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Effect of Phosphate Loading on the Generation of Extracellular Organic Matters of Microcystis Aeruginosa and Its Derived Disinfection By-Products

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Abstract

Microcystis aeruginosa is a common cause of algal bloom outbreaks in Chinese lakes. This study investigated the effects of phosphate loading on the algal growth and extracellular organic matter (EOM) production of M. aeruginosa. The cell density was monitored by cell counting, and EOMs were characterized by dissolved organic carbon (DOC), carbohydrate, protein, and excitation/emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM). DOC concentration peaked during the stationary phase and was contributed primarily by amino acid- and fulvic-like substances. Carbohydrate was a substantially larger fraction than protein. Phosphate showed positive influence on the cell growth and EOMs. As its concentration increased, the EOMs concentration increased. So did EOM and β-ionone as typical taste and odor compounds. Whatever the phosphate concentration was, the peak of β-ionone concentration exceeded its odor threshold (7.0 ng/L), resulting in a severe fruit-like odor. Additionally, the disinfection by-products involved with EOM were evaluated in both chlorination and chloramination, indicating that trihalomethanes were the dominated toxic by-products and the chloramination showed more significant effect on its formation as an interesting result.

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Abbreviations

BSA:

Bovine serum albumin

BDHM:

Bromodichloromethane

BCAN:

Bromodichloroacetonitrile

CH:

Chloral hydrate

TCNM:

Trichloronitromethane

DBAN:

Dibromochloroacetonitrile

DBHM:

Dibromochloromethane

DCAN:

Dichloroacetonitrile

DBPs:

Disinfection by-products

DOC:

Dissolved organic carbon

EOMs:

Extracellular organic matters

HKs:

Haloketones

GC:

Gas chromatograph

ECD:

Electron capture detector

HANs:

Haloacetonitriles

M. aeruginosa :

Microcystis aeruginosa

NOMs:

Natural organic matters

SPME:

Solid-phase microextraction

TCAN:

Trichloroacetonitrile

TCHM:

Trichloromethane

THMs:

Trihalomethanes

TBHM:

Tribromethane

1,1,1-TCP:

1,1,1-Trichloro-2-propanone

1,1-DCP:

1,1-Dichloro-2-propanone

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out with the support of Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2015ZCQ-HJ-02) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51578520, 51378063, 41273137, and 51108030) and Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. L160006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China

    Ni Zhang & Fei Qi

  2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Bingbing Xu

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  1. Ni Zhang
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  2. Bingbing Xu
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  3. Fei Qi
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Correspondence to Bingbing Xu or Fei Qi.

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Zhang, N., Xu, B. & Qi, F. Effect of Phosphate Loading on the Generation of Extracellular Organic Matters of Microcystis Aeruginosa and Its Derived Disinfection By-Products. Water Air Soil Pollut 227, 264 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-2976-y

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