Nuclear power greener/A Critique of Impact of the tihange nuclear power plant on the periphyton and the phytoplankton of the Meuse River

(Review Paper) Cited in

Nuclear Power Plants Will Affect Hydrobiolgies
Biology communities of phytoplankton and periphyton saw a change in biomass from the thermal emmissions from a collaboration of nuclear power plants that were upstream from the communities that were tested. Because of the thermal emmissions from the nuclear power plants, the temperature of the water increased 4.2°C as well as a loss of 15% of dissolved oxygen. Nuclear Power Plants Affect Biomass of Hydrobiologies

Methods
Approximately every two weeks, samples of phytoplankton and periphyton were taken at four different sites on the Meuse River in Belgium for approximately six years, starting in 1975. The samples were taken 50 cm below the water surface to get an accurate and consistent reading of the phytoplankton.

From the glass slides that were used in taking samples from the Meuse River, as well as the use of the Lorenzen equations, scientists were able to calculate the chlorophyll and phaeophytin concentrations which saw an increase in biomass for the periphyton and an increase and decrease in biomass for the phytoplankton

Results
The first of the results is based on phytoplankton, which is subjugated by diatoms and green algae. Phytoplankton expansion depends on the control of the flow of the river. Higher the river flow the less concentrated the pollutants therefore more of phytoplankton survives. Biomass reductions mostly occurred during low flow periods which are in turn around the warmest months July to September. The reduction that was observed in the summer months could be directly related to mircopolluants such examples would be heavy metals and organic pollutants. The toxic effects would be increased by the temperature increasing.

The second portion of the results discussed periphyton. From their research there was no impact of the nuclear power plant station on the organism, There was no marked changes in the periphyton community downstream of the station.