Substance and pollutant
Ballast water
Water Law of 16 December 1964
Phosphates
Microbial eco-toxicology
Organic micropollutant
Organic active ingredient, usually synthesized by the chemical industry, whose accumulation, even at low concentrations, can be toxic. The main organic micropollutants controlled are volatile organic compounds (VOC), hydrocarbons, andpolychlorinated biphenyl(PCB).
Mineral micropollutant
Mineral active product, mainly metals or metalloids, whose accumulation, even at low concentrations, affects the environment and organisms. The main mineral micro pollutants controlled (from both natural and anthropical occurrence) are cadmium, mercury, copper, chromium, zinc, nickel, lead, etc.
Macropollutants
All the suspended material in water, organic matter or nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphate. They may occur naturally in water but their concentration increases with human activities (wastewater discharge, agriculture...). In contrast to micropollutants, which are toxic even at low concentration, macropolluants requires higher content to cause bad effects.
Green algae
Chlorophyllous aquatic plant having no leaves, no roots, no vessels, no flowers, no seeds, whose main photosynthetic pigments are chlorophylls a and b. As the name suggests, they are usually green in color.
Algae phylum whose sometimes exclusive major pigment is chlorophyll β, associated with carotene and xanthophyll. Their only reproductive organs are sporocysts and gametocysts. Their plastids elaborate starch as in the Phanerogamous. It includes three classes: Chlorophyceae, Zygophyceae and Charophyceae.