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Effects of Bioaugmentation on the Removal of MC-LR and Bacterial Community Structure in Biological Sand Filtration for Drinking Water Treatment
Citation:
Jeon, Y., L. Li, H. Ryu, J. SantoDomingo, AND Y. Seo. Effects of Bioaugmentation on the Removal of MC-LR and Bacterial Community Structure in Biological Sand Filtration for Drinking Water Treatment. International Water Association Biofilms 2022 Conference, Phuket, THAILAND, December 06 - 08, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the production of microcystins (MCs) as secondary metabolites have created a critical threat to the safety of drinking water. MC-LR, which is known as one of the most toxic MC congeners, is prominent in most HAB-affected water bodies. As a result, the World Health Organization proposed that the maximum level for MC-LR in drinking water should be less than 1.0 µg/L. Recently, biological filtration is receiving attention due to its potential to degrade or transform various contaminants, such as disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors, taste and odor causing compounds, and emerging contaminants with low maintenance and energy input. Few studies have reported a great removal of MC-LR under slow filtration condition [>15 min of empty bed contact time (EBCT)] but studies with a full-scale filter under rapid filtration condition (≤10 min) have shown low removal efficiency with the detection of more than 1 µg/L of MC-LR in finished water. Meanwhile, many bacterial strains identified in diverse ecosystems where HABs were observed showed the ability to degrade MC-LR, but the effect of bioaugmentation on MC-LR removal in a rapid biological filter has not been studied yet. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of bioaugmentation of a MC-LR degrading bacterium (Sphingopyxis Sp. IM-1) on the performance of biological filters for MC-LR removal under a rapid filtration condition. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing data, key individual taxa correlating with MC-LR degradation in the filters were investigated. The adaptability of the bioaugmented bacterium in response to regular backwashing and the effect of bioaugmentation on indigenous bacterial community in biological filters were also evaluated.
Description:
Evaluate the use of biologically active drinking water filters for removal of HABs-related metabolites as measured using toxicity assays