Removal of the red tide dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides using chemical disinfectants

For decades, red tide control has been recognized as necessary for mitigating financial damage to fish farms. Chemical disinfectants, frequently used for water disinfection, can reduce the risk of red tides on inland fish farms. This study systematically evaluated four different chemical disinfectants (ozone (O3), permanganate (MnO4-), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)) for their potential use in inland fish farms to control red tides by investigating their (i) inactivation efficacy regarding C. polykrikoides, (ii) total residual oxidant and byproduct formation, and (iii) toxicity to fish. The inactivation efficacy of C. polykrikoides cells by chemical disinfectants from highest to lowest followed the order of O3 > MnO4- > NaOCl > H2O2 for different cell density conditions and disinfectant doses. The O3 and NaOCl treatments generated bromate as an oxidation byproduct by reacting with bromide ions in seawater. The acute toxicity tests of the disinfectants for juvenile red sea bream (Pagrus major) showed that 72-h LC50 values were 1.35 (estimated), 0.39, 1.32, and 102.61 mg/L for O3, MnO4-, NaOCl, and H2O2, respectively. Considering the inactivation efficacy, exposure time of residual oxidants, byproduct formation, and toxicity toward fish, H2O2 is suggested as the most practical disinfectant for controlling red tides in inland fish farms.

Selective and sensitive determination of bromate in bread by ion chromatography-mass spectrometry

Potassium bromate is a food additive used as "flour improver" in the baking industry. Bromate is considered a carcinogenic and nephrotoxic substance. Thus, the bromate concentration must be carefully monitored in flour products. We developed a method for a selective and sensitive determination of bromate in flour that uses ion chromatography coupled with single quadrupole mass spectrometry (IC -MS). A recently introduced high-capacity anion-exchange column was used to separate bromate from matrix anions. Six commercial flour and flour products including homemade bread baked using flour containing potassium bromate, were analyzed. The method showed good precision with RSDs <0.2%, and <5% (n = 8), for retention time and peak area respectively. Bromate recoveries from flour samples ranged from 86 to 110%. The limits of detection and quantitation of bromate in the prepared solution were 0.10 µg/L and 0.34 µg/L, respectively, which corresponded to 5 µg/kg and 17 µg/kg in bread.

Control of the red tide dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides by ozone in seawater

The inactivation of C. polykrikoides, a red tide dinoflagellate, by ozonation was investigated in seawater by monitoring numbers of viable and total cells. Parameters affecting the inactivation efficacy of C. polykrikoides such as the ozone dose, initial cell concentration, pH, and temperature were examined. The viable cell number rapidly decreased in the initial stage of the reaction (mostly in 1-2 min), whereas the decrease in total cell number was relatively slow and steady. Increasing ozone dose and decreasing initial cell concentration increased the inactivation efficacy of C. polykrikoides, while increasing pH and temperature decreased the cell inactivation efficacy. The addition of humic acid (a promoter for the ozone decomposition) inhibited the inactivation of C. polykrikoides, whereas bicarbonate ion (an inhibitor for the ozone decomposition) accelerated the C. polykrikoides inactivation. Observations regarding the effects of pH, temperature, humic acid, and bicarbonate ion collectively indicate that the inactivation of C. polykrikoides by ozonation is mainly attributed to oxidative cell damages by molecular ozone, rather than by hydroxyl radical, produced during the ozone decomposition. At high ozone dose (e.g., 5 mg/L), hypobromous acid formed by the reaction of bromide with ozone may partially contribute to cell inactivation. The use of ozone of less than 1 mg/L produced 0.75-2.03 μg/L bromate.

Ultra trace determination of bromate in mineral water and table salt by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed in order to determine the bromate in mineral water and table salt. The following optimum conditions for the LC-MS/MS detection were established: derivatization reagent (300 mg/L of 2,6-dimethylaniline), acidity (0.2M HCl), reaction temperature (30 °C) and heating time (20 min). The formed derivative was directly injected in the LC system without extraction or purification procedures. In the established conditions, the method was used to detect bromate in mineral water and table salt. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of bromate in mineral water were 0.02 μg/L and 0.07 μg/L, respectively, and those of table salt were 0.07 μg/kg and 0.23 μg/kg, respectively. The 17 common ions did not interfere even when present in 1,000-fold excess over the bromated ion of 10.0 μg/L. The accuracy was in a range of 92-104% and the assay precision was less than 9% in the table salt. The method was successfully applied to determine bromate in mineral water and table salt.

Low-level bromate analysis in drinking water by ion chromatography with optimized suppressed conductivity cell current followed by a post-column reaction and UV/Vis detection

In the present work, a high capacity anion exchange column was used to efficiently and simultaneously separate traces of oxyhalide disinfection byproducts (DBP) anions and bromide by an ion chromatography system followed by a post-column reaction (PCR). The PCR generates in situ hydroiodic (HI) acid from the excess of potassium iodate that combines with bromate from the column effluent to form the triiodide anion detectable by UV/Vis absorbance at 352 nm. The suppressed conductivity cell current was optimized at 70 mA, with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and a 9 mM carbonate eluent. Its performance was investigated on a trace-level determination of bromate in ozonated municipal and bottled drinking water. Based on ozonated municipal drinking water matrix, the method detection limit of 0.27 μg BrO(-)(3)/L was evaluated with the Method Quantification Limit (MQL) of 0.89 μg BrO(-)(3)/L. However, in ultrapure water, a MDL of 0.015 μg BrO(-)(3)/L and a MRL of 0.052 μg BrO(-)(3)/L were achieved. The recovery for spiked municipal samples was in the range of 90%-115%.