Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management

Journal Article

Title: Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management

Author:

Leng, Q.; Yusuff, F.; Zhang, W.; Hassan, Z.; Mohamed, K.N.; Zainordin, N.S.

Publication Date:

September 1, 2025

Journal:

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume:

218

Pages:

118206

Publisher:

Elsevier

Affiliation

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Hainan University, Fuyang Institute of Technology

Technology:

Marine Energy, OTEC

Stressor:

Chemicals, Habitat Change

Receptor:

Invertebrates

Language:

English

Document Access

Website:

External Link

Citation

APA
BibTex
RIS

Leng, Q.; Yusuff, F.; Zhang, W.; Hassan, Z.; Mohamed, K.N.; Zainordin, N.S. (2025). Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 218, 118206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118206

@article{Leng-2025-2083797,
author = {Leng, Q and Yusuff, F and Zhang, W and Hassan, Z and Mohamed, KN and Zainordin, NS},
title = {Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management},
journal = {Marine Pollution Bulletin},
year = {2025},
month = {sep},
publisher = {Elsevier},
volume = {218},
pages = {118206},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118206},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25006812},
keywords = {Marine Energy, OTEC, Chemicals, Habitat Change, Invertebrates},
}

Export Citation to BibTex

TY - JOUR
TI - Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management
AU - Leng, Q
AU - Yusuff, F
AU - Zhang, W
AU - Hassan, Z
AU - Mohamed, KN
AU - Zainordin, NS
T2 - Marine Pollution Bulletin
AB - Hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion (H-OTEC) power plants are an emerging source of renewable energy, necessitating research on their environmental impact to support their wider implementation. Benthic communities are highly sensitive to ammonia–nitrogen (NH₄-N) stress; however, studies on the effects of NH₄-N from OTEC operations on coastal ecosystems remain limited. This study evaluated the influence of NH₄-N stress on benthic communities by analysing seasonal variations in water and sediment parameters alongside macrobenthic and meiobenthic organism surveys. A control site in an undisturbed area was included to assess the anthropogenic impacts of H-OTEC operations and effluents from ornamental fish farms. The results indicate that NH₄-N stress significantly alters macrobenthic community structure, with U. vestiarium being the primary contributor to intergroup variation, while meiobenthic communities remain unaffected. Principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) identified NH₄-N as a significant predictor of benthic abundance, with Chl-a concentrations increasing with NH₄-N but benthic abundance decreasing. The TN/TP ratio was below 25 and NH₄-N levels were <0.1 mg/L. The benthic abundance increased with increasing TN/TP ratio. However, when the TN/TP ratio exceeded 30, the abundance of these organisms decreased considerably. These findings suggest that monitoring TN/TP ratios could be an effective strategy for regulating ammonia stress from H-OTEC operations and thereby contributing to sustainable coastal ecosystem management.
DA - 2025/09//
PY - 2025
PB - Elsevier
VL - 218
SP - 118206
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25006812
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118206
LA - English
KW - Marine Energy
KW - OTEC
KW - Chemicals
KW - Habitat Change
KW - Invertebrates
ER -

Export Citation to RIS

Abstract

Hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion (H-OTEC) power plants are an emerging source of renewable energy, necessitating research on their environmental impact to support their wider implementation. Benthic communities are highly sensitive to ammonia–nitrogen (NH₄-N) stress; however, studies on the effects of NH₄-N from OTEC operations on coastal ecosystems remain limited. This study evaluated the influence of NH₄-N stress on benthic communities by analysing seasonal variations in water and sediment parameters alongside macrobenthic and meiobenthic organism surveys. A control site in an undisturbed area was included to assess the anthropogenic impacts of H-OTEC operations and effluents from ornamental fish farms. The results indicate that NH₄-N stress significantly alters macrobenthic community structure, with U. vestiarium being the primary contributor to intergroup variation, while meiobenthic communities remain unaffected. Principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) identified NH₄-N as a significant predictor of benthic abundance, with Chl-a concentrations increasing with NH₄-N but benthic abundance decreasing. The TN/TP ratio was below 25 and NH₄-N levels were <0.1 mg/L. The benthic abundance increased with increasing TN/TP ratio. However, when the TN/TP ratio exceeded 30, the abundance of these organisms decreased considerably. These findings suggest that monitoring TN/TP ratios could be an effective strategy for regulating ammonia stress from H-OTEC operations and thereby contributing to sustainable coastal ecosystem management.