Dr. TAO YAN, associated professor in University of Hawaii, visited the IOCAS on 22nd Oct, 2013.

Prof. YAN’s research focus on water contamination issues in coastal areas, environmental microbiology, and biotechnology for water treatment and reuse. During the visit, Prof. YAN shared ideas with researchers in key laboratory of marine ecology and environmental sciences and gave a report entitled “The impact of soil, beach sand and water eutrophication on coastal water bacteriological quality: A system view” based on his research results.

This report gave a detailed description about the abundance, temporal and spatial distribution, diversity, resistance to desiccation and its mechanisms, the interaction between beach sand and water quality as well as the relationship between eutrophication and pathogens. Meanwhile, the report pointed out that the current pollution source - pollution indicating bacteria, such as E.coli, also exist in soil, sediments/sand, and hydrophyte with great biomass, considering alternative pollution resources to coastal water. This report also suggested that water quality should be assessed in a bacteriological systematic view.

After the report, the participants participated in a discussion about related research.

This report provided a good opportunity for the teachers and students to exchange ideas with international expert in this field.