Featured Thoughts, News and Microarticles from the Scientific Community.

some MOST RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS by Dr. S.A. Ostroumov in English (including the WEBSITES WITH THE FULL TEXTS) ------------
1. Ostroumov S. A. The concept of aquatic biota as a labile and vulnerable component of the water self-purification system - Doklady Biological Sciences, Vol. 372, 2000, pp. 286–289. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs372p286biotalabil/; --------
2. Ostroumov S. A., Kolesnikov M. P. Biocatalysis of Matter Transfer in a Microcosm Is Inhibited by a Contaminant: Effects of a Surfactant on Limnea stagnalis. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 2000, 373: 397–399. Translated from Doklady Akademii Nauk, 2000, Vol. 373, No. 2, pp. 278–280. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs373p397biocatallstag/--------
3. Ostroumov S. A. An aquatic ecosystem: a large-scale diversified bioreactor with a water self-purification function.- Doklady Biological Sciences, 2000. Vol. 374, P. 514-516. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs374p514bioreactor/ --------
4. Ostroumov SA. Criteria of ecological hazards due to anthropogenic effects on the biota: searching for a system. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2000; 371:204-206. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs371p204criteria/ --------
5. Ostroumov S. A. An amphiphilic substance inhibits the mollusk capacity to filter out phytoplankton cells from water. - Biology Bulletin, 2001, Volume 28, Number 1, p. 95-102.
ISSN 1062-3590 (Print) 1608-3059 (Online); DOI 10.1023/A:1026671024000; http://www.springerlink.com/content/l665628020163255/;--------

Relevant facts that support this paper are presented in the book:
Biological Effects of Surfactants. CRC Press. Taylor & Francis. Boca Raton, London, New York. 2006. 279 p. Bibliogr. on pages 203-243 and 250-253. Subject Index: p.255-279. ISBN 0-8493-2526-9.

The microarticle above (three new key hazards...) is about the paper:

A new type of effect of potentially hazardous substances: uncouplers of pelagial-benthal coupling. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2002; 383:127-130. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=d988acb599e121964c48114374a87e8d

May I draw your attention to a short but essential paper that is relevant to some fundamental ecological issues.

The paper contributes to understanding key ecological mechanisms that maintain and upgrade water quality in freshwater and marine ecosystems. This paper is:

Ostroumov S.A. Polyfunctional role of biodiversity in processes leading to water purification: current conceptualizations and concluding remarks. - Hydrobiologia, 2002 (February), 469: 203-204. DOI 10.1023/A:1015555022737;
http://www.springerlink.com/content/hcrfvmdncdm8e3pf/

Sustainable use of aquatic resources is based on the ability of aquatic ecosystems to maintain a certain level of water quality. Water self-purification in both freshwater and marine ecosystems is based on a number of interconnected processes (e.g., Wetzel, 1983; Spellman, 1996; Ostroumov 1998, 2000). Among them are:
(1) physical and physico-chemical processes, including: (1.1) solution and dilution of pollutants; (1.2) export of pollutants to the adjacent land areas; (1.3) export of pollutants to the adjacent water bodies; (1.4) sorption of pollutants onto suspended particles and further sedimentation of the latter; (1.5) sorption of pollutants by sediments; (1.6) evaporation of pollutants;
(2) chemical processes, including: (2.1) hydrolysis of pollutants; (2.2) photochemical transformations; (2.3) redox-catalytic transformations; (2.4) transformations including free radicals; (2.5) binding of pollutants by dissolved organic matter, which may lead to decreasing toxicity; (2.6) chemical oxidation of pollutants by oxygen;
(3) biological processes, including: (3.1) sorption, uptake and accumulation of pollutants by organisms; (3.2) biotransformations (redox reactions, degradation, conjugation), mineralization of organic matter; (3.3) transformation of pollutants by extracellular enzymes; (3.4) removal of suspended matter and pollutants from the water column in the process of water filtering by filter-feeders; (3.5) removal of pollutants from the water in the process of sorption by pellets excreted by aquatic organisms; (3.6) uptake of nutrients (including P, N, and organic molecules) by organisms; (3.7) biotransformation and sorption of pollutants in soil (and removal of nutrients), important when polluted waters are in contact with terrestrial ecosystems; (3.8) a network of regulatory processes when certain organisms control or influence other organisms involved in water purification.
Living organisms are involved in physical, physico-chemical and chemical processes 1.1-1.6 and 2.1-2.6 directly or through excretion of oxygen or organic metabolites, production of suspended matter, affecting turbidity, temperature of water or other parameters of the ecosystem. As a result, living organisms are the core component of the multitude of processes of the ecological machinery working towards improving water quality. This component performs eight vital functions directly (3.1-3.8) and is involved indirectly in some of the other twelve functions (1.1-1.6 and 2.1-2.6) so that its role is clearly polyfunctional.
Living organisms of aquatic bodies (both autotrophs and heterotrophs) are enormously diverse in terms of taxonomy. Among them, autotrophs generate oxygen that is involved in the processes 2.6 and 2.4 above. Heterotrophs perform processes 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5 and some others. Virtually all biodiversity is involved.
Given this polyfunctional role of aquatic organisms, in one of our publications we compared aquatic ecosystems to 'large-scale diversified bioreactors with a function of water purification' (Ostroumov, 2000).
What is interesting about the biomachinery of water purification is the fact that it is an energy-saving device. It is using the energy of the sun (autotrophs) and the energy of organic matter which is being oxidized in the process of being removed from water by heterotrophs.
Some interesting examples of how various organisms are incorporated in that polyfunctional activity were given by authors of the preceding papers in this volume.
The importance of aquatic organisms in performing key functions in the hydrosphere provides an additional convincing rationale for protecting biodiversity.
The efficiency of the entire complex of those processes leading to water purification in ecosystems is a prerequisite for the sustainable use of aquatic resources. Man-made effects on any of those processes (we have shown effects of surfactants on water filtration by bivalves; some of the experiments were carried out together with Dr. P. Donkin) may impair the efficiency of water self-purification (Ostroumov, 1998; Ostroumov et al., 1998; Ostroumov & Fedorov, 1999; Ostroumov 2001a, 2001b).
We postulate and predict that further studies will provide new striking examples of how important biodiversity is in performing many vital ecological processes leading to upgrading water quality. By doing so, the multifunctional participation of biodiversity supports the sustainable use of water as one of key resources for mankind.
The body of new data and ideas presented in this volume will hopefully serve towards following interconnected and partially overlapping goals:
prioritization of efforts on research and management in the area of aquatic resources and aquatic environment;
biodiversity studies and protection;
sustainable use of aquatic bioresources;
advancement of aquaculture and mariculture;
decreasing costs and increasing efficiencies in wastewater treatment using ecosystems;
combatting eutrophication;
understanding the role of biota in biogeochemical flows of chemical elements and in buffering global change.
The statements and conclusions that were made in this paper were supported in a series of other publications of the author, including the book (Biological Effects of Surfactants. CRC Press. Taylor & Francis. Boca Raton, London, New York. 2006. 279 p. ISBN 0-8493-2526-9) and a string of articles. Among them: On the biotic self-purification of aquatic ecosystems: elements of the theory. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 2004, Vol. 396, Numbers 1-6, p. 206-211. (https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=60f338228d6f3c5114d223ab81e15d3b), Contemporary Problems of Ecology, 2008, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 147-152 (DOI 10.1134/S1995425508010177) and others.
The paper was cited by a number of international experts, e. g. in the following papers: Hydrobiologia, 2006, 556: 365-379, DOI 10.1007/s10750-004-0189-7; Journal of Applied Phycology, 2005, 17: 557-567, DOI 10.1007/s10811-005-9006-6; Mediterranean Marine Science, 2007, Volume 8 (2), 19-32; Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 2009, Volume 12, Number 2, pp. 215-225, DOI: 10.1080/14634980902908589; Desalination, 2010, Vol. 250, Issue 1, Pages 118-129, DOI:10.1016/j.desal.2008.12.062.

References:
Ostroumov, S.A., 1998. Biological filtering and ecological machinery for self-purification and bioremediation in aquatic ecosystems: towards a holistic view. Rivista di Biologia / Biology Forum. 91: 247-258.
Ostroumov, S.A., 2000. Aquatic ecosystem: a large-scale, diversified bioreactor with the function of water self-purification (Vodnaja ekosistema: krupnorazmernyj diversifitzirovannyj bioreaktor s funktzijej samoochishchenija vody). Doklady Biological Sciences 374: 514-516 (the Russian edition: Dokl. Akad. Nauk 374: 427-429). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11103331; http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs374p514bioreactor/
Ostroumov, S.A., 2001a. Amphiphilic chemical inhibits the ability of molluscs to filter water and to remove the cells of phytoplankton (Amfifil'noe veshchestvo podavljaet sposobnost' molluskov filtrovat' vodu i udalat' iz nee kletki fitoplanktona). Izvestia RAN. Ser. Biology. 1: 108-116. Translated into English: An amphiphilic substance inhibits the mollusk capacity to filter out phytoplankton cells from water. - Biology Bulletin, 2001, Vol. 28, No. 1, p. 95-102. DOI 10.1023/A:1026671024000. PMID: 11236572 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
Ostroumov, S.A., 2001b. Effects of amphiphilic chemicals on marine organisms filter-feeders (Vozdeistvie amfifil'nykh veshchestv na morskikh gidrobiontov-filtratorov). Dokl. Akad. Nauk . Vol. 378. No. 2: 283-285. Translated into English: Effect of amphiphilic chemicals on filter-feeding marine organisms. - Doklady Biological Sciences. 2001. 378: 248-250. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs378p248effammaroyst/; DOI 10.1023/A:1019270825775.
Ostroumov, S.A., P. Donkin & F. Staff, 1998. Filtration inhibition induced by two classes of synthetic surfactants in the bivalve mollusc (Narushenije filtratzii dvustvorchatymi molluskami pod vozdejstvijem poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv dvukh klassov). Dokl. Akad. Nauk 362: 574-576. Translated into English: Filtration inhibition induced by two classes of synthetic surfactants in the bivalve mollusk Mytilus edulis // Doklady Biological Sciences, 1998. Vol. 362, P. 454-456.
Ostroumov, S.A. & V.D. Fedorov, 1999. The main components of self-purification of ecosystems and its possible impairment as a result of chemical pollution (Osnovnyje komponenty samoochishchenija ekosistem i vozmozhnost' ego narushenija v rezultate khimicheskogo zagrjaznenija). Bulletin of Moscow University. Ser. 16. Biology (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Ser. 16. Biologija) 1: 24-32.
Spellman, F.R., 1996. Stream Ecology and Self-purification. Technomic Publishing Co., Lancaster, Basel. 133 pp.
Wetzel, R. G., 1983. Limnology. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth. 858 pp.

ADDENDUM
(added in 2010).
The main conclusions of the paper were supported in a series of publications. The following publications are among them.
1. Ostroumov S. A. Biological Effects of Surfactants. CRC Press. Taylor & Francis. Boca Raton, London, New York. 2006. 279 p. ISBN 0-8493-2526-9.
2. Ostroumov S. A. The concept of aquatic biota as a labile and vulnerable component of the water self-purification system - Doklady Biological Sciences, Vol. 372, 2000, pp. 286–289. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs372p286biotalabil/;
3. Ostroumov S. A., Kolesnikov M. P. Biocatalysis of Matter Transfer in a Microcosm Is Inhibited by a Contaminant: Effects of a Surfactant on Limnea stagnalis. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 2000, 373: 397–399. Translated from Doklady Akademii Nauk, 2000, Vol. 373, No. 2, pp. 278–280. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs373p397biocatallstag/
4. Ostroumov S. A. An aquatic ecosystem: a large-scale diversified bioreactor with a water self-purification function. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 2000. Vol. 374, P. 514-516. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs374p514bioreactor/
5. Ostroumov SA. Criteria of ecological hazards due to anthropogenic effects on the biota: searching for a system. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2000; 371:204-206. http://sites.google.com/site/2000dbs371p204criteria/
6. Ostroumov S. A. An amphiphilic substance inhibits the mollusk capacity to filter out phytoplankton cells from water. - Biology Bulletin, 2001, Volume 28, Number 1, p. 95-102.
ISSN 1062-3590 (Print) 1608-3059 (Online); DOI 10.1023/A:1026671024000; http://www.springerlink.com/content/l665628020163255/;
7. Ostroumov S. A. Inhibitory Analysis of Regulatory Interactions in Trophic Webs. -Doklady Biological Sciences, 2001, Vol. 377, pp. 139–141. Translated from Doklady Akademii Nauk, 2000, Vol. 375, No. 6, pp. 847–849. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs377p139inhibitory/;
8. Ostroumov SA. The synecological approach to the problem of eutrophication. - Dokl Biol Sci. (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 381:559-562. http://scipeople.com/uploads/materials/4389/Danbio6_2001v381n5.E.eutrophication.pdf
9. Ostroumov SA. The hazard of a two-level synergism of synecological summation of anthropogenic effects. - Dokl Biol Sci. (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 380:499-501. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs380p499synerg/
10. Ostroumov SA. Responses of Unio tumidus to mixed chemical preparations and the hazard of synecological summation of anthropogenic effects. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 380: 492-495. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs380p492unio/
11. Ostroumov SA, Kolesnikov MP. Pellets of some mollusks in the biogeochemical flows of C, N, P, Si, and Al. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 379:378-381. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs379p378pellets/
12. Ostroumov SA. Imbalance of factors providing control of unicellular plankton populations exposed to anthropogenic impact. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 379:341-343. http://sites.google.com/site/1dbs379p341imbalance/;
13. Ostroumov SA. Effect of amphiphilic chemicals on filter-feeding marine organisms.- Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2001; 378:248-250. http://sites.google.com/site/2001dbs378p248effammaroyst/
14. Ostroumov SA. Biodiversity protection and quality of water: the role of feedbacks in ecosystems. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2002; 382:18-21; http://sites.google.com/site/2dbs382p18biodivers/; http://www.citeulike.org/pdf/user/ATP/article/6113559/ostroumov_02_biodiversity.pdf;
15. Ostroumov SA. A new type of effect of potentially hazardous substances: uncouplers of pelagial-benthal coupling. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2002; 383:127-130. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=d988acb599e121964c48114374a87e8d; www.springerlink.com/index/28V23JBFADL1Y100.pdf;
16. Ostroumov S. A. Identification of a New Type of Ecological Hazard of Chemicals: Inhibition of Processes of Ecological Remediation. - Doklady Biological Sciences, Vol. 385, 2002 (November), pp. 377–379. [Translated from Doklady Akademii Nauk, Vol. 385, No. 4, 2002, pp. 571–573]. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=8408a7cfaa984764b812ce79c77007f2;
17. Ostroumov SA. System of principles for conservation of the biogeocenotic function and the biodiversity of filter-feeders. - Dokl Biol Sci (Doklady Biological Sciences). 2002; 383:147-150. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=888352078b275ef40a430eb5b4d7714c;
18. Ostroumov S. A., Walz N., Rusche R. Effect of a cationic amphiphilic compound on rotifers. - Doklady Biological Sciences. 2003 (May). Vol. 390. 252-255, [ISSN 0012-4966 (Print) 1608-3105 (Online)]. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=def6575c794b111fcc31275e853c2b15;
19. Ostroumov S.A. Anthropogenic effects on the biota: towards a new system of principles and criteria for analysis of ecological hazards. - Rivista di Biologia/Biology Forum. 2003. 96: 159-170. PMID: 12852181 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] http://sites.google.com/site/ostroumovsergei/publications-1/rivista2003criteria; http://scipeople.com/uploads/materials/4389/3RB96p159Anth..Criteria.doc; www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12852181;
20. Ostroumov S. A. On the biotic self-purification of aquatic ecosystems: elements of the theory. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 2004, Vol. 396, Numbers 1-6, p. 206-211. https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=60f338228d6f3c5114d223ab81e15d3b;
21. Ostroumov S. A., Widdows J. Inhibition of mussel suspension feeding by surfactants of three classes. // Hydrobiologia. 2006. Vol. 556, No. 1. Pages: 381 – 386. DOI 10.1007/s10750-005-1200-7; http://sites.google.com/site/ostroumovsergei/publications-1/hydrobiologia2006ostwidd; http://sites.google.com/site/3surfactantsfiltrationmytilus/; http://scipeople.ru/uploads/materials/4389/_Hydrobiologia2006%20vol%20556%20No.1%20pages381-386.pdf; http://www.springerlink.com/content/7166067538534421/
22. Ostroumov S. A. Biotic self-purification of aquatic ecosystems: from the theory to ecotechnologies. - Ecologica, 2007. vol. 15 (50), p.15-23. (ISSN 0354-3285). [http://scindeks.nb.rs/article.aspx?artid=0354-32850750015O].
23. Ostroumov S.A., Shestakova T.V. Decreasing the measurable concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the water of the experimental systems containing Ceratophyllum demersum: The phytoremediation potential // Doklady Biological Sciences 2009, Vol. 428, No. 1, p. 444-447. http://sites.google.com/site/9dbs444/; https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=8fd8998627b86102db72c9b237c25054;
24. Ostroumov S.A. Towards the general theory of ecosystem-depended control of water quality. - Ecologica, 2009, vol. 16, No. 54, p. 25-32. http://sites.google.com/site/9enecologica16p25theory/
25. Ostroumov S. A. Basics of the molecular-ecological mechanism of water quality formation and water self-purification.- Contemporary Problems of Ecology, 2008, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 147-152. ISSN 1995-4255 (Print) 1995-4263 (Online); DOI 10.1134/S1995425508010177;

Key issues relevant to the content of the paper: water quality, water purification, self-purification, biodiversity, pollutants, ecosystem services, freshwater, marine, aquatic ecosystems, sustainability, bivalves, filter-feeders, pollutants, surfactants, xenobiotics, sustainable use of aquatic resources, aquatic biota, functioning of ecosystems, hydrosphere, biosphere, environmental safety, sources of water supply, new fundamental of aquatic ecology, discovery of new basics of aquatic ecology, how to protect water quality, mechanisms of ecological stability;water purification, self-purification, biodiversity, pollutants

Some of the papers listed above were summarized in the publication:

Ostroumov S. A. Basics of the molecular-ecological mechanism of water quality formation and water self-purification. - Contemporary Problems of Ecology, 2008 (Feb), Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 147-152. [ISSN 1995-4255 (Print) 1995-4263 (Online); DOI 10.1134/S1995425508010177; https://www.researchgate.net/file.FileLoader.html?key=e533be77c87735c6dcc5cfdb9db96cec;
http://www.springerlink.com/content/e380263154u73045/; http://scipeople.ru/users/2943391/; Original Russian Text: published in Sibirskii Ekologicheskii Zhurnal, 2006, Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 699–706]. The paper formulates some basics of the modern ecological theory of the polyfunctional role of biota in the molecular-ecological mechanism of water quality formation and self-purification of aquatic ecosystems. The theory covers the following items: (1) sources of energy for self-purification mechanisms, (2) the main structural and functional units of the self-purification system, (3) the main processes involved in the system, (4) contributions of major taxa to self-purification, (5) self-purification system reliability and supporting mechanisms, (6) the response of some components of the self-purification system to external factors, (7) particulars of the operation of water purification mechanisms, and (8) conclusions and recommendations for biodiversity preservation practice. Surfactants, detergents, salts of Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Co, Ti, V (Na3VO4 •12 H2O), and oil hydrocarbons inhibited water filtration by bivalves, mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis.
DOI: 10.1134/S1995425508010177

From the text of the paper:
A set of six principles was formulated.
These principles are typically predominant but
not universal because some ecosystems demonstrate
deviations from them.
1. Moderation of the rate of water self-purification
by regulatory mechanisms. The actual rate of certain
processes is in many cases lower than the maximal expected
one. This may be related to the action of regulatory
mechanisms. It has been noted that if the maximum
value of a parameter in an ecosystem does not match its
optimum value for organisms, this parameter is likely to
undergo self-regulation [19]. For example, the rate of
water filtration by aquatic organisms is regulated. It decreases
significantly at elevated suspension concentration
in water in comparison with the maximum possible
rate.
2. Typically, maximal diversification of the executives
of the main functions of water quality formation
and self-purification machinery is observed. Indeed, as
mentioned above, virtually all functions (oxygen release,
DOM oxidation and conversion, water filtration,
etc.) are duplicated, being performed by multiple
species of the ecosystem.
3. Multiple stages of the biogenic migration of elements
in the operation of the molecular ecological
mechanism of water medium parameter formation are
often observed. For example, the carbon atom of a carbon
dioxide molecule is involved in a pathway of many
stages: It is reduced during photosynthesis by an alga;
then it is oxidized in the body of a heterotroph consumer,
or it comes to bottom sediments with debris,
where it can be oxidized by an aerobic bacterium; then
it is reduced again by a methanogenic bacterium to
form methane; then it is oxidized by a methanotrophic
bacterium; and eventually, this carbon can again be
involved in photosynthesis.
4. Synecological cooperation: Many processes participating
in the formation of water medium parameter
formation and self-purification occur at higher rates
and efficiencies owing to cooperation of two or more
aquatic species.
5. The significance of biota is constantly preserved
at a high level throughout the ecosystem volume and all
the time, independently of the time of day, season, and
succession stage.
6. Regulated balance of oppositely directed processes.
Organisms simultaneously excrete and absorb
organic molecules, oxygen, and carbon dioxide; produce
suspended organic matter (SOM) and remove it
from water by filtration; etc. This fact points once more
to the importance of all regulation types, involving biotic
and abiotic factors, and emphasizes the danger of
anthropogenic distortion of these regulatory mechanisms.
In some respects (continuous operation, importance
for maintaining the structure and stability of biologic
systems, and pollutant sensitivity), the molecular ecological
mechanism of water quality formation and
maintenance and restoration of water medium parameters
in aquatic ecosystems is similar to reparation
mechanisms at other life organization levels.
This article concerns only some components of the
complex set of processes and factors involved in water
medium parameter formation and water self-purification.
Other components of the self-purification machinery
are considered in [3, 5, 15, 16, 19].
8. Conclusions and recommendations for environment
preservation practice. On the grounds of our experimental
studies [8–13], other publications of mine
[14], and data published by other scientists [e.g., 3, 4],
the following conclusions can be drawn:
1. Virtually all species are involved in processes responsible
for aquatic ecosystem self-purification or in
regulation of these processes. Distortion of these regulatory
mechanisms manifests itself most clearly after
invasion of new species into the ecosystems. This provides
another argument for the preservation of the
whole biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems [14].
2. Species of terrestrial ecosystems and habitats adjacent
to water basins and watercourses take an active
part in purification processes. Therefore, water quality
preservation demands the preservation of the biodiversity
of these terrestrial ecosystems as well.
3. The modern concept of biodiversity preservation
differs from the previous one, based on the preservation
of species gene pool. It follows from the analysis reported
in [13, 14] that the biodiversity-preservation
tasks and conditions should include not only preservation
of gene pools and populations but also preservation
of the functional activity of these populations, which
contributes to the maintenance of water quality and, as
a consequence, the maintenance of stability of the
whole aquatic ecosystem.
4. The operation of self-purification machinery in an
ecosystem should be taken into account to determine
critical anthropogenic loads [15] on the ecosystem and
to evaluate the threat of anthropogenic impact on biota
[20–22].
5. The self-purification system is important for analyzing
the role and fate of most important pollutants, including
radionuclides [16], heavy metals [23–25], and
other pollutants.
6. The theory under development emphasizes the
importance of molecular conversion of pollutants. The
poor understanding of this problem is related to blanks
in the knowledge of aquatic ecosystems. The filling of
these blanks should be given priority to in further studies.
They include problems of biochemistry and biophysics
of aquatic ecosystems [19, 26]; better knowledge
of the biochemical composition of DOM, role and
metabolism of particular DOM classes; and determination
of concentrations and activities of the enzymes dissolved
in waters of natural water bodies
(exoenzymes), as well as of the enzymes immobilized
on interfaces in aquatic ecosystems.
Comprehensive analysis of self-purification mechanisms
demands a broad range of factual data and consideration
of additional sources in scientific literature.
More detailed bibliography on the issues considered
here is presented in [27–29].


Table 1. Some factors and processes involved in the molecular ecological mechanism of water quality formation as compiled
from studies by many scientists
No. Water purification factors and processes
1 PHYSICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL
1.1 Dissolution and dilution
1.2 Carryover to the banks
1.3 Carryover to adjacent water basins and watercourses
1.4 Adsorption by suspended particles followed by sedimentation
1.5 Adsorption by bottom sediments
1.6 Evaporation
2 CHEMICAL
2.1 Hydrolysis
2.2 Photochemical conversion of DOM and pollutants
2.3 Catalytic redox conversion
2.4 Pollutant conversion induced by free radicals
2.5 Decrease in pollutant toxicity owing to binding to DOM
2.6 Oxygen-mediated chemical oxidation of pollutants
3 BIOTIC
3.1 Adsorption and accumulation of pollutants, DOM, and biogens by aquatic organisms
3.2 Pollutant bioconversion: redox reactions, degradation, and conjugation
3.3 Extracellular enzymatic conversion of pollutant and DOM molecules performed by enzymes dissolved in the
water of natural basins and watercourses (exoenzymes) and enzymes immobilized on interfaces in aquatic
ecosystems
3.4 Removal of suspended particles from the water column by water filtration by aquatic organisms
3.5 Removal of suspended particles from the water column by adsorption on pellets excreted by aquatic organisms
3.6 Arrest or retardation of the supply of biogens and pollutants from bottom sediments to the water column;
accumulation and binding of biogens and pollutants by benthic organisms
3.7 Carryover of C, N, and P from the ecosystem with aquatic insect imagos (Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Trichoptera, Diptera, etc.)
3.8 Production of allelopathic and bactericidal substances and their excretion to water
3.9 Carryover of C, N, and P from the ecosystem in the course of nourishment of fish-feeding and other predatory
animals living in areas adjacent to the water basin
3.10 Carryover of C, N, and P from the ecosystem with amphibians leaving water for land in the course of metamorphosis
3.11 Release of hydrogen peroxide by algae, which is essential for pollutant conversion by redox reactions
3.12 Excretion of substances participating in photochemical degradation of chemicals and pollutants (photosensibilizers and their precursors)
3.13 Excretion of substances essential for free-radical-mediated degradation of chemicals (organic ligands and their precursors)
3.14 Excretion of organic substances participating in formation of an organic surface film regulating heat and matter transport between the water and atmosphere (for details, see [19])
3.15 Bioconversion and adsorption of pollutants in soil during field watering with polluted water
3.16 Further fragmentation of large organism fragments supplied to the basin by aquatic animals
3.17 Regulation of the population and activity of organisms involved in water purification by interactions between organisms


Table 2. Recent data on the disturbance of water filtration as part of its self-purification under the action of pollutants. Action of various pollutants on the removal of suspended matter from water by filter-feeding organisms. The degree of suppressing activity of chemicals (effect on the efficiency of suspension removal, EESR) was calculated as in [6]

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Book 'Biological Effects of Surfactants' (CRC / Taylor&Francis) contains mass of data on new hazards to the biosphere, which support this string of blogs. In the book, new experiments were summarized. They showed that many pollutants (represented by surfactants, detergents) inhibited filtration of water by invertebrates (bivalves).