title: Species-dependence of cyanobacteria removal efficiency by different drinking water treatment processes.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: École Polytechnique de Montreal, Civil, Mineral and Mining Engineering Department, P.O. Box 6079, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. arash.zamyadi@polymtl.ca
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamyadi
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dorner
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sauvé
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Anouka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolduc
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bastien
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prévost
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005068:Eutrophication; D005374:Filtration; D052998:Microcystins / Q000032:analysis; D011792:Quebec; D013045:Species Specificity; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D060766:Drinking Water; D052998:Microcystins