title: The impact of interactions between algal organic matter and humic substances on coagulation.
abstract: This study focuses on the effects of molecular interactions between two natural organic matter (NOM) fractions, peptides/proteins derived from cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (MA proteins) and peat humic substances (HS), on their removal by coagulation. Coagulation behaviour was studied by the jar tests with MA protein/HS mixtures and with single compounds (MA proteins or HS). Aluminium sulphate was used as a coagulant. Besides MA proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein. For the MA protein/HS mixture, the removal rates were higher (80% versus 65%) and the dose of coagulant substantially lower (2.8 versus 5.5 mg L(-1) Al) than for coagulation of single HS, indicating the positive effect of protein-HS interactions on the coagulation process. The optimum coagulation pH was 5.2-6.7 for MA proteins and 5.5-6 for HS by alum. The optimum pH for the removal of MA protein/HS mixture ranged between pH 5.5-6.2, where the charge neutralization of negatively charged acidic functional groups of organic molecules by positively charged coagulant hydroxopolymers lead to coagulation. MA proteins interacted with HS, probably through hydrophobic, dipole-dipole and electrostatic interactions, even in the absence the coagulant. These interactions are likely to occur within a wide pH range, but they result in coagulation only at low pH values (pH < 4). At this pH, the negative charge of both MA proteins and HS was suppressed due to the protonation of acidic functional groups and thus the molecules could approach and combine forming aggregates. Virtually the same trends were observed in the experiments with HS and BSA, indicating that BSA is a suitable model for MA proteins under experimental conditions used in this study. The study showed that increases in organic content in source water due to the release of algae products may not necessarily entail deterioration of the coagulation process and a rise in coagulant demand.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pod Patankou 30/5, 16612 Prague 6, Czech Republic. Electronic address: pivo@ih.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pivokonsky
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pod Patankou 30/5, 16612 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naceradska
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pod Patankou 30/5, 16612 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 16628 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brabenec
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pod Patankou 30/5, 16612 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 16628 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Novotna
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pod Patankou 30/5, 16612 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Benatska 2, 12801 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baresova
authors.affiliation: Department of Water Technology and Environmental Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, 16628 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Janda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D006812:Humic Substances; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006812:Humic Substances; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins
keywords: Bovine serum albumin; Coagulation; Microcystis aeruginosa; Natural organic matter; Peptides/proteins; Water treatment