Initial microcystin-LR Research Articles

Development of a chitosan-multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite for application in solid-phase adsorption toxin tracking of microcystins

Contamination of water and food with cyanotoxins poses human health risks, and hence the need for sensitive early warning tools to monitor these in water. A composite of glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (ChMWCNTs) was synthesised and tested for potential use as a solid-phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT) adsorbent for monitoring microcystins (MCs) in fresh water. The composite was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller theory and scanning electron microscopy. Batch adsorption experiments to assess the effect of contact time, adsorbent dosage and initial microcystin-LR (MC-LR) concentration were conducted. The composite was found to be efficient in adsorbing MC-LR, showing 97% removal and a maximum adsorption capacity of 4.639 μg/g under optimised conditions of 5 μg/L of MC-LR, adsorbent dose of 0.03 g/5 mL and 30 min contact time. The adsorption kinetics were better explained by a pseudo-second-order model, inferring chemisorption adsorption. The isotherm data better fitted the Langmuir isotherm model, thus inferring monolayer surface adsorption. For desorption, 100% methanol was the most effective, with an efficiency of 84.71%. The composite effectively adsorbed and desorbed three congeners of MCs (–LR, –RR and –YR) when tested in raw dam water, regardless of its lower maximum adsorption capacity compared to those of other adsorbents used for similar purposes. Significance: Monitoring of microcystins is problematic in large reservoirs and rivers. Chitosan can be crosslinked and modified to enhance its adsorption properties. Composites of chitosan and carbon nanotubes efficiently adsorb and desorb microcystins. This study is possibly the first to apply a chitosan-based sorbent in solid-phase toxin tracking (SPATT) to be used as an early warning tool in passive monitoring of microcystins in water resources. Open data set: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20992291.v1

Rapid detoxification of Microcystin-LR by selective catalytic hydrogenation of the Adda moiety using TiO2-supported Pd catalysts

The hepatotoxicity of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is mainly caused by its Adda moiety. In this study, we used TiO2-supported Pd catalysts to selectively hydrogenate the CC bonds in the Adda moiety, achieving rapid detoxification of MC-LR in water under ambient conditions. MC-LR was removed within 5 min by catalytic hydrogenation on Pd(1.0)/TiO2 with a catalyst dosage normalized rate constant of 1.3 × 10−2 L mgcat−1 min−1, significantly more efficient than other catalytic treatment methods. The reactions proceeded in a highly selective manner towards catalytic hydrogenation at the CC bond of the Mdha moiety and subsequently the conjugated double bond of the Adda moiety, yielding two intermediates and one final product. Upon catalytic hydrogenation for 30 min on Pd(0.07)/TiO2, the toxicity of MC-LR (assessed by protein phosphatase 2A activity assay) drastically decreased by 90.8%, demonstrating effective detoxification. The influence of catalyst support, Pd content, initial MC-LR concentration, reaction pH, and catalytic stability were examined. Surface adsorption and the cationic Pd played a crucial role in the reaction kinetics. Our results suggest that catalytic hydrogenation is a highly effective and safe strategy for detoxifying MC-LR by selective reactions.

Preparation and characterization of Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 composite and photocatalytic degradation mechanism of microcystin-LR

The long-standing popularity of semiconductor photocatalysis, due to its great potential in a variety of applications, has resulted in the creation of numerous semiconductor photocatalysts, and it stimulated the development of various characterization methods. In this study, Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 composite with a flower-like microsphere and hierarchical structure was synthesized with the facile hydrothermal-impregnation method without any surfactants. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the structures of the samples. The specific surface area was estimated with the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, and pore size distribution was determined using the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) method. The synthesized Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 composite had an average diameter of approximately 4 nm, with smaller specific surface area and larger pore diameter than those of pristine Bi2WO6. The results of XRD and SEM analyses confirmed that the composite was composed of Fe2O3 and Bi2WO6. The absorption edge of Bi2WO6 was at a wavelength of 460 nm. By contrast, the absorption edge of Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 to visible light was redshifted to 520 nm, with narrower bandgap width and stronger visible light response. It was also found that the main active substances in the degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) were hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and electron holes (h+). Consequently, the results further showed that the heterojunction between Fe2O3 and Bi2WO6 can improve the charge transfer rate and effectively separate the photoinduced electrons and holes. Compared with Bi2WO6, Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 had no significant difference in the adsorption capacity of MC-LR and had more efficient photocatalytic degradation activity of MC-LR. The degradation rates of MC-LR by Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 and Bi2WO6 reached 80% and 56%, respectively. The degradation efficiency of MC-LR was affected by the initial pH value, initial Fe2O3/Bi2WO6 concentration, and initial MC-LR concentration.

Optimization of microcystin biodegradation by bacterial community YFMCD4 using response surface method

The increasing production of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) causing animal and human health issues is found in eutrophic water bodies, marine habitats and desert environments. The health threat posed by MC-LR has led to the establishment of World Health Organization’s water guideline value of 1 μg/mL. Combating this has increased the search for cost-effective approach to degrade MC-LR. The study aimed to optimize the MC-degrading environmental factors of bacterial community YFMCD4. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate the influence of varying temperatures, pH and initial MC-LR concentration on the biodegradation efficiency of MC-LR by bacterial community YFMCD4. The optimal MC-LR biodegradation environmental factors were found to be 30 °C, pH 7 and 2 μg/mL initial MC-LR. The biodegradation rate reached 100% after 10 h. YFMCD4 mainly consisted of genera Alacligenes, Sphingobacterium and Pseudomonas using High-throughput pyrosequencing technology. The mlrA gene encoding MlrA enzyme considered most important for MC-LR biodegradation was obtained from YFMCD4. Data demonstrated that the bacterial structure and biodegradation efficiency of YFMCD4 varied with the change of environmental factors including temperature, pH and MC-LR concentrations. RSM is considered a good method to examine the optimal biodegradation environmental conditions for MC-LR. To date, RSM and High-throughput pyrosequencing technology are employed to optimize the biodegradation conditions (30 °C, pH 7 and 2 μg/mL initial MC-LR) and analyze the structure of bacterial community for the first time.

Kinetics of Microcystin-LR Removal in a Real Lake Water by UV/H2O2 Treatment and Analysis of Specific Energy Consumption.

The hepatotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) represents one of the most toxic cyanotoxins for human health. Considering its harmful effect, the World Health Organization recommended a limit in drinking water (DW) of 1 µg L−1. Due to the ineffectiveness of conventional treatments present in DW treatment plants against MC-LR, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are gaining interest due to the high redox potential of the OH• radicals. In this work UV/H2O2 was applied to a real lake water to remove MC-LR. The kinetics of the UV/H2O2 were compared with those of UV and H2O2 showing the following result: UV/H2O2 > UV > H2O2. Within the range of H2O2 tested (0–0.9 mM), the results showed that H2O2 concentration and the removal kinetics followed an increasing quadratic relation. By increasing the initial concentration of H2O2, the consumption of oxidant also increased but, in terms of MC-LR degraded for H2O2 dosed, the removal efficiency decreased. As the initial MC-LR initial concentration increased, the removal kinetics increased up to a limit concentration (80 µg L−1) in which the presence of high amounts of the toxin slowed down the process. Operating with UV fluence lower than 950 mJ cm−2, UV alone minimized the specific energy consumption required. UV/H2O2 (0.3 mM) and UV/H2O2 (0.9 mM) were the most advantageous combination when operating with UV fluence of 950–1400 mJ cm−2 and higher than 1400 mJ cm−2, respectively.

Microcystin-LR sorption and desorption by diverse biochars: Capabilities, and elucidating mechanisms from novel insights of sorption domains and site energy distribution

This study accurately assessed microcystin-LR (MCLR)-trapping capabilities of diverse biochars based on sorption and sequential desorption (SDE), and elucidated MCLR sorption-desorption mechanisms from novel views of sorption domains and site energy distribution along sorption-SDE process. Results showed that maize straw biochar (MSB) and chicken manure biochar (CMB) excelled in trapping MCLR (91.0%–97.4% and 85.7%–96.4%, respectively, at 60–600 μg/L of initial MCLR amount), followed by their respective HCl-treated ones (HCMB, HSMB), while HCl-treated bamboo biochar and pine sawdust biochar poorly trapped MCLR (48.9%–77.8% for HBB, 22.6%–67.2% for HPSB). Non-partition sorption domains (NPSD) contributed more than partition sorption domain (PSD) to MCLR sorption by each biochar. Higher NPSD contribution to MCLR sorption in CMBs and MSBs than other biochars resulted from their higher pHPZC and mesoporosity, which provided stronger electrostatic and pore-filling interaction for MCLR. Desorption hysteresis was weaken with rising aqueous MCLR amount for most biochars. Along SDE process, remaining MCLR in PSD of MSBs, HPSB and HBB could transfer to NPSD, thus desorption ratio continuously decreased with increasing desorption cycle. Differently, remaining MCLR in NPSD of CMBs converted into PSD during 1st–3rd desorption, causing fluctuated desorption ratio without obvious decrease as desorption cycle increased. These implied that MCLR in PSD was more easily desorbed than NPSD for each biochar. Site energy distribution dynamics supported the results of PSD and NPSD contribution changes along SDE. This study was greatly implicated in cost-efficient emergent MCLR-pollution remediation and deeply understanding MCLR sorption-desorption mechanisms of diverse biochars.

Purification and activity of the first recombinant enzyme for biodegrading hepatotoxin by Sphingopyxis sp. USTB-05

Cyanobacterial hepatotoxins which are produced and released by bloom-forming cyanobacteria may threaten the safety of drinking water for human beings and animals. Microcystinase (MlrA) catalyzes the first and most important step for biodegrading hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs) and nodularin (NOD), which hydrolyzes the cyclic hepatotoxin into the linear hepatotoxin as the first product. Here the recombinant MlrA of Sphingopyxis sp. USTB-05 for biodegrading hepatotoxins was firstly purified and its activity was also investigated. The purification process of MlrA was comprised of four steps, affinity purification of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged MlrA, thrombin cleavage of GST tag, GST tag removal and thrombin removal with the benzamidine sepharose. The purified recombinant MlrA was found to have a strong ability to catalyze hepatotoxins, and initial microcystin-LR (MC-LR) of 19.9 mg/L and NOD of 25.2 mg/L were removed within 10 min and 12 h at the protein concentration of 60 mg/L, respectively. The results indicated that the enzyme MlrA with a high activity could be purified and obtained with the biotechnology process of expression and purification described here, which is very important in further studies on the enzyme structure and the enzymatic mechanism for biodegrading hepatotoxins.

Low-temperature catalytic aqueous phase oxidation of microcystin-LR with iron-doped TiO2 pillared clay catalysts

ABSTRACT TiO2-PILCs and iron-doped TiO2-PILCs were employed in order to destroy toxic microcystin-LR in the presence of H2O2 under the UV light. While less than 5% of the initial microcystin-LR and TOC disappeared in 240 min with the TiO2-PILCs, almost complete conversion of microcystin-LR could be achieved in 180 min on the 10 wt% iron-doped TiO2-PILC-A. On the exterior surface of the iron-doped TiO2-PILCs were mainly located iron particles which had nano-sized diameter and Fe2+/Fe3+ cations together. Through Fenton-type oxidation on iron particles with H2O2, the big microcystin-LR molecules were converted primarily into smaller intermediate organic molecules of hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids and organic amines. The smaller intermediate molecules were believed to be diffused into the pores of the iron-doped TiO2-PILCs and to be further mineralized into CO2 and H2O through the action of photocatalysis on the TiO2 pillars. However, complete conversion of TOC could not be obtained due to the iron particle deactivation. XPS, TPO and TEM studies showed the continuous accumulation of carbonaceous materials onto the surface of iron particles.

Investigating Microcystin-LR adsorption mechanisms on mesoporous carbon, mesoporous silica, and their amino-functionalized form: Surface chemistry, pore structures, and molecular characteristics

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the most common cyanotoxin released from algal-blooms. The study investigated the MC-LR adsorption mechanisms by comparing adsorption performance of protonated mesoporous carbon/silica (MC-H, MS-H) and their amino-functionalized forms (MC-NH2 and MS-NH2) considering surface chemistry and pore characteristics. The maximum MC-LR adsorption capacity (Langmuir model) of MC-H (37.87 mg/g) was the highest followed by MC-NH2 (29.25 mg/g) and MS-NH2 (23.03 mg/g), because pore structure is partly damaged during amino-functionalization. However, MC-NH2 (k2 = 0.042 g/mg/min) reacted faster with MC-LR than MC-H during early-stage adsorption due to enhancing electrostatic interactions. Intra-particle diffusion model fit indicated Kp,1 of MC-H (2.11 mg/g/min1/2) was greater than MC-NH2 due to its greater surface area and pore volume. Also, large mesopore diameters are favorable to MC-LR adsorption by pore diffusion. The effect of adsorbate molecular size on adsorption trend against MC-H, MC-NH2 and MS-NH2 was determined by kinetic experiments using two dyes, reactive blue and acid orange: MS-NH2 achieved the highest adsorption for both dyes due to the large number of amino groups on its surface (41.2 NH2/nm2). Overall, it was demonstrated that adsorption of MC-LR on mesoporous materials is governed by (meso-)pore diffusion and π – π (and hydrophobic) interactions induced by carbon materials; in addition, positively-charged grafted amino groups enhance initial MC-LR adsorption rate.

Synthesis of N-doped Carbon Xerogel (N-CX) and its Applications for Adsorption Removal of Microcystin-LR

Abstract N-doped carbon xerogel (N-CX) is synthesized and used for adsorption removal of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) from aqueous solution. Characterizations including N2 physisorption, TEM and XPS indicate that N atoms are doped into the N-CX and the material has porous structure. Adsorption tests show that the N-CX is efficient for MC-LR adsorption, with adsorption capacity of 1916.2 μg g−1, which is higher than that of commercial activated carbon (1034.13 μg g−1) and graphene oxide (1700 μg g−1). The material is recyclable after desorption treatment by washing with NaOH solution, with no loss of uptake within five cycles. Effect of initial MC-LR concentration, temperature, and pH on the adsorption behavior is further investigated, to realize the adsorption process, showing that the adsorption process obeys the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order equation. Thermodynamical calculation indicates that the adsorption of MC-LR onto N-CX is a spontaneous and exothermic process, with the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of −16.1 kJ mol−1 and enthalpy (ΔH) of −18.45 kJ mol−1.

Oxidation of microcystin-LR by the Fenton process: Kinetics, degradation intermediates, water quality and toxicity assessment

The Fenton process was assessed as a cost-effective technology for the removal of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) among UV, UV/H2O2, and Fenton process according to efficiency and electrical energy per order (EE/O). The determined practical concentrations of the Fenton reagents were 5mg/L Fe(II) and 5mg/L H2O2, respectively. The Fenton process is a fast reaction, completed within 5–30min (Fe(II), H2O2=0.2–10mg/L; MC-LR0=200μg/L). The degradation intermediates of MC-LR by the Fenton process were firstly reported as m/z 1029.5, 1011.5, 835.5, 795.4, and 783.4, associated with the diene bond in the Adda chain, then alleviate their toxicity. The effects of organic matter were examined in the range of Nak-Dong River water, as a drinking water source, monitored for six months in 2015. Fulvic acid was affected more than humic acid and natural organic matter (NOM). The degradation efficiency in the raw water was lower than that of distilled water because of the competing effect of NOM, geosmin, and 2-methylisoborneol, and the higher pH (7.64), furthermore, dissolved organic matter, geosmin, and 2-methylisoborneol was removed 7.39%, 4.28% and 12.30% after the Fenton process in the river water. The final concentration of MC-LR after treatment was under the drinking water guideline level with initial MC-LR concentration of 2μg/L. No acute toxicity was observed to Daphnia magna (TU=0) after the Fenton process.

Photodegradation of microcystin-LR catalyzed by metal phthalocyanines immobilized on TiO2-SiO2 under visible-light irradiation.

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of monocyclic heptapeptide toxins produced by species of cyanobacteria. Since MCs exhibit acute and chronic effects on humans and wildlife by damaging the liver, they are of increasing concern worldwide. In this study, we investigated the ability of the phthalocyanine compound (ZnPc-TiO2-SiO2) to degrade microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in the presence of visible light. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS) were utilized to characterize the crystalline phase and the absorption behavior of this catalyst. According to the results, XRD spectra of ZnPc-TiO2-SiO2 powders taken in the 2θ configuration exhibited the peaks characteristic of the anatase phase. UV-Vis DRS showed that the absorption band wavelength shifted to the visible range when ZnPc was supported on the surface of TiO2-SiO2. Subsequently, several parameters including catalyst dose, MC-LR concentrations and pH were investigated. The MC-LR was quantified in each sample through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The maximum MC-LR degradation rate of 80.2% can be obtained within 300 minutes under the following conditions: catalyst dose of 7.50 g/L, initial MC-LR concentration of 17.35 mg/L, pH 6.76 and the first cycling run of the photocatalytic reaction. Moreover, the degradation process fitted well with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model.

The removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and its hepatotoxin microcystin–LR during electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes

Electrooxidation is widely used to remove harmful organic and inorganic substances as well as pathogenic microorganisms. This study investigates the removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and their hepatotoxin microcystin–LR by the electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes. Additionally, the morphology changes and cell sizes were determined by scanning electron microscopy and a particle size analyzer, respectively. The algal cells were severely damaged by the electrooxidation process. During the initial treatment, intracellular microcystin–LR was released from the cells, increasing the extracellular microcystin–LR concentration. The electrooxidation charge required to remove cells and MC–LR was 3 × 104 C and 6 × 104 C, respectively. The removal efficiencies of M. ichthyoblabe cells and microcystin–LR were insensitive to initial cell density, initial microcystin–LR concentration and solution conductivity, but were heavily reduced at large algal suspension volume. Therefore, to achieve simultaneous removal of Microcystis cells and their MC, it is necessary to control the volume of algal suspension.

Microcystin-LR degradation by solar photo-Fenton, UV-A/photo-Fenton and UV-C/H2O2: a comparative study

This work assessed the effectiveness of several methods on degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) by different Advanced Oxidation Processes, like solar photo-Fenton, UV-A/photo-Fenton and UV-C/H2O2. UV-C/H2O2 and UV-A/photo-Fenton processes were carried out in a bench scale photochemical apparatus and the solar photo-Fenton treatment was performed in a CPC photoreactor. MC-LR degradation was monitored by LC-ESI-MS/MS and kinetic parameters were calculated for all systems evaluated. The results demonstrated that UV-C/H2O2 was the most efficient method, showing a reduction of over 90% of initial MC-LR after 5 min of reaction. Solar and photo-Fenton/UVA had a rate decrease of 88 and 76% after the same time, respectively. The kinetic study indicated that the solar photo-Fenton and artificial radiation (UV-A) processes were very similar in their efficiency. The use of sunlight instead of artificial UV radiation significantly reduced the cost of photocatalytic treatment systems; it is also an environmentally friendly method, since it utilizes renewable energy.

Catalytic degradation of microcystin-LR using bentonite supported bimetallic Fe/Pd nanoparticles

In this paper,bentonite supported bimetallic Fe/Pd nanoparticles(B-Fe/Pd) was explored to use for degradation of microcystin-LR(MC-LR).96.86% of MC-LR was degraded after 180 min with an initial MC-LR concentration of 5mg L-1(pH 6.86) using 0.1g B-Fe/Pd.UV-Vis and HPLC-UV showed that the peak of MC-LR at 238 nm was disappeared after B-Fe/Pd react with MC-LR.SEM-EDS,XRD,FTIR and XPS used for characterization of B-Fe/Pd before and after reaction with MC-LR revealed the formation of iron oxide and iron hydroxides after degradation of MC-LR.The degradation of MC-LC using B-Fe/Pd fitted well the pseudo-first kinetic order model with an activation energy was 12.77 kJ mol-1.Degradation mechanism of MC-LR was proposed,which was based on firstly MC-LR adsorded in the surface of bentonite and iron nanoparticles-palladium particles,secondly iron nanoparticles reacted with water to produce hydrogen,and the formation of hydrogen radical by the Pd catalysis,finally MC-LR was reduced by hydrogen radical,where the most toxic conjugated double bond of MC-LR was broken by the reduction.

Cloning and expression of the first gene for biodegrading microcystin LR by Sphingopyxis sp. USTB-05

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a growing environmental problem worldwide in natural waters, the biodegradation is found to be the most efficient method for removing microcystins (MCs) produced by harmful cyanobacteria. Based on the isolation of a promising bacterial strain of Sphingopyxis sp. USTB-05 for biodegrading MCs, we for the first time cloned and expressed a gene USTB-05-A (HM245411) that is responsible for the first step in the biodegradation of microcystin LR (MC-LR) in E. coli DH5α, with a cloning vector of pGEM-T easy and an expression vector of pGEX-4T-1, respectively. The cell-free extracts (CE) of recombinant E. coli DH5α containing USTB-05-A had high activity for biodegrading MC-LR. The initial MC-LR concentration of 40 mg/L was completely biodegraded within 1 hr in the presence of CE with a protein concentration of 0.35 mg/mL. Based on an analysis of the liquid chromatogram-mass spectrum (LC-MS), the enzyme encoded by gene USTB-05-A was found to be active in cleaving the target peptide bond between 3-amino-9-methoxy-2,6, 8-trimethyl-10-phenyl-deca-4,6-dienoic acid (Adda) and arginine of MC-LR, and converting cyclic MC-LR to linear MC-LR as a first product that is much less toxic than parent MC-LR, which offered direct evidence for the first step on the pathway of MC-LR biodegradation by Sphingopyxis sp. USTB-05.

Efficient removal of microcystin-LR by UV-C/H2O2 in synthetic and natural water samples

The destruction of the commonly found cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin-LR (MC-LR), in surface waters by UV-C/H2O2 advanced oxidation process (AOP) was studied. Experiments were carried out in a bench scale photochemical apparatus with low pressure mercury vapor germicidal lamps emitting at 253.7 nm. The degradation of MC-LR was a function of UV fluence. A 93.9% removal with an initial MC-LR concentration of 1 μM was achieved with a UV fluence of 80 mJ/cm2 and an initial H2O2 concentration of 882 μM. When increasing the concentration of MC-LR only, the UV fluence-based pseudo-first order reaction rate constant generally decreased, which was probably due to the competition between by-products and MC-LR for hydroxyl radicals. An increase in H2O2 concentration led to higher removal efficiency; however, the effect of HO scavenging by H2O2 became significant for high H2O2 concentrations. The impact of water quality parameters, such as pH, alkalinity and the presence of natural organic matter (NOM), was also studied. Field water samples from Lake Erie, Michigan and St. Johns River, Florida were employed to evaluate the potential application of this process for the degradation of MC-LR. Results showed that the presence of both alkalinity (as 89.6–117.8 mg CaCO3/L) and NOM (as ∼2 to ∼9.5 mg/L TOC) contributed to a significant decrease in the destruction rate of MC-LR. However, a final concentration of MC-LR bellow the guideline value of 1 μg/L was still achievable under current experimental conditions when an initial MC-LR concentration of 2.5 μg/L was spiked into those real water samples.

Cyanobacterial Toxin Elimination via Bioaccumulation of MC-LR in Aquatic Macrophytes: An Application of the “Green Liver Concept”

Cyanobacterial blooms and their corresponding toxins are a major concern to human health when surface waters of eutrophicated lakes are the only source for drinking water supply. The aim of the study was to test effective methods for cyanotoxin elimination by using the bioaccumulation potential of aquatic macrophytes in order to reduce microcystin LR (MC-LR) concentrations from raw lake surface water before entering the drinking water plant for further processing. Laboratory assays with aquatic macrophytes were performed in order to assess the most favorable species and optimal biomass for cyanotoxin elimination, where Lemna sp., Myriophyllum sp., and Hydrilla sp. were shown to be the most efficient macrophytes. In a second phase a pilot scale pond system (e.g. replica of the outdoor pond system) was constructed to assess the toxin elimination efficiency of 5.0 g L(-1) biomass of combined macrophytes. The applied macrophytic biomass reduced an initial MC-LR concentration of 12.1 and 9.2 microg L(-1) to values below the WHO guidelines for drinking water of 1.0 microg L(-1) (MC-LR) in only three days. Applying these results in a specially constructed outdoor pond system resulted in > 84% of toxin elimination at an initial concentration of 1.1 microg L(-1) MC-LR within the raw lake water.

Degradation of Microcystin-LR through Biological Sand Filters

Cyanobacteria are a global problem as they are able to produce compounds which can compromise the quality of potable water. Of major concern are the microcystin toxins which in dissolved form are not well removed by conventional water treatment processes. This study showed that microcystin-LR (MCLR) could be effectively removed from water using laboratory biological sand filters with complete removals observed under a range of conditions, including various sand and water combinations, different initial MCLR concentrations, and also two different temperatures. Molecular techniques allowed for the isolation of a bacterium, from the biofilm of one of the filters, which was shown to contain mlrA , a gene previously documented to be involved in the biodegradation of MCLR. This gene was also identified within the biofilm of two additional filters strongly suggesting that the removal of MCLR through the filters was through biological action.