Oxidation of the cyanobacterial hepatotoxin microcystin-LR by chlorine dioxide: influence of natural organic matter

Comprehensive strategies for microcystin degradation: A review of the physical, chemical, and biological methods and genetic engineering

Addressing the threat of harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) and their associated microcystins (MCs) is crucial for global drinking water safety. In this review, we comprehensively analyze and compares the physical, chemical, and biological methods and genetic engineering for MCs degradation in aquatic environments. Physical methods, such as UV treatments and photocatalytic reactions, have a high efficiency in breaking down MCs, with the potential for further enhancement in performance and reduction of hazardous byproducts. Chemical treatments using chlorine dioxide and potassium permanganate can reduce MC levels but require careful dosage management to avoid toxic by-products and protect aquatic ecosystems. Biological methods, including microbial degradation and phytoremediation techniques, show promise for the biodegradation of MCs, offering reduced environmental impact and increased sustainability. Genetic engineering, such as immobilization of microcystinase A (MlrA) in Escherichia coli and its expression in Synechocystis sp., has proven effective in decomposing MCs such as MC-LR. However, challenges related to specific environmental conditions such as temperature variations, pH levels, presence of other contaminants, nutrient availability, oxygen levels, and light exposure, as well as scalability of biological systems, necessitate further exploration. We provide a comprehensive evaluation of MCs degradation techniques, delving into their practicality, assessing the environmental impacts, and scrutinizing their efficiency to offer crucial insights into the multifaceted nature of these methods in various environmental contexts. The integration of various methodologies to enhance degradation efficiency is vital in the field of water safety, underscoring the need for ongoing innovation.

Chlorination of microcystin-LR in natural water: Kinetics, transformation products, and genotoxicity

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a type of cyanotoxin commonly found in natural water bodies (sources of drinking water), poses a threat to human health due to its high toxicity. It is essential to successfully remove this cyanotoxin from drinking water sources. In this study, chlorine was used to oxidize MC-LR in Milli-Q water (MQ) (control test) and natural water collected from Lake Longhu (LLW) as a drinking water source. The removal efficiency, proposed transformation pathways, and genotoxicity were investigated. In the chlorine dose range investigated (4.0 mg L^-1 - 8.0 mg L^-1), the apparent second-order rate constants for MC-LR chlorination varied from 21.3 M^-1s^-1 to 31.9 M^-1s^-1 in MQ, higher than that in LLW (9.06 M^-1s^-1 to 17.7 M^-1s^-1) due to a faster chlorine decay attributed to the water matrix (e.g., natural organic matter) of LLW. Eleven transformation products (TPs) of MC-LR were identified in the two waters. The conjugated diene moieties and benzene ring of Adda moiety (3-amino-9-methoxy-2,6,8-trimethyl-10-phenyldeca-4,6-dienoic acid), and the double bond of Mdha moiety (N-methyldehydroalanine) were the major susceptible reaction sites. Attacking unsaturated bonds by hydroxyl and chlorine radicals to generate monochloro-hydroxy-MC-LR was the primary initial transformation pathway, followed by nucleophilic substitution, dehydration, and cleavage in MC-LR. Chlorine substitution on the benzene ring was also observed. Based on the bacterial reverse-mutation assay (Ames assay), TPs in treated natural water did not induce genotoxicity/mutagenicity. These findings shed light on the role of chlorination in controlling the risk of cyanotoxins in drinking water treatment plants.

Chlorine Dioxide: Friend or Foe for Cell Biomolecules? A Chemical Approach

This review examines the role of chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) on inorganic compounds and cell biomolecules. As a disinfectant also present in drinking water, ClO₂ helps to destroy bacteria, viruses, and some parasites. The Environmental Protection Agency EPA regulates the maximum concentration of chlorine dioxide in drinking water to be no more than 0.8 ppm. In any case, human consumption must be strictly regulated since, given its highly reactive nature, it can react with and oxidize many of the inorganic compounds found in natural waters. Simultaneously, chlorine dioxide reacts with natural organic matter in water, including humic and fulvic acids, forming oxidized organic compounds such as aldehydes and carboxylic acids, and rapidly oxidizes phenolic compounds, amines, amino acids, peptides, and proteins, as well as the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide NADH, responsible for electron and proton exchange and energy production in all cells. The influence of ClO₂ on biomolecules is derived from its interference with redox processes, modifying the electrochemical balances in mitochondrial and cell membranes. This discourages its use on an individual basis and without specialized monitoring by health professionals.

Superfast degradation of micropollutants in water by reactive species generated from the reaction between chlorine dioxide and sulfite

Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) is used as an oxidant or disinfectant in (waste)water treatment, whereas sulfite is a prevalent reducing agent to quench the excess ClO₂. This study demonstrated that seven micropollutants with structural diversity could be rapidly degraded in the reaction between ClO₂ and sulfite under environmentally relevant conditions in synthetic and real drinking water. For example, carbamazepine, which is recalcitrant to standalone ClO₂ or sulfite, was degraded by 55%-80% in 10 s in the ClO₂/sulfite process at 30-µM ClO₂ and 30-µM sulfite concentrations within a pH range of 6.0-11.0. Results from experiments and a kinetic model supported that chlorine monoxide (ClO^·) and sulfate radicals (SO₄^·-) were generated in the ClO₂/sulfite process, while hydroxyl radical generation was insignificant. Apart from radicals, dichlorine trioxide (Cl₂O₃) was generated and largely contributed to micropollutant degradation, supported by experimental results using stopped-flow spectrometry and quantum chemical calculations. The impacts of pH, sulfite dosage, and water matrix components (chloride, bicarbonate, and natural organic matter) on micropollutant abatement in the ClO₂/sulfite process were evaluated and discussed. When treating the real potable water, the concentrations of organic (five regulated disinfection byproducts) and inorganic byproducts (chlorite and chlorate) formed in the ClO₂/sulfite process were all below the drinking water standards. This study disclosed fundamental knowledge advancements relevant to the reaction mechanisms between ClO₂ and sulfite, and highlighed a novel process to abate micropollutants in water and wastewater.

Selective removal of common cyanotoxins: a review

The development of cyanobacterial blooms can have adverse effects on water bodies and may produce cyanotoxins. Several physical and chemical methods have been applied to remove cyanotoxins, but they have been significantly challenged due to extensive energy footprint and over-used chemicals, which limits practical application on a large scale. Selective removal has been regarded as the most promising approach recently for the elimination of prevalent and major bloom-forming cyanotoxins (e.g., microcystins and cylindrospermopsin) as natural organic matters and radical scavengers are ineluctably present in real scenarios. This paper reviews current advancements in research on selective oxidation and adsorption of cyanotoxins. Its goal is to provide comprehensive information on the treatment mechanism and the process feasibility involved in the cyanotoxin removal from real-world waters. Moreover, perspectives of cyanotoxin control and in situ selective elimination approaches are also reviewed. It is expected that the information gathered and discussed in this review can provide a useful and novel reference and direction for future pilot-scale applications.

Prediction of varying microcystins during non-thermal plasma oxidation of harvested microalgal biomass

By capturing intracellular microcystins (MCs) release from microalgal cell destruction and extracellular MCs oxidation, this study suggests a mathematical model explaining the simultaneous removal of microalgae and their toxins (MC-LR, -RR, and -YR) in non-thermal plasma (NTP) application. Although the suggested model was built based on simplified kinetic assumptions, it can reasonably predict the behavior of extracellular MCs in a harvested/concentrated slurry of microalgae taken from a blooming site. After 24 h of NTP treatment, the experimental reduction of extracellular MCs was recorded up to ∼77 %. Regressions based on the experimental data reveal the degradation rate (8.60 d^-1) and release rate (0.37 d^-1) of MCs, which provides the essential physicochemical information about intracellular MCs release by microalgal cell destruction. Simulation results help to develop safe and useful control over the simultaneous treatment of harvested microalgal biomass and toxins. This study further demonstrates that the suggested model contributes to predicting the variation of MCs in mass management of microalgal biomass for sustainable utilization.

Microcystin-LR degradation kinetics during chlorination: Role of water quality conditions

Microcystin-LR (MCLR) produced during certain cyanobacteria blooms can contaminate drinking water sources and pose a threat to public health. Previous studies of MCLR degradation by free chlorine may have artifacts from using strong reducing agents to quench chlorination reactions, and they also have not explored the influence of water quality characteristics such as pH, alkalinity, temperature and dissolved organic matter (DOM). Using a novel quencher, 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene (TMB), the apparent MCLR degradation rate constants were found to be higher than those obtained with thiosulfate (S₂O₃^2-), a traditionally used strong reducing quencher. Thiosulfate converted N-chlorinated MCLR degradation products back to the parent MCLR, thereby underestimating MCLR loss over time. The second-order rate constants for HOCl (k_HOCl) and OCl^- (k_OCl-) during chlorination of MCLR were determined to be 72 ± 13 and 28 ± 1.8 M^-1s^-1, respectively, allowing for determination of the apparent MCLR rate constants (k_app,MCLR) for any known pH condition. The MCLR reaction with free chlorine was strongly affected by temperature and the presence of DOM, while changes in ionic strength and alkalinity had little effect. Free chlorine in the presence of DOM, originating from both terrestrial and microbial sources, exhibited two-stage decay. The initial chlorine demand in the first 15 s of reaction can be determined by the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (initial chlorine demand = 1.8 × DOC), and the second-order rate constants for the later slower decay correlated well with SUVA₂₅₄ (k_app,DOM = 0.73 × SUVA₂₅₄ - 0.41). The results yielded a practical model to predict the decay of MCLR during chlorination of waters with varied water quality characteristics.

The role of reactive oxygen species and carbonate radical in oxcarbazepine degradation via UV, UV/H2O2: Kinetics, mechanisms and toxicity evaluation

Oxcarbazepine (OXC) is ubiquitous in the aqueous environment. And due to its ecotoxicological effects and potential risks to human, an effective way to eliminate OXC from aqueous environment has aroused public concerns in recent years. Radical-based reactions have been shown to be an efficient way for OXC destruction, but the reactions of OXC with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carbonate radical (CO₃^•-) are still unclear. In this study, we focused the degradation of OXC and ROS, CO₃^•- generation mechanism, and their roles in OXC degradation via UV and UV/H₂O₂. The triplet state of oxcarbazepine (³OXC^∗) was found to play an important role in OXC degradation via UV. And hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) were found to be the dominant ROS in OXC degradation. Superoxide radical (O₂^•-) did not react with OXC directly, but it may react with intermediate byproducts. Generation of CO₃^•- played a positive role on OXC degradation for both UV and UV/H₂O₂. In addition to ^•OH, ³OXC* also contribute to CO₃^•- production. The second-order rate constants of OXC with ^•OH and CO₃^•- were 1.7 × 10¹⁰ M^-1 s^-1 and 8.6 × 10⁷ M^-1 s^-1, respectively. Potential OXC degradation mechanisms by ^•OH were proposed and included hydroxylation, α-ketol rearrangement, and benzylic acid rearrangement. Compared with non-selective ^•OH, the reactions involving CO₃^•- are mainly electron transfer and hydrogen abstraction. And the acute toxicity of OXC was lower after UV/H₂O₂ and UV/H₂O₂/HCO₃^- treatments, which was confirmed by luminescent bacterial assay (Vibrio fischeri bacterium).

Differential UV-vis absorbance can characterize the reaction of organic matter with ClO2

UV-vis differential spectroscopy was applied to characterize and quantify the spectral changes after ClO₂ oxidation of ten humic substances, seven aromatic model compounds and four surface waters. The differential spectra of ten humic substances after ClO₂ oxidation all exhibited a peak near 230 nm and a broad absorbance band with a maximum at around 316 nm. The differential spectra after ClO₂ oxidation were distinguished from the one after chlorination, which was indicative of their different oxidation mechanisms. The differential spectra after ClO₂ treatment were well fitted by seven Gaussian bands with maxima at about 200, 225, 240, 276, 316, 385 and 457 nm. Differential absorbance at 316 nm and 400 nm (denoted as DA₃₁₆ and DA₄₀₀, respectively) were found to best quantify the degradation of organic matters during ClO₂ oxidation with negligible interferences from water matrixes. Oxidation of substituted functional groups on aromatic structures, rather than destruction of aromatic rings, was more responsible for chlorite formation. Spectral parameters-DA₃₁₆ and DA₄₀₀ showed strong correlations with ClO₂ consumption and chlorite formation during ClO₂ oxidation of humic substances and surface water samples. The results demonstrate that DA₃₁₆ and DA₄₀₀ can serve as promising indicators of chlorite formation and ClO₂ consumption, which provide a practical approach for online water quality monitoring during ClO₂ water purification.

Fractional conversion of microalgae from water blooms

Fractional conversion of natural algae cyanobacteria from Taihu Lake was conducted. The raw Taihu Lake algae (TLA) and pretreated samples were pyrolyzed at 290 °C and 450 °C according to the TGA results. Extraction of lipids or saccharides from the TLA was performed as a pretreatment to obtain lipid extracted algae (LEA) or saccharide extracted algae (SEA). The total yields of bio-oil from fractional pyrolysis were 40.9 wt% from TLA, 42.3 wt% from LEA, and 48.5 wt% from SEA. From TLA, the major components of the bio-oil were fatty acids, amides and hydrocarbons (heptadecane) at 290 °C whereas those at 450 °C were phenols and C₁₀-C₁₅ hydrocarbons. Following the lipid extraction, acids, amides and indoles accounted for a large proportion at 290 °C, while the main products obtained at 450 °C were phenols, indoles and pyrroles. It is worth mentioning that the yield of bio-oil from the LEA had increased, and the composition of the bio-oil was simplified. Moreover, the average molecular weight of the bio-oil obtained from LEA had decreased. Interestingly, the extraction of saccharides inhibited pyrolysis of the lipids, so the distribution of the bio-oil from SEA changed only a little. Fractional pyrolysis of pretreated microalgae not only increased the bio-oil yield but also improved the quality of the bio-oil.

A novel method for photo-oxidative degradation of diatrizoate in water via electromagnetic induction electrodeless lamp

In this study, an electromagnetic induction electrodeless lamp (EIEL) was first introduced into UV advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for photodegradation of Diatrizoate (DTZ), which was the most persistent iodinated X-ray contrast medium (ICM), and traditional Hg lamps were taken as references. Direct photolysis rate of DTZ under EIEL irradiation was 1.34 times as that under Hg irradiation, but the electric energy consumption was 0.87 times. In this sense, the combination of EIEL and oxidants (O₂, H₂O₂ and S₂O₈^2-(PS)) was further investigated. The remarkably increased photodegradation rates were observed in UV/PS system due to primary contribution rate of SO₄^- (62.5%) based on the results of radical concentrations and second-order rate constants of DTZ with SO₄^- and OH. Inorganic ions influencing the photodegradation process were investigated. The effect of natural organic materials (NOMs) in UV/PS system was studied based on contribution ratios of light screening effect and quenching. Transformation mechanisms of DTZ in UV/PS system included deiodination, intramolecular cyclization, decarboxylation, deacetylation and deamination, which were further confirmed by frontier electron density calculations. The study indicated that UV/PS with EIEL irradiation has the potential to remove pharmaceuticals in contaminated aquatic environments.

Elimination of microcystin-LR and residual Mn species using permanganate and powdered activated carbon: Oxidation products and pathways

The oxidation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in deionized water (DI) and river water using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) at a neutral pH and at 23 ± 2 °C was investigated. These two aqueous systems (i.e., DI and river water) gave comparable second-order rate constants (289.9 and 285.5 M^-1s^-1 (r² > 0.99), respectively), which confirmed the effectiveness of this oxidation process for the treatment of natural surface water. The presence of either humic or fulvic acid reduced the removal efficiency of MC-LR, with the latter exhibiting a greater inhibitory effect. Monitoring of MC-LR and residual Mn²⁺ levels with adding KMnO₄ (1 mg/L) and powdered activated carbon (PAC, 5-20 mg L^-1) before and during coagulation, respectively, revealed that 60 min of permanganate pre-oxidation followed by coagulant addition with PAC was the most effective approach for reducing both levels below limits stated by WHO guidelines. The MC-LR degradation products were the result of oxidation occurring at the diene and aromatic moieties of the Adda (3-amino-9-methoxy-2,6,8-trimethyl-10-phenyldeca-4,6-dienoic acid) side-chain, in addition to amine bond hydrolysis of the Mdha (N-methyldehydroalanine) moiety. Several toxic by-products with an intact Adda chain were observed during the reaction, but completely disappeared after 60 min. This further supports the conclusion that sufficient contact time with permanganate (i.e., >60 min) is essential to reducing the residual toxicity and maximizing the efficiency of MC-LR oxidation when treating raw water.

Kinetics and mechanisms of cylindrospermopsin destruction by sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a potent cyanobacterial toxin frequently found in water bodies worldwide raising concerns over the safety of drinking and recreational waters. A number of technologies have been investigated to remove and/or degrade cyanotoxins with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) being among the most promising and effective for water detoxification. In this study, the degradation of CYN by sulfate radical-based UV-254 nm-AOPs was evaluated. The UV/S2O8(2-) (UV/peroxydisulfate) was more efficient than UV/HSO5(-) (UV/peroxysulfate) and UV/H2O2 (UV/hydrogen peroxide) processes when natural water samples were used as reaction matrices. The observed UV fluence based pseudo-first-order rate constants followed the expected order of radical quantum yields. The presence of 200 μM natural organic matter (NOM) as carbon slightly inhibited the destruction of CYN; 1.24 mg L(-1)NO3(-) (nitrate) had no significant influence on the removal efficiency and 50 μg L(-1) Fe(2+) [iron (2+)] or Cu(2+) [copper (2+)] improved the performance of UV/S2O8(2-). The addition of tert-butyl alcohol (t-BuOH; hydroxyl radical scavenger) in the reaction yielded byproducts that indicated specific sites in CYN preferentially attacked by sulfate radicals (SRs). The predominant CYN degradation byproduct was P448 consistent with fragmentation of the C5C6 bond of the uracil ring. The subsequent formation of P420 and P392 through a stepwise loss of carbonyl group(s) further supported the fragmentation pathway at C5C6. The byproduct P432 was identified exclusively as mono-hydroxylation of CYN at tricyclic guanidine ring, whereas P414 was detected as dehydrogenation at the tricyclic ring. The elimination of sulfate group and the opening of tricyclic ring were also observed. The possible degradation pathways of CYN by SR-AOP were presented.

Effect of chlorine dioxide on cyanobacterial cell integrity, toxin degradation and disinfection by-product formation

Bench scale tests were conducted to study the effect of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) oxidation on cell integrity, toxin degradation and disinfection by-product formation of Microcystis aeruginosa. The simulated cyanobacterial suspension was prepared at a concentration of 1.0×10(6)cells/mL and the cell integrity was measured with flow cytometry. Results indicated that ClO2 can inhibit the photosynthetic capacity of M. aeruginosa cells and almost no integral cells were left after oxidation at a ClO2 dose of 1.0mg/L. The total toxin was degraded more rapidly with the ClO2 dosage increasing from 0.1mg/L to 1.0mg/L. Moreover, the damage on cell structure after oxidation resulted in released intracellular organic matter, which contributed to the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) as disinfection by-products. Therefore, the use of ClO2 as an oxidant for treating algal-rich water should be carefully considered.

Effect of oxidant exposure on the release of intracellular microcystin, MIB, and geosmin from three cyanobacteria species

The release of intracellular microcystin-LR (MC-LR), 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), and geosmin was investigated after the oxidation of three cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa (MA), Oscillatoria sp. (OSC), and Lyngbya sp. (LYN)). During the oxidation of 200,000 cells/mL of MA, release of intracellular MC-LR exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 1 μg/L during the lowest oxidant exposures (CT) tested: ozone (0 mg-min/L, below the ozone demand), chlorine (<40 mg-min/L), chlorine dioxide (<560 mg-min/L), and chloramine (<640 mg-min/L). As the CT increased, ozone, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide were able to oxidize the released MC-LR. During the oxidation of OSC (2800 cells/mL) and LYN (1600 cells/mL), release of intracellular MIB and geosmin exceeded reported threshold odor values after exposure to chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and chloramine, which have low reactivity with these taste and odor compounds. Ozone oxidation of OSC yielded an increase in MIB concentration at lower exposures (≤2.9 mg-min/L), likely due to insufficient oxidation by hydroxyl radicals. The release of intracellular organic matter (IOM) was also measured to determine the potential of bulk measurements to act as a surrogate for cyanotoxins and metabolite release. In all cases, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release was less than 0.25 mgC/L, which lacked the sensitivity to indicate the release of MC-LR, MIB, or geosmin. The fluorescence index proved to be a more sensitive indicator of intracellular organic matter release than DOC for MA. These results illustrate that toxic or odorous compounds may be released from cyanobacteria cells during oxidation processes with minimal changes in the DOC concentration.

Factors affecting the formation of iodo-trihalomethanes during oxidation with chlorine dioxide

Effects of water characteristics, reaction time, temperature, bromide and iodide ion concentrations, oxidant doses, and pH on formation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THM) during oxidation of iodide-containing water with chlorine dioxide (ClO2) were investigated. Among the water samples collected from ten water sources, iodoform (CHI3) was the predominant I-THM and trace amount of chlorodiiodomethane (CHClI2) was occasionally found. CHI3 yields correlated moderately with specific UV absorbance (SUVA) (R(2)=0.79), indicating that hydrophobic aromatic content were important precursors. Longer reaction time led to continued formation of CHI3. I-THM containing bromide was also found in waters containing both bromide and iodide, but CHI3 was dominant. The formation of CHI3 was higher at 25°C than 5°C and 35°C. CHI3 formation showed an increase followed by a decrease trend with increasing ClO2 doses and iodide concentrations and the highest yields occurred at iodide to ClO2 molar ratios of 1-2. pH 8 resulted in the highest CHI3 formation. It should be noted that a high iodide concentration was spiked to waters before adding ClO2 and the results may not reflect the formation yields of iodinated THMs in real conditions, but they provide information about formation trend of I-THM during oxidation of ClO2.

State of knowledge and concerns on cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms considered as important contributors to the formation of Earth's atmosphere and nitrogen fixation. However, they are also frequently associated with toxic blooms. Indeed, the wide range of hepatotoxins, neurotoxins and dermatotoxins synthesized by these bacteria is a growing environmental and public health concern. This paper provides a state of the art on the occurrence and management of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in surface and drinking water, including economic impacts and research needs. Cyanobacterial blooms usually occur according to a combination of environmental factors e.g., nutrient concentration, water temperature, light intensity, salinity, water movement, stagnation and residence time, as well as several other variables. These environmental variables, in turn, have promoted the evolution and biosynthesis of strain-specific, gene-controlled metabolites (cyanotoxins) that are often harmful to aquatic and terrestrial life, including humans. Cyanotoxins are primarily produced intracellularly during the exponential growth phase. Release of toxins into water can occur during cell death or senescence but can also be due to evolutionary-derived or environmentally-mediated circumstances such as allelopathy or relatively sudden nutrient limitation. Consequently, when cyanobacterial blooms occur in drinking water resources, treatment has to remove both cyanobacteria (avoiding cell lysis and subsequent toxin release) and aqueous cyanotoxins previously released. Cells are usually removed with limited lysis by physical processes such as clarification or membrane filtration. However, aqueous toxins are usually removed by both physical retention, through adsorption on activated carbon or reverse osmosis, and chemical oxidation, through ozonation or chlorination. While the efficient oxidation of the more common cyanotoxins (microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin and saxitoxin) has been extensively reported, the chemical and toxicological characterization of their by-products requires further investigation. In addition, future research should also investigate the removal of poorly considered cyanotoxins (β-methylamino-alanine, lyngbyatoxin or aplysiatoxin) as well as the economic impact of blooms.

Adsorption and photodegradation of microcystin-LR onto sediments collected from reservoirs and rivers in Taiwan: a laboratory study to investigate the fate, transfer, and degradation of microcystin-LR

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE

This study demonstrated the adsorption capacity of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) onto sediment samples collected from different reservoirs (Emerald and Jade reservoirs) and rivers (Dongshan, Erhjen, and Wukai rivers) in Taiwan to investigate the fate, transport behavior, and photodegradation of MC-LR.

MAIN FEATURES

Langmuir adsorption and photodegradation studies were carried out in the laboratory and tested the capability of sediments for MC-LR adsorption. These data suggested that sediments play a crucial role in microcystins degradation in aquatic systems.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of batch experiments revealed that the adsorption of MC-LR varied significantly with texture, pH, and organic matter content of sediments. Silty and clay textures of the samples were associated with larger content of organic matter, and they displayed the enhanced MC-LR adsorption. Low pH sediment showed increased adsorption of MC-LR. The effective photodegradation of MC-LR (1.6 μg/mL) was achieved within 60 min under 254 nm light irradiation.

CONCLUSION

A comparative study of adsorption capacity of all sediment samples was carried out and discussed with respect to different aspects. Among all, sediments collected from Jade reservoir showed enhanced MC-LR adsorption (11.86 μg/g) due to favored textural properties (BET surface area = 20.24 m2/g and pore volume = 80.70 nm).

PERSPECTIVES

These data provide important information that may be applied to management strategies for improvement of water quality in reservoirs and rivers and other water bodies in Taiwan.

Effects of humic acid and suspended soils on adsorption and photo-degradation of microcystin-LR onto samples from Taiwan reservoirs and rivers

This article covers the adsorption capacity of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) onto natural organic matter (NOM) or suspended solids of water samples from reservoirs (Emerald and Jade reservoirs) and rivers (Dongshan, Erhjen and Wukai rivers) in Taiwan to determine the fate, transport behavior and photo-degradation of microcystins in natural water systems. Langmuir adsorption and photo-degradation studies were carried out and the capability of samples for MC-LR adsorption was confirmed. Among these, samples collected from reservoir showed enhanced MC-LR adsorption than that of river samples and the greater adsorption behavior was always favored by larger content of organic matter and suspended particles in the system. It is obvious from the experimental results that the adsorption of MC-LR was influenced by suspended particles (turbidity), humic acid (HA), organic matter content and other pollutants. The effective photo-degradation of MC-LR was achieved using higher energy, lower wavelength (254 nm) UV light within 60 min. The presence of humic acid and turbidity affected the photo-degradation process. These data provide important information that may be applied to management strategies for improvement of water quality in reservoirs and rivers and other water bodies in Taiwan.

Effects of water parameters on the degradation of microcystin-LR under visible light-activated TiO2 photocatalyst

A study was performed to determine the effect of pH, alkalinity, natural organic matter (NOM) and dissolved oxygen in the performance of nitrogen and fluorine doped TiO(2) (NF-TiO(2)) for the degradation of hepatotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in synthetic and natural water under visible light irradiation. The initial degradation rate of MC-LR was fastest under acidic conditions (3.50 ± 0.02 × 10(-3) μM min(-1) at pH 3.0) and decreased to 2.29 ± 0.07 × 10(-3) and 0.54 ± 0.02 × 10(-3) μM min(-1) at pH 5.7 and 7.1, respectively. Attractive forces between the opposite charged MC-LR and NF-TiO(2) are likely responsible for the enhancement in the photocatalytic decomposition of MC-LR resulting from increased interfacial adsorption. For carbonate buffered solutions, the photocatalytic activity of NF-TiO(2) was reduced when increasing the carbonate concentration up to 150 mg CaCO(3) L(-1). The scavenging of radical species by the bicarbonate ion at pH 7.1 is discussed. In the presence of NOM, the degradation rates decreased as pH and initial concentration of the NOM increased. The inhibition was higher with fulvic acid than humic acid under alkaline conditions. Oxygenated solution yields higher NF-TiO(2) photocatalytic degradation of MC-LR compared to nitrogen sparged solution at pH 5.7. The involvement of specific reactive oxygen species implicated in the photodegradation is proposed. Finally, no significant degradation is observed with various natural waters spiked with MC-LR under visible light (λ > 420 nm) but high removal was achieved with simulated solar light. This study provides a better understanding of the interactions and photocatalytic processes initiated by NF-TiO(2) under visible and solar light. The results indicate solar photocatalytic oxidation is a promising technology for the treatment of water contaminated with cyanotoxins.

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on chlorine dioxide disinfection efficiency

Ultrasound (US) and chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) were combined sequentially in an aim to improve wastewater disinfection. Results demonstrated that the combined effect of US and ClO(2) on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and total coliform (TC) inactivation in raw wastewater was synergistic involving high removal of bacteria from the solution. A sequential combination of US (150 or 300 W/L) and ClO(2) (2 mg/L) provided about 3.2-3.5 log reduction in the number E. coli and TC in raw wastewater, while the sum of log reductions by the individual treatments were 1.4-1.9. However, the measured inactivation rate with the combination of ultrasound and ClO(2) in synthetic wastewater or secondary effluent was the same as the sum of the log inactivations with individual treatments. The enhancement attained by combined US and ClO(2) disinfection methods was attributed to the presence of high concentration of particles in raw wastewater and their break up under shock sound waves.

A review of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins removal/inactivation in drinking water treatment

This review focuses on the efficiency of different water treatment processes for the removal of cyanotoxins from potable water. Although several investigators have studied full-scale drinking water processes to determine the efficiency of cyanotoxin inactivation, many of the studies were based on ancillary practice. In this context, "ancillary practice" refers to the removal or inactivation of cyanotoxins by standard daily operational procedures and without a contingency operational plan utilizing specific treatment barriers. In this review, "auxiliary practice" refers to the implementation of inactivation/removal treatment barriers or operational changes explicitly designed to minimize risk from toxin-forming algae and their toxins to make potable water. Furthermore, the best drinking water treatment practices are based on extension of the multibarrier approach to remove cyanotoxins from water. Cyanotoxins are considered natural contaminants that occur worldwide and specific classes of cyanotoxins have shown regional prevalence. For example, freshwaters in the Americas often show high concentrations of microcystin, anatoxin-a, and cylindrospermopsin, whereas Australian water sources often show high concentrations of microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxins. Other less frequently reported cyanotoxins include lyngbyatoxin A, debromoaplysiatoxin, and beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine. This review focuses on the commonly used unit processes and treatment trains to reduce the toxicity of four classes of cyanotoxins: the microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a, and saxitoxins. The goal of this review is to inform the reader of how each unit process participates in a treatment train and how an auxiliary multibarrier approach to water treatment can provide safer water for the consumer.

Impacts of water organic load on chlorine dioxide disinfection efficacy

This study has examined the bactericidal effect of chlorine dioxide in untreated artificial and domestic wastewaters and secondary effluent of various organic loads. Results indicated that the inactivation of Escherichia coli in artificial wastewater was similar with that in real municipal wastewater. Among three waters, the bactericidal effect of chlorine dioxide was lowest in secondary effluent. The bacteria log inactivation increased by up to threefold when the COD concentration of raw wastewater was decreased by half. An unfavorable COD effect was also observed for the disinfection of secondary effluent. To explain the COD effect on bacteria inactivation, chlorine dioxide residuals were measured with time through each disinfection process. Results from statistical analyses have revealed that, in comparison to the correlations using CT values, the inactivation data can be better correlated with the ratio of COD to ClO(2) concentrations. The results of this study would be a useful guide for many municipalities and communities in determining chlorine dioxide dosages for water and wastewater disinfection systems.

Oxidation of MC-LR and -RR with chlorine and potassium permanganate: toxicity of the reaction products

Toxin-producing cyanobacteria are abundant in surface waters used as drinking water resources. Microcystins (MC) produced by certain cyanobacteria present acute and chronic toxicity, and their removal in drinking water treatment processes is of increasing concern. Previous studies have demonstrated that chlorine and potassium permanganate are feasible oxidants for the removal of MCs present in drinking water resources, although the oxidation might lead to toxic oxidation products. In this paper, the toxicity of the oxidation products of MC-LR and -RR has been studied using protein phosphatase 1 inhibition assay (PPIA). The HPLC and ELISA analyses correlated with the PPIA results for both toxins. The samples containing the oxidation products were fractionated by HPLC and the toxicity of the fractions was tested with PPIA. The results revealed that protein phosphatase 1 inhibition emerged only from intact MC, while the oxidation products were non-toxic. Similar results were obtained in experiments performed in natural waters: no reaction products or interactions exhibiting protein phosphatase 1 inhibition were detected.

Effect of pipe corrosion scales on chlorine dioxide consumption in drinking water distribution systems

Previous studies showed that temperature and total organic carbon in drinking water would cause chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) loss in a water distribution system and affect the efficiency of ClO(2) for Legionella control. However, among the various causes of ClO(2) loss in a drinking water distribution system, the loss of disinfectant due to the reaction with corrosion scales has not been studied in detail. In this study, the corrosion scales from a galvanized iron pipe and a copper pipe that have been in service for more than 10 years were characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The impact of these corrosion scale materials on ClO(2) decay was investigated in de-ionized water at 25 and 45 degrees C in a batch reactor with floating glass cover. ClO(2) decay was also investigated in a specially designed reactor made from the iron and copper pipes to obtain more realistic reaction rate data. Goethite (alpha-FeOOH) and magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)) were identified as the main components of iron corrosion scale. Cuprite (Cu(2)O) was identified as the major component of copper corrosion scale. The reaction rate of ClO(2) with both iron and copper oxides followed a first-order kinetics. First-order decay rate constants for ClO(2) reactions with iron corrosion scales obtained from the used service pipe and in the iron pipe reactor itself ranged from 0.025 to 0.083 min(-1). The decay rate constant for ClO(2) with Cu(2)O powder and in the copper pipe reactor was much smaller and it ranged from 0.0052 to 0.0062 min(-1). Based on these results, it can be concluded that the corrosion scale will cause much more significant ClO(2) loss in corroded iron pipes of the distribution system than the total organic carbon that may be present in finished water.

Oxidative elimination of cyanotoxins: comparison of ozone, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and permanganate

As the World Health Organization (WHO) progresses with provisional Drinking Water Guidelines of 1 microg/L for microcystin-LR and a proposed Guideline of 1 microg/L for cylindrospermopsin, efficient treatment strategies are needed to prevent cyanotoxins such as these from reaching consumers. A kinetic database has been compiled for the oxidative treatment of three cyanotoxins: microcystin-LR (MC-LR), cylindrospermopsin (CYN), and anatoxin-a (ANTX) with ozone, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and permanganate. This kinetic database contains rate constants not previously reported and determined in the present work (e.g. for permanganate oxidation of ANTX and chlorine dioxide oxidation of CYN and ANTX), together with previously published rate constants for the remaining oxidation processes. Second-order rate constants measured in pure aqueous solutions of these toxins could be used in a kinetic model to predict the toxin oxidation efficiency of ozone, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and permanganate when applied to natural waters. Oxidants were applied to water from a eutrophic Swiss lake (Lake Greifensee) in static-dose testing and dynamic time-resolved experiments to confirm predictions from the kinetic database, and to investigate the effects of a natural matrix on toxin oxidation and by-product formation. Overall, permanganate can effectively oxidize ANTX and MC-LR, while chlorine will oxidize CYN and MC-LR and ozone is capable of oxidizing all three toxins with the highest rate. The formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) in the treated water may be a restriction to the application of sufficiently high-chlorine doses.