Diatom community response to an episodic release of hazardous industrial organic chemicals
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: 1.1 Abstract A train derailment on February 3, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio, USA, spilled hazardous industrial organic chemicals (vinyl chloride, 2-butoxyethanol, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene, butyl acrylate, and benzene) into a small stream in a sub-watershed of the Ohio River, killing thousands of fish and other aquatic organisms. Benthic diatoms were sampled from the stream 92 days after the spill, on May 17, as a surrogate to assess water quality and evaluate the ecological resilience of diatoms to an episodic organic chemical spill. Community metrics included NMS ordination, MNPP statistics, predominant diatoms, diatom water quality indices, trophic states, and diversity. Despite 92 days of recovery and “stream clean-up” measures, all metrics of diatom community structure in Sulfur Run, the polluted stream, and Leslie Run downstream from the Sulfur Run confluence remained significantly different than in Leslie Run above Sulfur Run. Although the differences were relatively subtle, their high significance and range across a spectrum of community metrics lend credence to the chemical spill causing alterations in diatom community structure.This is the first study of the impact of a pollution spill of hazardous synthetic industrial organic chemicals on diatom communities. The study demonstrates the value of diatoms in assessing pollution impact and confirms their potential for monitoring water quality restoration from hazardous organic chemical spills.
Authors: Lauren A. Schroeder, Colleen E. McLean
Institution: Youngstown State University
Language: English
Topic: Diatoms and Algae Research
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410166020