida, Massachussets Institute of Technology, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, University of Utah, Ohio State University, University of -1- Michigan, University of Miami, University of Southern California, University of Montreal, University of Minnesota, University of Cincinnati. University of Toronto, and University of North Carolina. The State Boards of Health of Florida, Missouri, and Illinois sent representatives as did the Stream Control Commissions of Louisiana and Wisconsin. Michigan led in the number of representatives present, having seven; Ohio was second with six; the Province of Ontario, Pensylvania, and California were third with five each; Wisconsin, Florida, and Alabama each had four; while Iowa and Missouri sent three. The seminar consisted of panel discussions and was planned so that most of the time was devoted to commentary from the floor with only short presentations by panel members. Subjects discussed were (1) Use and Value of Bioassays; (2) Use and Value of Biological Indicators of Pollution; (3) Current Investigations in Water Pollution Biology; (4) Water Quality Criteria for Aquatic Life; and (5) Training of Sanitary Aquatic Biologists Discussions of each subject were lead by a panel chairman and 4 to 9 panel members, each of whom presented a phase of the problem in 10 to 20 minutes. The remainder of the day was then devoted to discussions from the floor. All presentations and discussions were off the record in order that the participants could feel free to express their opinions. All members of the panel on Biological Indicators of Pollution were asked to prepare papers to be included in the transactions of the meeting. These papers could be discussed in their panel presentations if they wished or their presentations could be entirely different. All panel members and all those in attendance were invited to submit papers for inclusion in the transactions The transactions, therefore, are not a record of the discussions at the meeting, and the papers contained therein may or may not have been presented during the panel discussions, but are the results of the prospect or the events of the sessions. During the meeting, discussions were free and critical It is believed they were valuable in stimulating those in attendance and will serve to advance research and investigations in the field of water pollution. Numerous letters have been received expressing approval of the meeting and inquiring as to when another similar meeting would be held It is planned to hold a seminar on biological problems in water pollution every three years; hence, the next meeting will occur in 1959. It is requested that all those interested in such a meeting submit their suggestions by June 1958. Suggestions are solicited as to time and length of meeting, program, and manner of carrying on the discussions. C. M. Tarzwell -2- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface .........1 Table of Contents .........3 Program ..................................................................................................................... 6 List of Those in Attendance .......13 Picture of group .......17 USE AND VALUE OF BIO-ASSAYS ......... 18 Derivation of the threshold value for toxicity and the equation of the curve by a graphical method - George Burdick ....... 19 Interim plan for standardizing the bioassay of paralytic shellfish poison by use of a reference standard - Public Health Service ........22 Application factors to be applied to bioassays for the safe disposal of toxic wastes - Croswell Henderson ... 31 USE AND VALUE OF BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF POLLUTION 38 Some problems in the identification of microorganisms - Wm Bridge Cooke , . • , • .... • 39 Use and value of bacterial indicators of pollution - Paul Kabler 43 Protozoa as indicators of the ecological condition of a body of water - James B Lackey . — . ................ 50 Algae as biological indicators of pollution - C. Mervin Palmer .......60 Diatoms as indicators of changes in environmental conditions - Ruth Patrick . .... ..... ......... 71 Use and value of fungi as biological indicators of pollution - Wm. Bridge Cooke , ... „ „ „ . ......... 84 Use and value of biological indicators of pollution: Fresh water cl -ims and snails - William Marcus Ingram . , .. „ .... 94 The use and value of aquatic insects as indicators of organic enrichment - Arden R. Gaufin ...................................................................... 136 -3- Page Biological indices of water pollution, with special reference to fish populations - Peter Doudoroff and Charles E, Warren ............. 144 Biological criteria for the determination of lake pollution - Eugene W. Surber . .... ..... 164 The use and abuse of indicator organisms = William M. Beck, Jr .. 175 CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS IN WATER POLLUTION BIOLOGY.... , .. • 178 Current water pollution investigations and problems in Wisconsin - Kenneth M Mackenthun .0. 179 Investigations and problems in Ontario - John H. Neil,. 184 Report on pollution studies conducted in Western Canada - Michael Waldichuk, ...... 188 The relationship of the polychaetous Annelid Capitella capitata (Fabricius) to waste discharges of biological origin - Donald J Reish , 195 Cooperative research at Oregon State College in the biological aspects of water pollution - Charles E. Warren and Peter Doudoroff _ 201 Some aspects of water pollution in the Missouri Basin - Joe K. Neel • • • . ...... • . • 209 Investigations and Problems in Ohio - John N. Reis. — . 215 Biology and water pollution in Great Britain - Thomas Beak.... ....... 220 THE TRAINING OF AQUATIC SANITARY BIOLOGISTS .............................. 224 The training of aquatic sanitary biologists Curtis L. Newcombe _ 225 The training of aquatic sanitary biologists - a letter - Charles E. Renn, , , • . — , 230 -4- Page WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR AQUATIC LIFE ......................................... 234 Effects of turbidity and silt on aquatic life - John N. Wilson ............................................................................................ 235 The effect of pollution upon wildlife - 0. Lloyd Meehean ........................... 240 Water quality criteria for aquatic life - Clarence M. Tarzwell ................