High value phycotoxins from the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum.

Marine dinoflagellates produce chemically diverse compounds, with a wide range of biological activity (antimicrobial, anticancer, treatment of neurodegenerative disease along with use as biomedical research tools). Chemical diversity is highlighted by their production of molecules such as the saxitoxin family of alkaloids (C10H17N7O4 - 299 g/mol) to the amphipathic maitotoxin (C164H256O68S2Na2 - 3,422 g/mol), representing one of the largest and most complex secondary metabolites characterised. Dinoflagellates, are most well-known for the production of red tides which are frequently toxic, including okadaic acid and related dinophysistoxins, which are tumour promoters. The mode of action for these phycotoxins, is by specific inhibition of protein phosphatases, enzymes essential in regulation of many cellular processes. Hence, these compounds are being used for vital cell regulation studies. However, the availability of useful amounts of these compounds has restricted research. Chemical synthesis of some compounds such as okadaic acid has been investigated, but the complexity of the molecule resulted in many lengthy steps and achieved only a poor yield. The use of naturally occurring phytoplankton has been investigated as a potential source of these compounds, but it has been shown to be unreliable and impractical. The most practical option is large scale culture with down-stream processing/purification which requires specialist facilities and expertise. This review, describes the biotechnological potential of these organisms and the challenges to achieve useful yields of high quality phycotoxins using Prorocentrum spp. as an example to produce okadaic acid

Treatment challenge of a cyanobacterium Romeria elegans bloom in a South Australian wastewater treatment plant: a case study.

A bloom of the non-toxic cyanobacterium Romeria elegans in waste stabilisation ponds (WSPs) within Angaston waste water treatment plant (WWTP) has posed an unprecedented treatment challenge for the local water utility. The water from the WSPs is chlorinated for safety prior to reuse on nearby farmland. Cyanobacteria concentrations of approximately 1.2 × 106 cells mL−1 increased the chlorine demand dramatically. Operators continuously increased the disinfectant dose up to 50 mg L−1 to achieve operational guideline values for combined chlorine (0.5-1.0 mg L−1) prior to reuse. Despite this, attempts to achieve targeted combined chlorine residual (CCR) failed. In this study, samples from the waste stabilisation pond at Angaston WWTP were chlorinated over a range of doses. Combined chlorine, disinfection by-product formation, cyanobacteria cell concentration, Escherichia coli inactivation, as well as dissolved organic carbon and free ammonia were monitored. This study shows that, in the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms, CCR does not directly suggest pathogen removal efficiency and is therefore not an ideal parameter to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection process in WWTP. Instead, E. coli removal is a more direct and practical parameter for the determination of the efficiency of the disinfection process

Enhancing Human Health and Wellbeing through Sustainably and Equitably Unlocking a Healthy Ocean’s Potential

A healthy ocean is essential for human health, and yet the links between the ocean and human health are often overlooked. By providing new medicines, technologies, energy, foods, recreation, and inspiration, the ocean has the potential to enhance human health and wellbeing. However, climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and inequity threaten both ocean and human health. Sustainable realisation of the ocean’s health benefits will require overcoming these challenges through equitable partnerships, enforcement of laws and treaties, robust monitoring, and use of metrics that assess both the ocean’s natural capital and human wellbeing. Achieving this will require an explicit focus on human rights, equity, sustainability, and social justice. In addition to highlighting the potential unique role of the healthcare sector, we offer science-based recommendations to protect both ocean health and human health, and we highlight the unique potential of the healthcare sector tolead this effort

A matrix approach to tropical marine ecosystem service assessments in South east Asia

Ecosystem service assessments are increasingly used to support natural resource management, but there is a bias in their application towards terrestrial systems and higher income countries. Tropical marine applications are particularly scarce, especially in SE Asia. Given the growing coastal population and expansion in blue economy sectors in SE Asia, evidence to support effective marine planning, such as ecosystem service assessments, is urgently needed. Data deficiencies for marine systems, especially (but not only) in lower income countries is a significant obstacle for ecosystem service assessments. To overcome this, we develop an ecosystem service potential matrix which combines evidence taken from an extensive literature review together with expert opinion. The matrix includes both natural and modified habitats as the service providing units. The ecosystem service potential for habitats are scored at the macro level (e.g. mangrove) due to insufficient evidence to score micro-habitats (e.g. fringe, basin or riverine mangroves). The majority of evidence is available for biogenic habitats (mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass meadows) with comparatively little for sedimentary habitats. While provisioning, regulating and cultural services are scored, published evidence is more readily available for provisioning and regulating services. Confidence scores, indicating the uncertainty in the ecosystem service potential scores are included in the matrix. To our knowledge this is the first attempt to systematically capture the provision of ecosystem services from tropical marine habitats. Although initially developed for four marine biosphere reserves and protected areas in SE Asia, the generic nature of the evidence included suggests that the matrix constitutes a valuable baseline for marine ecosystem service assessments within SE Asia and provides a robust foundation for development in future work

Enhancing Human Health and Wellbeing through Sustainably and Equitably Unlocking a Healthy Ocean's Potential

A healthy ocean is essential for human health, and yet the links between the ocean and human health are often overlooked. By providing new medicines, technologies, energy, foods, recreation, and inspiration, the ocean has the potential to enhance human health and wellbeing. However, climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and inequity threaten both ocean and human health. Sustainable realisation of the ocean's health benefits will require overcoming these challenges through equitable partnerships, enforcement of laws and treaties, robust monitoring, and use of metrics that assess both the ocean's natural capital and human wellbeing. Achieving this will require an explicit focus on human rights, equity, sustainability, and social justice. In addition to highlighting the potential unique role of the healthcare sector, we offer science-based recommendations to protect both ocean health and human health, and we highlight the unique potential of the healthcare sector to lead this effort