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Removal of cyanobacterial metabolites through wastewater treatment plant filters.

Authors
  • Ho, Lionel
  • Hoefel, Daniel
  • Grasset, Charlotte
  • Palazot, Sebastien
  • Newcombe, Gayle
  • Saint, Christopher P
  • Brookes, Justin D
Type
Published Article
Journal
Water Science and Technology
Publisher
IWA Publishing
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2012
Volume
65
Issue
7
Pages
1244–1251
Identifiers
DOI: 10.2166/wst.2012.002
PMID: 22437022
Source
Medline
License
Unknown

Abstract

Wastewaters have the potential to proliferate excessive numbers of cyanobacteria due to high nutrient levels. This could translate to the production of metabolites, such as the saxitoxins, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), which can impair the quality of wastewater destined for re-use. Biological sand filtration was assessed for its ability to remove these metabolites from a wastewater. Results indicated that the sand filter was incapable of effectively removing the saxitoxins and in some instances, the effluent of the sand filter displayed greater toxicity than the influent. Conversely, the sand filter was able to effectively remove geosmin and MIB, with removal attributed to biodegradation. Granular activated carbon was employed as an alternative filter medium to remove the saxitoxins. Results showed similar removals to previous drinking water studies, where efficient removals were initially observed, followed by a decrease in the removal; a consequence of the presence of competing organics which reduced adsorption of the saxitoxins.

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