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The US Environmental Protection Agency final Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List contains fresh water algae including cyanobacteria and their toxins. Current drinking water treatment techniques may be inadequate in controlling pathogenic algae because the current Surface Water Treatment Rule and the Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule focus on fecal coliform removal not algae removal. The research goals of this study were: to develop an early algal detection-monitoring program for the drinking water plants on the Ohio River; to evaluate algal removal efficiencies of individual unit processes in conventional treatment drinking water plants; and, to develop a liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy (LC/MS) quantitative analytical method for the separation of microcystin LR, LA, LF, LW, RR, YR and nodularin. Bimonthly algal monitoring (1999-2000) suggests that cyanobacteria blooms occur from February to November in the Ohio River. Aphanizomenon blooms occurred in the early spring, while Microcystis blooms occurred in the late summer/fall months. Many of the river utilities use the Ohio River to recharge storage reservoir waters. These two waters have very different algal populations and both sources must be monitored. Thorough plant monitoring of a conventional water treatment processsuggests efficient algae removal. Although this plant experienced several Microcystis blooms, the plant's source waters (Ohio River and storage reservoirs) tested negative for microcystin by ELISA assay and LC/MS. Linear calibration by LC/MS for microcystin LR from 0.125 to 24 ppb was accomplished. Detection of microcystin LR from a cultured sample and spiked river samples using solid phase extraction and LC/MS analysis shows promise for developing a simple, fast, and quantitative analytical method. Includes 15 references, tables, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/01/2001 Number of Pages: 12File Size: 1 file , 420 KB