Seasonal variation in the nature of DOM in a river and drinking water reservoir of a closed catchment

Compositional and structural identification of organic matter contributing to high residual soluble aluminum after coagulation

Understanding the complexation of aluminum (Al) with dissolved organic matter (DOM) is of great significance for the control of residual Al in drinking water after treatment. Here, we used high-resolution and accurate mass measurements to identify the composition and structure of DOM contributing to the formation of soluble organically-bound Al during coagulation at near neutral pH (pH 7.50). The results showed that the organic compounds contributing to soluble organically-bound Al were primarily phenolic compounds and aliphatic compounds. Among them, phenolic compounds with a sulfonic acid group could greatly enhance the hydrolysis of polymeric Al and the formation of high concentrations of monomeric/oligomeric Al-DOM complexes. These organic molecules had a mass-to-charge ratio concentrated below 350. Based on the assumption that oxygen-containing functional groups providing unsaturation in the molecular structure were carboxyl groups, it was inferred that the maximum number of carboxyl groups in phenolic compounds and aliphatic compounds was concentrated between 1-2 and 2-4, respectively. The presence of these molecules was responsible for soluble organically-bound Al accounting for over 80 % of the total soluble Al in the supernatant after coagulation in this study. These findings deepen the understanding of the complexation of Al with DOM. In drinking water treatment plants, the combination of coagulation with processes that can remove such characteristic organics is beneficial for controlling residual Al.

Occurrence and multi-pathway health risk assessment of trihalomethanes in drinking water of Wuxi, China

Chlorination is widely used to disinfect drinking water to keep humans safe from microorganisms. During chlorination, chlorine and its compounds react with contaminants to form disinfection by-products (DBPs). Toxicological and epidemiological studies have demonstrated that trihalomethanes (THMs) are the most widely investigated DBPs in drinking water, and their exposure has been associated with some adverse health effects. However, studies about risk characteristics in this field are limited. We estimated the health risks of THMs exposure in drinking water through multi-pathways, and systematically analyzed the factors influencing health risks of THMs in Wuxi, China. A total of 488 drinking water samples were collected and analyzed for THMs from four water treatment utilities from 2008 to 2016 in Wuxi. And water exposure parameters were obtained from 602 participants by structured questionnaires. The median concentration of THMs ranged from 6.71 μg/L to 9.18 μg/L. The cumulative cancer risk of THMs exposure through multi-pathways was 1.26 × 10^-4, and CHBr₂Cl made the largest contribution to the total cancer risk (48.25%). The non-cancer risk of THMs exposure was 2.02 × 10^-1. Health risks of the exposure to THMs in drinking water in summer were significantly higher than that in winter (P = 0.0003 for cancer risk, and P = 5.95 × 10^-7 for non-cancer risk). In our study, the average individual disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost was 1.27 × 10^-4 per person-year (ppy). This study attempted to use DALYs for risk assessment of THMs, which will provide useful information for risk comparison and prioritization of hazards in drinking water. This suggested that potential higher risk might exist, and possible measures could be considered to decrease the health risks.

Seasonal variations of natural organic matter (NOM) in surface water supplied to two coal-fired power stations

Global issues such as pollution and global warming have resulted in changes in water characteristics over the past 20 years. Natural organic matter (NOM) which is a major component in water systems has shown an increase globally. This increase in NOM concentration has negatively affected both water treatment processes and drinking water quality. It is subsequently critical to understand the seasonal variations and composition of NOM to be able to address issues related to NOM. In this study, techniques such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, total organic carbon and liquid chromatography-organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) were used for characterisation and quantification of NOM. Two coal-fired power stations were selected for this study with each power station receiving water from a different source, i.e. power station A receives water from the Vaal River and power station B from the Nkomati River. Results from this study demonstrated that composition and concentration of NOM from these two water sources varied seasonally. Characterisation of NOM using the LC-OCD indicated that the different fractions of NOM, i.e. low molecular weight neutrals, low molecular weight acids, building blocks, humic substances and biopolymers, varied seasonally. The dissolved organic carbon concentration and specific ultraviolet absorbance values of the raw water at both power stations showed an increment amid the wet seasons and a decrease amid the dry seasons.

Molecular Probing of DOM Indicates a Key Role of Spruce-Derived Lignin in the DOM and Metal Cycles of a Headwater Catchment: Can Spruce Forest Dieback Exacerbate Future Trends in the Browning of Central European Surface Waters?

Peatlands of the Northern Hemisphere and Central European coniferous forests experience significant environmental change. The resultant browning of surface waters, that is, elevated concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and metals, is of interest in the context of the global C cycle, peatland and forest management, and water treatment. In an attempt to identify the causes of this process in the Harz Mountains (Central Germany), we studied the spatiotemporal variations in DOM molecular composition (thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation combined with GC-MS) and metal concentrations in headwater stream samples. We found strong relationships between DOM and metals and seasonal variations in the DOM quality and tentatively DOM-metal binding mode: during summer base flow, DOM and metal concentrations are low, and all elements other than the alkali and alkaline earth metals (Ca, Mg, Sr, K, and Na) are positively correlated to DOM, whereas during spring and autumn (high discharge), only metals with strong affinity for DOM (Fe, As, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Ti), but not weakly binding ones (Al, Cd, La, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Zr), are correlated to DOM, indicative of selectivity in DOM-metal interactions. The products of polyphenols are the key ingredients of the DOM-metal complexes. We argue the importance of spruce lignin-derived vanillic acid moieties, which are involved in weak (all seasons) and strong, multidentate and/or colloidal, binding (spring and autumn) of metals. Considering the ongoing spruce forest dieback and climate change acceleration, it is tempting to conclude that spruce necromass and forest soils may release vast amounts of lignin-derived DOM and associated metals to headwater streams. This would have significant implications for forest soil C stocks and the management of connected drinking water reservoirs.

EEM-PARAFAC characterization of dissolved organic matter and its relationship with disinfection by-products formation potential in drinking water sources of northeastern China

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs) which is widely found in the aquatic environment. The analysis of DOM in raw water is helpful to evaluate the formation potentials of DBPs. However, there is relatively little research on the DOM identification of raw water in northern China. In this study, the variation in DOM in M reservoir water in one year by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) was investigated to evaluate the DBP formation potential (DBPFP). The results suggested that five components, namely, two humic-like substances (C2, C3), two fulvic-like substances (C1, C4) and one protein-like substance (C5), were identified in the DOM of M reservoir water. The content of DOM in autumn and winter was higher than that in spring and summer. The source of DOM in the water body of M reservoir was mainly from terrestrial source, but less from aquatic source. The source, types and humification degree of DOM affect the formation of DBPs. The formation potential of DBPs had the following order: trihalomethanes (THMs) > dichloroacetic acid (TCAA) > trichloroacetic acid (DCAA) > chloral hydrate (CH). The formation potentials of THM and TCAA were strongly correlated with C2 (r_THM = 0.805, r_TCAA = 0.857). The formation potential of CH has a good correlation with C1 (r = 0.722). The formation of DCAA has a good correlation with C4 (r = 0.787). DOM and DBPFP were negatively correlated with the biological index (BIX) and fluorescence index (FI) of the raw water, and positively correlated with the humification index (HIX).

A year-long cyclic pattern of dissolved organic matter in the tap water of a metropolitan city revealed by fluorescence spectroscopy

Delivering drinking water with stable quality in metropolitan cities is a big challenge. This study investigated the year-long dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the tap water and source water of a metropolitan city in southern China using fluorescence spectroscopy. The DOM detected in the tap water, and source water of Shenzhen city was season and location-dependent. A year-long cyclic trend of DOM was found with predominate protein-like fluorescence in the dry season compared to the humic-like enriched DOM in the wet season. A general DOM pattern was estimated by measuring the shift in dominant fluorescence regions on the excitation-emission matrix (EEM). The difference in fluorescent DOM (FDOM) composition (in terms of the ratio of protein-like to humic-like fluorescence) was above 200% between wet and dry seasons. The taps associated with reservoirs receiving water from the eastern tributary of Dongjiang River showed significant changes in protein-like contents than the taps with source water originating from the western part of the river. This study highlights the importance of optimizing drinking water treatment plants' operational conditions after considering seasonal changes and source water characteristics.

Cumulative health risk assessment of disinfection by-products in drinking water by different disinfection methods in typical regions of China

Disinfection was essential to keep human healthy from microorganisms in drinking water. Meanwhile, disinfection by-products (DBPs) have been proved to be associated with some adverse health effects. The DBP levels were different in drinking water disinfected by different methods and may cause diverse health risks. However, studies in this field and systematic analysis about risk characteristics are limited. We estimated the health risks of DBPs exposure in drinking water through multi-pathways, and systematically analyzed the characteristics of different disinfection methods and influence factors of health risk of DBPs in China. Drinking water samples were collected and analyzed for DBPs from some representative water treatment plants in several typical regions in China. We adopted the additive method to estimate the health risks of DBPs exposure in drinking water through multi-pathways, and used descriptive and hierarchical analysis to understand their characteristics and influence factors. The concentrations of the six DBPs in drinking water ranged from 1.6 μg/L to 13.3 μg/L. The cumulative cancer risk of DBPs exposure through multi-pathways was 8.63 × 10^-5. The total HI of DBPs exposure was 1.70 × 10^-1. The health risks of DBPs in drinking water disinfected by chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite were lower than by other disinfection methods. The health risk of DBPs in drinking water was dominated by risk through oral and inhalation route. The health risks in wet season were higher than that in dry season. There is no significant difference in health risk for males and females, but children experienced higher health risks than adults. Our study suggested the situation of that a large population experienced the high cancer risk of DBPs in drinking water in typical regions of China. It was suggested that potential higher risk should be concerned, and possible measures could be considered to decrease the health risks.

Seasonal variation and ecological risk assessment of dissolved organic matter in a peri-urban critical zone observatory watershed

Peri-urban ecosystems are among the most intensive areas in terms of competition between different ecosystem components. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a significant role in aquatic carbon cycling. The chemical composition of DOM and associated potential ecological risks in peri-urban aquatic ecosystems are poorly understood. Herein, we used fluorescence excitation-emission matrix and parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) to characterize DOM in a peri-urban critical zone observatory watershed in Eastern China. According to the theory of natural disaster risk formation, we calculated the ecological risk of DOM in the peri-urban watershed. Seasonal variation in DOM concentrations was observed, whereas fluorescent DOM concentrations were site-specific across four sub-watersheds. The analysis of DOM absorption properties revealed the presence of DOM components with high aromatic content and large molecular weight in the watershed. Four fluorescent components (two humic-like and two protein-like substances) were identified using the PARAFAC model. Spatial distribution analysis showed that DOM quality was mainly influenced by human activities, and the proportion of protein-like substance (C3) was strongly correlated with anthropogenic parameters. The distribution of optical indices indicated diverse sources of DOM in the watershed. Ecological risk related to DOM was greater in the dry season than the wet season. There was a slight risk in most areas, with an extreme risk in areas experiencing the most intensive human disturbance, which were also extremely or heavily vulnerable. The results emphasize the strong influence of human disturbance on the ecological risk of DOM in peri-urban aquatic ecosystems. Our study provides useful information for ecological risk assessment of DOM that is difficult to obtain using traditional chemical analysis.

In-situ fluorescence monitoring of cyanobacteria: Laboratory-based quantification of species-specific measurement accuracy

In recent years, in-situ fluorometers have been extensively deployed to monitor cyanobacteria in near real-time. Acceptable accuracy can be achieved between measured pigments and cyanobacteria biovolume provided the cyanobacteria species are known. However, cellular photosynthetic pigment content and measurement interferences are site and species specific and can dramatically affect sensor reliability. We quantified the accuracy of an in-situ fluorometer compared with traditional methods using mono- and mixed cultures of four different cyanobacterial species. We found: (1) lower pigment content in cultures in stationary phase, (2) higher precision with the sensor compared to traditional pigment quantification methods of measuring phycocyanin and chlorophyll a, (3) species-specific relationships between sensor readings and measurements related to biovolume, (4) overestimation of pigments in mixed compared with mono cultures, (5) dissolved organic matter causing a loss in signal proportional to its degree of aromaticity, and (6) potential to quantify the degree of cell lysis with a fluorescent dissolved organic matter sensor. This study has provided important new information on the strengths and limitations of fluorescence sensors. The sensor readings can provide accurate biovolume quantification and species determination for a number of bloom-forming species when sensors are properly compensated and calibrated.

Modelling of THM formation potential and DOM removal based on drinking water catchment characteristics

Catchment properties influence the character and concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Surface and subsurface runoff from discrete catchments were collected and DOM was measured and assessed in terms of its treatability by Enhanced Coagulation and potential for disinfection by-product (trihalomethane, THMFP) formation potential. Models were developed of [1] DOM character [i.e. SUVA and SpCoL] and concentration (measured as dissolved organic carbon), [2] treatability of DOM by coagulation/flocculation processes and [3] specific THMFP based on the catchment features including: (a) surface and sub-surface soil texture (% clay: 5-25%), (b) topography (% slope: 5-15%) and (c) vegetation cover [i.e. high photosynthetic vegetation, low photosynthetic vegetation and bare soil] extracted from RapidEye satellite imagery using spectral mixture analysis. From these models, a catchment management decision support tool was designed for application by catchment managers to support decision-making of land-use and expected water quality related to water resources for drinking water supply.

SOFTWARE AND DATA AVAILABILITY

Data sets used for models developing presented in this paper have been published in Research Data Australia (RDA) under the title of "Impacts of catchment properties on DOM and nutrients in waters from drinking water catchments".¹ These data sets are available in open access and published in June 2017. A catchment management decision support model (CMDSM) tool was developed. Macros created using Visual Basic for Applications in Excel 2010. Excel 2010 or higher is required to open the CMDSM tool. The tool is provided by the University of South Australia (UniSA) and is not currently available on-line so please contact the corresponding author for access or further information.

Multi-Parameter Compensation Method for Accurate In Situ Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter Monitoring and Properties Characterization

The recent deployment of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) probes in dam catchments and drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) for water quality monitoring purposes has resulted in the production of a large amount of data that requires scientific evaluation. This study introduces a comprehensive, transferable methodological framework for scientists and water professionals to model fluorescence site-specific quenching on fDOM probe readings caused by temperature, suspended particles, and the inner filter effect (IFE) and applies it to an Australian subtropical reservoir. The findings revealed that quenching due to turbidity and IFE effects were best predicted by threshold autoregressive models. Raw fDOM probe measurements were validated as being more reliable if they were systematically compensated using the proposed procedure. The developed fDOM compensation procedure must consider the instrument features (i.e., wavelength broadband and responsiveness) and site-specific conditions (i.e., DOM characteristics and suspended particles). A finding of particular interest was that the compensated normalized fDOM readings had a high correlation with the low (<500 Da) molecular weight fraction of the DOM, which is more recalcitrant to removal by coagulation. As a consequence, there is potential to use compensated fDOM probe readings to provide real-time, in situ information on DOM properties in freshwater systems, which will enable water treatment plant operators to optimize the coagulation process.

Dissolved organic matter signatures vary between naturally acidic, circumneutral and groundwater-fed freshwaters in Australia

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays important roles in both abiotic and biotic processes within aquatic ecosystems, and these in turn depend on the quality of the DOM. We collected and characterized chromophoric DOM (CDOM) from different Australian freshwater types (circumneutral, naturally acidic and groundwater-fed waterways), climatic regions and seasons. CDOM quality was characterized using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Excitation emission scans followed by parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis showed that CDOM was characterized by three main components: protein-like, fulvic-like and humic-like components commonly associated with various waters globally in the Openfluor database. Principal component analysis showed that CDOM quality varied between naturally acidic, circumneutral and groundwater-fed waters, with unique CDOM quality signatures shown for each freshwater type. CDOM quality also differed significantly within some sites between seasons. Clear differences in dominant CDOM components were shown between freshwater types. Naturally acidic waters were dominated by highly aromatic (as indicated by the specific absorbance co-efficient (SAC₃₄₀) and the specific UV absorbance (SUVA₂₅₄) values which ranged between 31 and 50 cm² mg^-1 and 3.9-5.7 mg C^-1 m^-1 respectively), humic-like CDOM of high molecular weight (as indicated by abs_254/365 which ranged from 3.8 to 4.3). In contrast, circumneutral waters were dominated by fulvic-like CDOM of lower aromaticity (SAC₃₄₀: 7-21 cm² mg^-1 and SUVA₂₅₄: 1.5-3.0 mg C^-1 m^-1) and lower molecular weight (abs_254/365 5.1-9.3). The groundwater-fed site had a higher abundance of protein-like CDOM, which was the least aromatic (SAC₃₄₀: 2-5 cm² mg^-1 and SUVA₂₅₄: 0.58-1.1 mg C^-1 m^-1). CDOM was generally less aromatic, of a lower molecular weight and more autochthonous in nature during the summer/autumn sampling compared to winter/spring. Significant relationships were shown between various CDOM quality parameters and pH. This is the first study to show that different freshwater types (circumneutral, naturally acidic and groundwater-fed) contain distinct CDOM quality signatures in Australia, a continent with unique flora and geology.