Early Warning System for Algal Taste and Odor Compounds and Toxins in Drinking Water Treatment Plant

Session: Harmful Algal Blooms and Their Toxicity: Remote Sensing and Modeling Approaches (3)

Christian Moldaenke, bbe Moldaenke GmbH, [email protected]
Tobias Boehme, bbe Moldaenke GmbH, [email protected]
Eva Lytmer, bbe Moldaenke GmbH, [email protected]

Abstract

A multi-wavelength fluorometer has been developed which can detect unbound phycocyanin (“free PC”) as an indicator of difficult to treat cyanobacterial taste and odor (T&O) compounds and cyanotoxins. Free (or unbound) phycocyanin describes that part of the cyanobacterial pigment phycocyanin which is no longer bound to chlorophyll due to cellular stress or lysis. Cell lysis may be caused by oxidants/disinfectants used in the drinking water treatment process, and releases T&O compounds and cyanotoxins in addition to creating free PC. This instrument is designed to estimate the risk of T&O compounds and cyanotoxins from cyanobacteria in raw and finished drinking water by detecting free PC. The research investigated the correlation between detected free PC and the appearance of Geosmin, 2-methyl isoborneol (2-MIB), other cyanobacterial T&O compounds, and cyanotoxins. This research and a study from a drinking water treatment plant will be presented.