Determining the effects of polyaluminum chloride alkalinities and dosage treatments on various microalgal growth phases for the treatment of microalgae-laden water

Abstract

Harmful algal blooms have become critical threats to human health as they have occurred with increasing frequency and intensity in various water bodies. In the People’s Republic of China, thousands of people are exposed to water bodies heavily contaminated with microalga Microcystis aeruginosa and thus at grave risk of microcystin poisoning. This study investigated the characteristics of extracellular organic matters (EOMs), floc morphology, and microcystin in each microalgal growth phase for the treatment of microalgae-laden water. The characterization was performed under different alkalinities and dosage treatments of polyaluminum chloride (PAC). Results suggested fulvic-like and humic-like acids, CC, and unsaturated aldehyde ketones were present in the supernatant liquor and dissolved EOM (dEOM) solution under logarithmic and stationary phase treatments for EOM. However, the same components along with aromatic protein and amidogen were detected in the supernatant liquor and dEOM solution under the decline phase treatments. The EOM of the supernatant liquor and dEOM solution nearly resembled willmigerl, which was different from bound extracellular organic matter (bEOM) in the three growth phases. Nonetheless, the highest particle size and most compact and roughest flocs were observed in the stationary phase. Meanwhile, no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed among the microcystin concentrations of microalgal cells before and after coagulation, although the concentrations increased after the coagulating treatment. Therefore, coagulation pH of 2.0 and 50 mg L−1 dose of PAC was a good practical application to treat microalgae laden water at the stationary growth phase.