The increasing intensification of agriculture, aimed primarily at maximizing crop yields, has often led to the excessive and unsustainable application of synthetic fertilizers on farmland. Chemical compounds from these fertilizers—particularly nitrogen and phosphorus—are washed into water bodies during rainfall events. In addition to agricultural runoff, discharges from wastewater treatment plants also contribute to the enrichment of aquatic environments with nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Water bodies with high concentrations of these nutrients, combined with rising water temperatures due to climate change, create ideal conditions for the proliferation of picoplanktonic organisms. These microorganisms can release metabolic byproducts that significantly hinder the treatability of raw water for drinking purposes or even prevent the use of such water bodies for recreational activities.
The research will be based on real-world assessment of water samples from drinking water reservoirs and recreational water bodies where picoplanktonic cyanobacteria occur. The study will involve the development of new methods for detection and quantification of picoplanktonic organisms. Representatives will be identified using various microscopic techniques such as: Light microscopy, Fluorescence microscopy, Epifluorescence microscopy, In situ hybridization. Additionally, molecular biology techniques (e.g., PCR, RT-PCR) will be used to detect genes responsible for: Organoleptic issues (e.g., production of geosmin, 2-MIB), Cyanotoxin production. The dissertation will also address drinking water treatment technologies that are suitable for effectively removing these tiny microorganisms.
