Feasibility and Implementation of the Modified Clay Technique in Control of Phaeocytstis Globosa Blooms in the Water-Intake Area of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant

In the current study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of using modified clay as an emergency treatment for controlling Phaeocystis globosa blooms in terms of the removal mechanism, removal rate in both the laboratory and field, and the engineering required. Based on these results, we developed a series of blueprints, including the monitoring and early warning of P. globosa blooms in the water-intake area of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant (NPP), the manufacture of the modified-clay emergency disposal facilities, and the operation schemes in treating different scale of blooms. From December 2014 to February 2015, modified clay was applied to successfully control P. globosa blooms and to effectively protect the cold-water source of the NPP. Thus, a set of engineering solutions using modified clay was established and confirmed to be a viable approach for treating harmful algae blooms that threaten the cold-water sources of NPPs.