Arash Zamyadi

Toxic cyanobacterial breakthrough and accumulation in a drinking water plant: A monitoring and treatment challenge

The detection of cyanobacteria and their associated toxins has intensified in recent years in both drinking water sources and the raw water of drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). The objectives of this study were to: 1) estimate the breakthrough and accumulation of toxic cyanobacteria in water, scums and sludge inside a DWTP, and 2) to determine whether chlorination can be an efficient barrier to the prevention of cyanotoxin breakthrough in drinking water. In a full scale DWTP, the fate of cyanobacteria and their associated toxins was studied after the addition of coagulant and powdered activated carbon, post clarification, within the clarifier sludge bed, after filtration and final chlorination. Elevated cyanobacterial cell numbers (4.7 × 10(6)cells/mL) and total microcystins concentrations (up to 10 mg/L) accumulated in the clarifiers of the treatment plant. Breakthrough of cells and toxins in filtered water was observed. Also, a total microcystins concentration of 2.47 μg/L was measured in chlorinated drinking water. Cyanobacterial cells and toxins from environmental bloom samples were more resistant to chlorination than results obtained using laboratory cultured cells and dissolved standard toxins.

Fate of toxic cyanobacterial cells and disinfection by-products formation after chlorination

Drinking water sources in many regions are subject to proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria (CB). Chlorination of source water containing toxic cyanobacterial cells for diverse treatment purposes might cause cell damage, toxin release and disinfection by-products (DBP) formation. There is limited information available on chlorination of different toxic CB cells and DBP formation potentials. This work: (1) determines the extent of lysis and toxins/taste and odor compound release in chlorinated natural water from CB cells (Anabaena circinalis, Microcystis aeruginosa, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, and Aphanizomenon issatsckenka) from laboratory cultures and natural blooms; (2) assesses the rates of oxidation of toxins by free chlorine under environmental conditions; (3) studies the DBP formation associated with the chlorination of CB cell suspensions. With chlorine exposure (CT) value of <4.0 mg min/L >60% cells lost viability causing toxin release. Cell membrane damage occurred faster than oxidation of released toxins. Kinetic analysis of the oxidation of toxins in natural water revealed significant differences in their susceptibility to chlorine, saxitoxins being the easiest to oxidize, followed by cylindrospermopsin and microcystin-LR. Furthermore, concentrations of trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids (<40 μg/L) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (<10 ng/L) as chlorination by-products were lower than the guideline values even at the highest CT value (220 mg min/L). However, the DBP concentrations in environmental bloom conditions with very high cell numbers were over the guideline values.

Oxidation of Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena flos-aquae by ozone: Impacts on cell integrity and chlorination by-product formation

Pre-ozonation of cyanobacterial (CB) cells in raw water and inter-ozonation of settled water can cause CB cell damage. However, there is limited information about the level of lysis or changes in cell properties after ozonation, release of intracellular compounds and their contribution to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). This study aims to: (1) assess the extent of the pre-ozonation effects on CB cell properties; (2) determine the CT (ozone concentration × detention time) values required for complete loss of cell viability; and (3) study the DBPs formation associated with the pre-ozonation of cyanobacterial cells in laboratorial suspensions. To these ends, both Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena flos-aquae suspensions were prepared at concentrations of 250,000 cells mL(-1) and 1,500,000 cells mL(-1) and were subjected to ozone dosages of 0.5, 2.0 and 4.0 mg L(-1) at pH 6 and pH 8. A quick and complete loss of viability was achieved for both CB species after exposure (CT) to ozone of <0.2 mg min L(-1), although no significant decrease in total cell numbers was observed. Maximum dissolved organic carbon (DOC) releases of 0.96 mg L(-1) and 1.63 mg L(-1) were measured after ozonation of 250,000 cells mL(-1) of M. aeruginosa and A. flos-aquae, respectively. DOC release was found to be pH and ozone dose dependent. Ozonation of CB cells increased formation of trihalomethanes (THM) and haloacetic acids (HAA), mainly for suspensions of A. flos-aquae at pH 8 (by 174% and 65% for THM and HAA respectively). Utilities considering using ozone for oxidising CB cells should weigh out the benefit of CB control with the potential increased formation of chlorinated DBPs.

Release and oxidation of cell-bound saxitoxins during chlorination of Anabaena circinalis cells.

Surface water sources are increasingly subject to proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria. Direct chlorination of source water containing toxic cyanobacterial cells for different treatment purposes might cause cell damage and toxin release. There is limited information available on chlorination of saxitoxins (STXs: saxitoxin, C-toxins, and gonyautoxins) produced by Anabaena circinalis. This work: (1) investigated the impact of chlorination on cell lysis and toxin/odor compound release in natural waters; (2) assessed the rates of chlorination of total STXs, and (3) estimated apparent rate constants for STX oxidation in ultrapure and natural waters. With a chlorine exposure (CT) value of 7.0 mg x min/L all cells lost viability causing toxin release. Cell-membrane damage occurred faster than released STXs oxidation. All saxitoxin and more than 95% of other STX analogues were subsequently oxidized. Kinetic analysis of the oxidation of STX analogues revealed significant differences in the susceptibility to chlorine, saxitoxin being the easiest to oxidize. Also, concentrations of trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, and N-nitrosodimethylamine as chlorination byproducts were respectively <50 μg/L and 11 ng/L even at the highest CT value (50.3 mg x min/L).

Chlorination of Microcystis aeruginosa: Toxin release and oxidation, cellular chlorine demand and disinfection by-products formation

Direct chlorination of toxic cyanobacteria cells can occur at various stages of treatment. The objectives of this work are to determine and model the extent of Microcystis aeruginosa cells lysis, toxins and organic compounds release and oxidation, and quantify the subsequent disinfection by-products formation. Chlorine exposure (CT) values of 296 and 100 mg min/L were required to obtain 76% cell lysis and oxidation of released cell-bound toxins at levels below the provisional World Health Organisation guideline value (1 μg/L MC-LR). Toxin oxidation rates were similar or faster than cell lysis rates in ultrapure water. This work presents much needed unit M. aeruginosa cellular chlorine demand (5.6 ± 0.2 pgCl(2)/cell) which could be used to adjust the chlorination capacity to satisfy the total chlorine demand associated with the presence of cells. Furthermore, a novel successive reaction kinetics model is developed using the kinetics of the chlorine reaction with cyanobacterial cells and cell-bound toxins. Chlorination of dense cell suspensions (500,000 cells/mL) in ultrapure water at CT up to 3051 mg min/L resulted in modest concentrations of trihalomethanes (13 μg/L) and haloacetic acids (below detection limit).

Species-dependence of cyanobacteria removal efficiency by different drinking water treatment processes

Accumulation and breakthrough of several potentially toxic cyanobacterial species within drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) have been reported recently. The objectives of this project were to test the efficiency of different treatment barriers in cyanobacterial removal. Upon observation of cyanobacterial blooms, intensive sampling was conducted inside a full scale DWTP at raw water, clarification, filtration and oxidation processes. Samples were taken for microscopic speciation/enumeration and microcystins analysis. Total cyanobacteria cell numbers exceeded World Health Organisation and local alert levels in raw water (6,90,000 cells/mL). Extensive accumulation of cyanobacteria species in sludge beds and filters, and interruption of treatment were observed. Aphanizomenon cells were poorly coagulated and they were not trapped efficiently in the sludge. It was also demonstrated that Aphanizomenon cells passed through and were not retained over the filter. However, Microcystis, Anabaena, and Pseudanabaena cells were adequately removed by clarification and filtration processes. The breakthrough of non toxic cyanobacterial cells into DWTPs could also result in severe treatment disruption leading to plant shutdown. Application of intervention threshold values restricted to raw water does not take into consideration the major long term accumulation of potentially toxic cells in the sludge and the risk of toxins release. Thus, a sampling regime inside the plant adapted to cyanobacterial occurrence and intensity is recommended.

Estimating the risk of cyanobacterial occurrence using an index integrating meteorological factors: Application to drinking water production

The sudden appearance of toxic cyanobacteria (CB) blooms is still largely unpredictable in waters worldwide. Many post-hoc explanations for CB bloom occurrence relating to physical and biochemical conditions in lakes have been developed. As potentially toxic CB can accumulate in drinking water treatment plants and disrupt water treatment, there is a need for water treatment operators to determine whether conditions are favourable for the proliferation and accumulation of CB in source waters in order to adjust drinking water treatment accordingly. Thus, a new methodology with locally adaptable variables is proposed in order to have a single index, f(p), related to various environmental factors such as temperature, wind speed and direction. The index is used in conjunction with real time monitoring data to determine the probability of CB occurrence in relation to meteorological factors, and was tested at a drinking water intake in Missisquoi Bay, a shallow transboundary bay in Lake Champlain, Québec, Canada. These environmental factors alone were able to explain a maximum probability of 68% that a CB bloom would occur at the drinking water treatment plant. Nutrient limitation also influences CB blooms and intense blooms only occurred when the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to total phosphorus (TP) mass ratio was below 3. Additional monitoring of DIN and TP could be considered for these source waters prone to cyanobacterial blooms to determine periods of favourable growth. Real time monitoring and the use of the index could permit an adequate and timely response to CB blooms in drinking water sources.

Fate of toxic cyanobacterial genera from natural bloom events during ozonation

Intense accumulation of toxic cyanobacteria cells inside plants, unsuccessful removal of cells and consequent breakthrough of cells and toxins into treated water have been increasingly documented. Removal or destabilisation of cells in the pre-treatment stage using pre-ozonation could be an efficient practice as ozonation has been proven to be effective for the removal of cells and toxins. However, several unknowns including the ozone demand, the potential release of cell-bound toxins and organic matter and their impact on treatment train needs to be addressed. The general objective of this work was to study the impact of direct ozonation on different potentially toxic cyanobacteria genera from natural blooms. Water samples from five cyanobacterial bloom events in Lake Champlain (Canada) were ozonated using 2-5 mg/L O3 for a contact time of maximum 10 min. Cyanobacterial taxonomic enumeration, cyanotoxins, organic matter and post-chlorination disinfection by-product formation potential analyses were conducted on all samples. Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Microcystis and Pseudanabaena were detected in bloom water samples. Total cell numbers varied between 197,000 and 1,282,000 cells/mL prior to ozonation. Direct ozonation lysed (reduction in total cell numbers) 41%-80% of cells and reduced released toxins to below detection limits. Microcystis was the genus the least affected by ozonation. However, DOC releases of 0.6-3.5 mg/L were observed leading to maximum 86.92 μg/L and 61.56 μg/L additional total THMs (four trihalomethanes) and HAA6 (six haloacetic acids) formation, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that vigilant application of pre-ozonation under certain treatment conditions would help to avoid extreme toxic cells accumulation within water treatment plants.

Assessment of in situ fluorometry to measure cyanobacterial presence in water bodies with diverse cyanobacterial populations.

A YSI EXO2 water quality sonde fitted with fluorometric sensors for chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and phycocyanin (CPC) was used to determine its applicability in cyanobacterial quantification in three small urban ponds in Sydney, Australia displaying considerable variations in cyanobacterial community composition and abundance, as well as eukaryotic algae, turbidity and chromophoric dissolved organic matter. CPC and Chl-a measured in situ with the instrument was compared against laboratory measures of cyanobacterial biovolume over two summer sampling periods. A good correlation was found between CPC and total cyanobacterial biovolume in two of the three ponds. The poor correlation in the third was due to the frequent dominance of picoplanktonic sized cyanobacteria. CPC did not correlate well with cell counts, and Chl-a was a poor measure of cyanobacterial presence. The relationship between CPC measured by fluorometry varied according to the dominant cyanobacterial taxa present in the ponds at any one time. Fluorometry has good potential for use in environmental monitoring of cyanobacterial biovolume, but may need to be based on predetermined relations applicable to local water bodies. Management guidelines based on CPC concentrations would also enhance the usefulness of in situ CPC measurements.

Cyanobacterial management in full-scale water treatment and recycling processes: reactive dosing following intensive monitoring

The presence of cyanobacteria within full-scale treatment plants including spent filter backwash water and sludge treatment facilities is an increasing problem faced by water utilities. The fate of cyanobacterial associated taste and odour (T&O) compounds during these processes is unknown. This study aimed to better understand the occurrence of cyanobacteria and T&O compounds, 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, within a full-scale water treatment additional plant with recycling processes and investigate effectiveness of supplementary treatment processes applied within the plant following results of intensive and real time sampling. Samples were obtained from the source water and at key points within the treatment train, including the sludge thickener where MIB was noted to reach approximately 1500 ng L−1. Potassium permanganate and powdered activated carbon were dosed into the sludge thickener and the concentration of MIB producing cyanobacterial cells and MIB in the sludge thickener was reduced by greater than 99%. However, MIB concentrations were still measured at approximately 20 ng L−1 in the finished water, attributed to the addition of water recycled from the sludge thickener. A correlation between total MIB and the sample fluorescence was established and used to guide chemical dosing to maintain low levels. These results demonstrate that in situ fluorescence probes could be used to optimise the application of potassium permanganate and activated carbon when applied to reduce reducing cyanobacteria and MIB concentration during water treatment however further investigation would be required.