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Removal of Microcystin-LR from Drinking Water Using a System Involving Oxidation and Adsorption

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of removal of microcystin-LR from drinking water using a three-stage bench-scale treatment comprising Fenton oxidation/coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation, filtration through a sand column (15 cm bed), and adsorption onto a granular activated carbon (GAC) column with 15-cm (GAC1) or 20-cm bed (GAC2). Optimal first-stage conditions were determined to be FeSO4∙7H2O 0.054 mM, H2O2 0.162 mM, coagulation pH 8.4, sedimentation time 15 min, and flow rate 2 L h−1. Under these conditions, water turbidity was reduced from 5.8 to 3.0 uT, apparent color from 115 to 81 uH, and the concentration of microcystin-LR from 18.52 to 9.59 μg L−1. Column GAC2 was more efficient than GAC1, as shown by the higher adsorption capacity (4.15 μg g−1) and lower carbon usage rate (1.70 g L−1). Microcystin breakthrough occurred after 2 h of operation with GAC1 column and after 6 h with GAC2 column, and the greater efficiency of the latter column was confirmed by the high qe (4.15 μg g−1) and low CUR (1.70 g L−1) values attained. The results demonstrate that adsorption on a GAC column plays an essential role in reducing the concentration of microcystin-LR to levels compatible with current legislation. By-products of the Fenton oxidation of microcystin-LR were analyzed by mass spectrometry, and the ADDA amino acid present in the analyte was identified from its characteristic fragment at m/z 135. It is concluded that the combination of Fenton oxidation and adsorption on a GAC column represents a viable option for purifying eutrophic water containing high concentrations of microcystin-LR.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Department of Botany of the Universidade Federal de São Carlos for Cultures of M. aeruginosa and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal Nível Superior (CAPES), and Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) for financial support.

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  1. Departamento de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av das Baraúnas 351, Campus Universitário, Campina Grande, PB, 58429-500, Brazil

    Wilton S. Lopes, Josué S. Buriti, Beatriz S. O. Cebalos, José T. Sousa, Valderi D. Leite & Fernando F. Vieira

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  1. Wilton S. Lopes
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  2. Josué S. Buriti
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  3. Beatriz S. O. Cebalos
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  4. José T. Sousa
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  6. Fernando F. Vieira
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Correspondence to Wilton S. Lopes.

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Lopes, W.S., Buriti, J.S., Cebalos, B.S.O. et al. Removal of Microcystin-LR from Drinking Water Using a System Involving Oxidation and Adsorption. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 337 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3504-4

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