Dr. Louis Peperzak
The benefits and burdens of algae
Plankton researcher Louis Peperzak tries to understand how and why plankton grow where they grow and in line with that: why they sometimes cause a nuisance.
'The abundance of plankton, microscopic algae, is controlled by physical and biological factors. Physical factors are nutrients (nitrogen), salinity, turbulence and temperature. The long-term seawater temperature is increasing and this may lead to a change on plankton composition. Biological factors are related to the algae themselves and to organisms that consume plankton, such as zooplankton and mussels. Algae that were introduced from warmer Asia will grow better in a steadily less cooler North Sea. If they are less consumed by our native zooplankton, they may outgrow indigenous species.'
‘There are various species of algae that produce colorfull pigments or even toxic substances. When these algae bloom, that can give rise to problems. The sea may change from blue to orange or red. Sometimes people get sick after eating mussels that have fed on toxic algae. The mussels might experience no ill effects, but people who consume those mussels will.’
Algae in a changing climate
‘By studying the biology and physics of algae, I examine why the plankton composition changes from season to season and from year to year. This is becoming more relevant in the future, because my model research revealed a long time ago that problems caused by nuisamce algae will probably only increase due to climate change.’
More information?
I am on ResearchGate, Web of Science and Orcid: 0000-0003-0691-2521.
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Linked news
Monday 14 June 2021
Quick enforcement of ballast water disinfection with technique of NIOZ researcher
On Friday 18 June, Cees van Slooten, former researcher at NIOZ, will defend his dissertation on systems for ballast water treatment and monitoring at the University of Groningen. His research led to a ready-to-use technique for quickly testing…
Thursday 15 September 2016
Control Union and NIOZ start spin-out for ballast water
Control Union and NIOZ have joined forces to establish a spin-out company to perform ballast water testing activities for the certification of ballast water treatment systems (BWTS). Control Union Water B.V., with her laboratories in ’t Horntje at…
NIOZ publications
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2024
Peperzak, L.; Casas-Monroy, O.; Bailey, S.A. (2024). Validation of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) model for 10–50 μm plankton. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 200: 116066. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116066
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2023
Peperzak, L. (2023). The critical adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration in treated ballast water. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 187: 114506. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114506Peperzak, L.; van Wezel, R. (2023). Human fatalities related to a Phaeocystis harmful algal bloom in the North Sea. Harmful Algae 130: 102545. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2023.102545
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2022
Peperzak, L.; Stuut, J.-B.W.; van der Woerd, H.J. (2022). Suspended matter filtration causes a counterintuitive increase in UV-absorption. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 183: 114012. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114012van Oevelen, D.; Soetaert, K.; Peperzak, L.; Blauw, A.; Stolte, W.; Dijkman, N.; Rijkeboer, M. (2022). Monitoringsplan voor meerjarige monitoring fytoplanktonsamenstelling en primaire productie. ID4 MONS no-regret actie primaire productie. NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research: Yerseke. 39 pp.
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2021
Peperzak, L.; van Bleijswijk, J. (2021). False-positive enterococci counts in seawater with the IDEXX Enterolert-E most probable number technique caused by Bacillus licheniformis. Environm. Sc. & Poll. Res. 28: 10654-10660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11342-6
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2020
Peperzak, L.; Zetsche, E.-M.; Gollasch, S.; Artigas, L.F.; Bonato, S.; Creach, V.; de Vré, P.; Dubelaar, G.B.J.; Henneghien, J.; Hess-Erga, O.-K.; Langelaar, R.; Larsen, A.; Maurer, B.N.; Mosselaar, A.; Reavie, E.D.; Rijkeboer, M.; Tobiesen, A. (2020). Comparing flow cytometry and microscopy in the quantification of vital aquatic organisms in ballast water. J. Mar. Engineer. Technol. 19(2): 68-77. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20464177.2018.1525806
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2018
Peperzak, L.; Gollasch, S. (2018). Editorial. J. Sea Res. 133: 1. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2017.12.003van Walraven, L.; Peperzak, L. (2018). Effect of a 100 Watt ultrasound transmitter on marine fouling. NIOZ-rapport, 2018(2). NIOZ: Texel. 97 pp.
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2017
Romero-Martínez, L.; van Slooten, C.; Nebot, E.; Acevedo-Merino, A.; Peperzak, L. (2017). Assessment of imaging-in-flow system (FlowCAM) for systematic ballast water management. Sci. Total Environ. 603-604: 550-561. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.070
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2016
Brussaard, C.P.D.; Peperzak, L.; Beggah, S.; Wick, L.Y.; Wuerz, B.; Weber, J.; Arey, J.S.; Van der Burg, B.; Jonas, A.; Huisman, J.; van der Meer, J.R. (2016). Immediate ecotoxicological effects of short-lived oil spills on marine biota. Nature Comm. 7(11206): 11 pp. dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11206
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2015
Peperzak, L.; van der Woerd, H.J.; Timmermans, K.R. (2015). Disparities between in situ and optically derived carbon biomassand growth rates of the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis globosa. Biogeosciences 12: 1659-1670. dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1659-2015Stehouwer, P.P.; Buma, A.; Peperzak, L. (2015). A comparison of six different ballast water treatment systems based on UV radiation, electrochlorination and chlorine dioxide. Environ. Technol. 36(16): 2094-2104. dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2015.1021858van Slooten, C.; Peperzak, L.; Buma, A.G.J. (2015). Assessment of didecyldimethylammonium chloride as a ballast water treatment method. Environ. Technol. 36(4): 435-449. hdl.handle.net/10.1080/09593330.2014.951401van Slooten, C.; Wijers, T,; Buma, A.G.J.; Peperzak, L. (2015). Development and testing of a rapid, sensitive ATP assay to detect living organisms in ballast water. J. Appl. Phycol. 27: 2299-2312. dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10811-014-0518-9Wright, D.A.; Welschmeyer, N.A.; Peperzak, L. (2015). Alternative, indirect measures of ballast water treatment efficacy during a shipboard trial: a case study. J. Mar. Engineer. Technol. 14(1): 1-8. dx.doi.org/10.1080/20464177.2015.1022379
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2014
Peperzak, L. (2014). Report on Techcross pliot chlorination experiments using Wadden Sea test water. NIOZ Ballast Water Report 2014-2. NIOZ: Texel. 42 pp.Peperzak, L. (2014). Operational and efficiency testing with natural seawater of the Yamit BW10024 35 µm ballast water filter. NIOZ Ballast Water Report 2014-1. NIOZ: Texel. 25 pp.Peperzak, L.; Gollasch, S. (2014). Comparing organism detection instruments in measuring 2-10 µm and 10-50 µm plankton cells. NIOZ Flow Cytometer Workshop Report. NIOZ: Texel. 66 pp.
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2013
Chronopoulou, P.-M.; Fahy, A.; Coulon, F.; Païssé, S.; Goñi-Urriza, M.; Peperzak, L.; Acuña Alvarez, L.; McKew, B.A.; Lawson, T.; Timmis, K.N.; Duran, R.; Underwood, G.J.C.; McGenity, T.J. (2013). Impact of a simulated oil spill on benthic phototrophs and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in mudflat mesocosms. Environ. Microbiol. 15(1): 242-252. dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02864.xGollasch, S.; Peperzak, L. (2013). Demonstration and feasibility of RT PCR and immune detection of human pathogens as candidate methods for compliance control and requirements for compliance control efforts. NIOZ: Texel. 10 pp.Schaafsma, F.L.; Peperzak, L. (2013). Phytoplankton growth inhibited by the toxic and bacterivorous ciliate Uronema marinum (Protozoa, Ciliophora). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 475: 35-48. dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps10124Stehouwer, P.P.; Liebich, V.; Peperzak, L. (2013). Flow cytometry, microscopy, and DNA analysis as complementary phytoplankton screening methods in ballast water treatment studies. J. Appl. Phycol. 25(4): 1047-1053. dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9944-8Stehouwer, P.P.; van Slooten, C.; Peperzak, L. (2013). Microbial dynamics in acetate-enriched ballast water at different temperatures. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 96: 93-98. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.06.027
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2012
Coulon, F.; Chronopoulou, P.M.; Fahy, A.; Païssé, S.; Goñi-Urriza, M.; Peperzak, L.; Acuña Alvarez, L.; McKew, B.A.; Underwood, G.J.C.; Brussaard, C.P.D.; Timmis, K.N.; Duran, R.; McGenity, T.J. (2012). Central Role of Dynamic Tidal Biofilms Dominated by Aerobic Hydrocarbonoclastic Bacteria and Diatoms in the Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons in Coastal Mudflats. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 78(10): 3638-3648. dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00072-12Peperzak, L.; Gäbler-Schwarz, S. (2012). Current Knowledge of the Life Cycles of Phaeocystis Globosa and Phaeocystis Antarctica (Prymnesiophyceae). J. Phycol. 48(3): 514-517. dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2012.01136.x
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2011
Peperzak, L.; Brussaard, C.P.D. (2011). Flow Cytometric Applicability of Fluorescent Vitality Probes on Phytoplankton. J. Phycol. 47(3): 692-702. dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2011.00991.xvan der Woerd, H.J.; Blauw, A.; Peperzak, L.; Pasterkamp, R.; Peters, S. (2011). Analysis of the spatial evolution of the 2003 algal bloom in the Voordelta (North Sea). J. Sea Res. 65(2): 195-204. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2010.09.007
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