University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Environmental Science Department. Coastal Environment Course.

1. Healthy coral reefs, healthy people: Using technology to
protect coral reefs and improve well-being of a
community in the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed
Abelardo Colon Nieves
Molly Ramsey, Shweta Sharma

2. Research Problem
• Communities along Laguna Torrecilla source of heavy metal discharge to
Laguna Torrecilla and Boca de Cangrejo.
• Coral reef communities of Boca de Cangrejo highly degraded by
sedimentation and heavy metal discharges
• Community awareness about their role in coral reef conservation and
management.
• Expensive to monitor heavy metal concentration in San Juan Bay Estuary.
Photos from J. Bauza

3. Research Problem

4. Overview of Project
• Multi-disciplinary Research
– Biophysical /Nanotechnology: Development of Heavy
Metal Sensor
– Ecology/Toxicology: Monitoring of coral reef species
and experimentation of heavy metal toxicity to
sensitive coral reef species
• Collaborative Community Science
– Resource Users: Community along Laguna Torrecilla
– Resource Managers: San Juan Bay Estuary Program,
potentially DRNA and PRASA
– Researchers: UPR-RP

5. Strategic Plan of Sea Grant Puerto Rico
2014 - 2017
Healthy Ecosystems and Habitats
GOAL: Widespread use of ecosystem-based
management approaches to managing land,
water and living resources.
Learning outcomes: Residents, resource managers
and businesses understand the effects of human
activities and environmental changes on coastal
resources.
Resource managers have an understanding of the
social factors, policies and human processes that
shape the seascape and habitats.
Action outcomes: Residents, resource managers and
business collaborate, in an open and integrated
manner, to facilitate the implementation of
ecosystem-based management.
Consequence outcomes: Residents, resource
managers and business owners integrate social,
natural and physical sciences when managing
resources and work with all sectors in the decisionmaking process.
Performance measures: Sea Grant-sponsored
research projects incorporate, as partners and
collaborators, the following: resource users, resource
managers and researchers.

6. Healthy coral reefs, healthy people: Using technology to
protect coral reefs and improve well-being of a
community in the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed
Abelardo Colon Nieves
Molly Ramsey, Shweta Sharma

7. Sensor for Heavy Metals
monitoring
Background
Objectives
Methodology
Hypothesis

8. Background
• Electrochemical three-electrode sensors for trace determination of
elements in liquids can be utilized in many areas. Their sensing properties
are usually determined by the properties of the working electrodes. High
active electrode area on the miniaturized sensor is to create high surface
area nanostructures for better work.
• The glassy carbon electrode modified by a nanoporous composite film
was used successfully for the simultaneous voltammetry determination of
a trace level of Cd(II) and Cu(II). One way of fabricating a low-cost small
sensor with solid electrodes is use of the thick-film technology (TFT).
• TFT sensors is their low dimensions, good reproducibility, mechanical,
electrical properties of electrodes, low cost of the electrodes and a well
accessible and ecological fabrication process.

9. Background
• Graphene is a nanoscale allotrope of carbon like
carbon nanotubes. Unlike graphite, the most common
allotrope, graphene is quasi-two-dimensional, since
electron can only move between carbon atoms in the
2D lattice. That’s make graphene sheet a ballistically
carrier of electrons in their surface thereby conducting
electricity. (Pollar, 2011.)
• Recent studies done by National Tsing Hua University
has been shown the synthesis of single to few layer
Graphene via CVD process on Nickel substrate (Zhen-Yu
Juan et al, 2013.) showing that the industrial
production of this material can be done at large scale
production.

10. Objectives and Hypothesis
1. Synthesize carbon nanostructure material by Hot
Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) or Tube
Furnace Chemical Vapor Deposition (TFCVD) in Copper
substrate. Characterize nanostructure material by
RAMAN, SEM, TEM microscopy and AFM.
Hypothesis 1: If we do a mix of CH4 and H2 gases in high
temperature in a specific amount of time in HFCVD or
TBCVD with a Copper substrate then, carbon
nanostructures like graphene will grow in a copper
substrate by HFCVD or TFCVD.

11. Objective and Hypothesis
2. Create sensor electrode with carbon nanostructure
copper substrate attached. Characterization of electrode
with heavy metals solutions at laboratory and at different
sites at Laguna Torrecillas in the San Juan estuary.
Hypothesis 2: If an electrode sensor for heavy metals that
is made of carbon nanotubes and is more sensitive by
higher surface area comparing it to graphite then, an
electrode sensor for heavy metals made of graphene will
be more sensitive in comparison of the nanotube sensor.

12. Methodology
• Synthesis: mix H2 CH4 gases with different concentration
at 20 Torr pressure in 15-90 minutes time intervals with
Copper or Nickel substrate in HFCVD.
• Electrode: Put copper or Nickel substrates in tree electrode
electrochemical sensor in voltammetry determination of
liquids metals.
• Test: put electrochemical sensor with different
concentration of heavy metals for detection of analytical
signal. Measure liquids metal concentration at 3 points of
the Laguna Torrecillas/Boca Cangrejos area with calibrated
electrode sensor elaborated in laboratory.

13. Healthy coral reefs, healthy people: Using technology to
protect coral reefs and improve well-being of a
community in the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed
Abelardo Colon Nieves
Molly Ramsey, Shweta Sharma

14. Background
 In our study we are evaluating the effect of high Hg
concentration on species of coral that are considered
sensitive. Those sensitive species require a higher abundance
of zooxanthellae to survive.
 There are certain coral reef species found in Puerto Rico that
contain abundant zooxanthellae and other species that do not
contain. For e.g. Hermatypic gorgonians require abundant
zooxanthellae in their tissue for survival while Black corals do
not (Carlos Goenaga, 1991).

15. Background
 Untreated sewage and runoff, discharge in Laguna Torrecillas
have higher concentration of Hg, which have lethal effect on
corals of Boca de Congrejo. Among heavy metals we are
considering mercury due to it’s higher toxicity.
 Concentration of Hg toxic to coral reef species range from
0.03 to 0.2 mg/l. (C.Bastidas & E.M Garcia 2004)
 Laguna Torrecillas have high Hg concentration 0.05mg/gm so
all the sensitive species will die in Boca de Congrejo. Culebra
have low Hg concentration so sensitive as well as resistant
both variety can exist in Culebra

16. Hg concentration in Laguna Torrecillas
SJBEP (San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership). 2001.
Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan for the San Juan Bay Estuary.
San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership,
San Juan, PR.

17. Table showing coral health and source of Hg in study
area

18. Picture showing coral reef health condition
in Puerto Rico

19. Objectives and Hypothesis
Objective 1 - Study of effect of Hg concentration on coral survival
Hypothesis - Adult colonies of sensitive coral species will have a
lower survivorship in tank with Hg concentration representative of
condition at Boca de Congrejo than in tanks with Hg concentrations
representative of condition at Culebra.
Objective 2 - Monitor abundance of sensitive coral reef species in
Boca de Congrejo and in Culebra.
Hypothesis- Because zooxanthellae are sensitive to Hg, we
hypothesize that there is a low relative abundance of sensitive coral
reef species in the system of Boca de Congrejo and a higher relative
abundance of sensitive coral reef species in the system of Culebra.

20. Method
 We will collect colonies of coral species containing zooxanthellae
using a hammer and chisel from 1 to 1.5 m deep reef flat from Boca
de Cangrejo/Pinones and Culebra.
 We will transport corals to the laboratory in 40 l sea water
container within 2 hrs of collection and thoroughly cleaned of
associated biota.
 We will do two semi static bioassay ( with water renewal every 3 d )
in 11 to 15 days. This will be represented as bioassay I and II
respectively.
 For each bioassay 3 coral colonies will be used as replicates in each
concentration of Hg

21. Method
 Temperature of container we will keep less than required
for bleaching.
 We will use Culebra condition as control to evaluate the
potential change in corals during the bioassay
acclimatization period .

22. Healthy coral reefs, healthy people: Using technology to
protect coral reefs and improve well-being of a
community in the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed
Abelardo Colon Nieves
Molly Ramsey, Shweta Sharma

23. Objectives and Hypotheses
Objective .
COLLABORATIVE CITIZEN SCIENCE:
Educate and engage community about the magnitude and sources
of heavy metals and the effects of heavy metals on coral reefs.
Engage resource users, managers, and researchers into the science
research for co-learning.
Hypothesis.
The process of active engagement in scientific process measuring
concentrations of heavy metals and studying the effects of heavy
metals on coral reef systems we will increase the resource users
knowledge and understanding about ecological relationship
between their activities and coral reef communities of Boca de
Cangrejo.
We will increase the resource managers understanding of the
social and environmental processes involved in the heavy metal
pollution problem.

24. Methodology
Identification of Community Leaders and Community Members (adults, students in
schools, both) to help collect, analyze, contribute to study design. COLI will assist us.
187 km 4.2 Sector Boca de Cangrejos, Piñones-Loíza

25. COPI: La Corporacion Pinones
Se Integra
Community based, non profit
Incorporated 1999
Partners: DRNA
Sponsors: Estuario de la Bahia de San
Juan
COPI is committed to finding alternatives
to existing social problems that
deteriorate Pinones in order to impress
quality of life of residents, families, and
visitors.
COPI is focus on strengthening the
community of Pinones through numerous
sustainable development initiatives,
recognizing the peculiarities and
necessities of community residents and
its business community. COPI tries to
promote an authentic process of
community participation empowerment
and mobilization through social
improvement actions and
microenterprise development
Offer lectures for groups on community
development, natural resources,
economic development, culture and
environment conservation, among
others.

26. Methodology
•
Measure social learning in community by conducting surveys before and after
educational workshops.
•
Measure toxicity of coral community to heavy metal concentrations found in –
• Community members assist in sampling from coral reef systems. Take photographs
of samples, assist with species identification on site.
• Community member share experience and results from study on reef community
health with community during one of presentations/workshops.
•
Measure species abundance of coral species (potential)
• using photographic data taken at coral reefs
•
Measure Hg and heavy metal concentrations using sensor technology
• outflow pipes
• runoff areas
•
Evaluate learning
• Using results from surveys conducted before, during, and after quantify learning
based on learning outcomes identified at the beginning of the project.

27. Evaluation of Social Learning from
Collaborative Citizen Science
Jordan et al. 2012.

28. Annual Budget
• Sensor Development
• Coral Bioassay Experiment
• Collaborative Citizen Science
$ 8,000
$11,000
$ 5,600
Total (w/o stipend)
$24,600

29. References
 Bastidas, C., & García, E. M. (2004). Sublethal effects of mercury and its
distribution in the coral Porites astreoides. Marine Ecology Progress
Series,267, 133-143.
 Goenaga, C., & Boulon, R. (1992). The state of Puerto Rican corals: An aid
to managers. Report submitted to Caribbean Fisheries Management
Council.
 B. Pollard. 2011. Growing Graphene via Chemical Vapor Deposition.
Department of Physics, Pomona College.
 J. Praseka, J. Hubaleka, M. Adameka, O. Jasekb. Carbon nanotubes grown
directly on printed electrode of electrochemical sensor. Department of
Microelectronics, Brno University of Technology, Department of Physical
Electronics, Masaryk University.
 Warne, A. G., Webb, R. M., & Larsen, M. C. (2005). Water, sediment, and
nutrient discharge characteristics of rivers in Puerto Rico, and their
potential influence on coral reefs. US Department of the Interior, US
Geological Survey.