Abstract
This review focuses on the efficiency of different water treatment processes for the removal of cyanotoxins from potable water. Although several investigators have studied full-scale drinking water processes to determine the efficiency of cyanotoxin inactivation, many of the studies were based on ancillary practice. In this context, “ancillary practice” refers to the removal or inactivation of cyanotoxins by standard daily operational procedures and without a contingency operational plan utilizing specific treatment barriers. In this review, “auxiliary practice” refers to the implementation of inactivation/removal treatment barriers or operational changes explicitly designed to minimize risk from toxin-forming algae and their toxins to make potable water. Furthermore, the best drinking water treatment practices are based on extension of the multibarrier approach to remove cyanotoxins from water. Cyanotoxins are considered natural contaminants that occur worldwide and specific classes of cyanotoxins have shown regional prevalence. For example, freshwaters in the Americas often show high concentrations of microcystin, anatoxin-a, and cylindrospermopsin, whereas Australian water sources often show high concentrations of microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxins. Other less frequently reported cyanotoxins include lyngbyatoxin A, debromoaplysiatoxin, and β-N-methylamino-l-alanine. This review focuses on the commonly used unit processes and treatment trains to reduce the toxicity of four classes of cyanotoxins: the microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a, and saxitoxins. The goal of this review is to inform the reader of how each unit process participates in a treatment train and how an auxiliary multibarrier approach to water treatment can provide safer water for the consumer.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dittmann E, Neilan BA, Erhard M, von Dèohren H, Bèorner T (1997) Mol Microbiol 26:779–787
Borner T, Dittmann E (2005) In: Huisman J, Matthijs HCP, Visser PM (eds) Harmful cyanobacteria. Springer, Berlin, pp 25–40
Yoo RS, Carmichael WW, Hoehn RC, Hurdley SE (1995) Cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) toxins: a resource guide. AWWA Research Foundation and American Water Works Association, Denver
Chorus I, Bartram JF (eds) (1999) Toxic cyanobacteria in water: a guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management. Spon, London
Oehrle SA, Westrick J (2003) LCGC North Am 21:634–639
Svrcek C, Smith D (2004) J Environ Eng Sci 3:31
Newcombe G, Nicholson B (2004) J Water Supply Res Technol AQUA 53:227–239
Falconer IR (2005) Cyanobacterial toxins of drinking water supplies: cylindrospermopsins and microcystins. CRC, Boca Raton
Westrick JA (2008) Adv Exp Med Biol 619:16
Hudnell HK (2008) Adv Exp Med Biol 619:980
Hrudey S, Burch M, Drikas M, Gregory R (1999) In: Chorus I, Bartram J (eds) Toxic cyanobacteria in water: a guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management. Spon, London
EPA US (2006) Toxicological reviews of cyanobacterial toxins: cylindrospermopsin (external review draft). United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington
Fawell JK, Mitchell RE, Everett DJ, Hill RE (1999) Hum Exp Toxicol 18:162
Knappe DRU, Belk RC, Briley DS, Gandy SR, Rastogi N, Rike AH, Glasgow H, Hannon E, Frazier WD, Kohl P, Pugsley S (2004) Algae detection and removal strategies for drinking water treatment plants. AWWA Research Foundation, Denver
Griffiths DJ, Saker ML (2003) Environ Toxicol 18:16
Werblow S (2008) J AWWA 100:48–50, 52
Newcombe G (2002) Removal of algal toxins from drinking water using ozone and GAC. AWWA Research Foundation, Denver, p 133
Jolley RL, Gorchev H, Heyward Hamiliton JD (1977) Water chlorination: environmental impact and health effects. Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Ann Arbor
Miao H, Tao W (2007) Sep Purif Technol 66:7
Huang W-J, Cheng Y-L, Cheng B-L (2008) Environ Eng Sci 25:139–152
Cheng X, Shi H, Adams CD, Timmons T, Ma Y (2009) Water Sci Technol 60:689–698
Ho L, Tanis-Plant P, Kayal N, Slyman N, Newcombe G (2009) J Water Health 7:544–556
Schmidt W, Willmitzer H, Bornmann K, Pietsch J (2002) Environ Toxicol 17:11
Chen JJ, Yeh HH (2005) Water Res 39:4420–4428
Teixeira MR, Rosa MJ (2006) Sep Purif Technol 53:9
Teixeira MR, Rosa MJ (2006) Water Res 40:2837–2846
Drikas M, Chow CWK, House J, Burch MD (2001) J AWWA 93:12
Lam A-Y, Prepas E, Spink D, Hrudey S (1995) Water Res 29:1845–1854
Heng L, Yanling Y, Weijia G, Xing L, Guibai L (2008) Desalination 222:7
Lee JW, Walker H (2006) Environ Sci Technol 40:7
Qin J-J, Oo MH, Kekre KA, Knops F, Miller P (2006) Desalination 193:6
Kwon B, Park N, Cho J (2005) Desalination 179:12
Huang H, Schwab K, Jacangelo JG (2009) Environ Sci Technol 43:3011–3019
Chow CWK, Panglisch S, House J, Drikas M, Burch MD, Gimbel R (1997) Aqua 46:11
Gijsbertsen-Abrahamse AJ, Schmidt W, Chorus I, Heijman SGJ (2006) J Membr Sci 276:252–259
Zhou H, Smith D (2001) J Environ Eng Sci 1:18
Ho L, Slyman N, Kaeding U, Newcombe G (2008) J AWWA 100:88–96
Orr PT, Jones GJ, Hamilton GR (2004) Water Res 38:4455–4461
Fawell JK, Hart J, James HA, Parr W (1993) Water Supply 11:109–122
Muntisov M, Trimboli P (1996) Water 23:34
Neumann U, Weckesser J (1998) Environ Toxicol Water Qual 13:6
Vuori E, Pelander A, Himberg K, Waris M (1997) Water Res 31:2922
Bourne DG, Blakeley RL, Riddles P, Jones GJ (2006) Water Res 40:1294–1302
Lahti K, Rapala J, Kivimaki AL, Kukkonen J, Niemela M, Sivonen K (2001) Water Sci Technol 43:225–228
Grutzmacher G, Bottcher G, Chorus I, Bartel H (2002) Environ Toxicol 17:9
Ho L, McDowall B, Wijesundara S, Shaw G, Saint C, Newcombe G (2005) Water 32:64–68
Jones GJ, Orr PT (1994) Water Res 28:871
Cousins IT, Bealing DJ, James HA, Sutton A (1996) Water Res 30:481
Christoffersen K, Lyck S, Winding A (2002) Aquat Microb Ecol 27:125–136
Rapala J, Lahti K, Sivonen K, Niemelae SI (1994) Lett Appl Microbiol 19:423
Kayal N, Newcombe G, Ho L (2008) Environ Toxicol 23:751
Tsuji K, Naito S, Kondo F, Ishikawa N, Watanabe MF (1994) Environ Sci Technol 28:173
Senogles P, Shaw G, Smith M, Norris R, Chiswell R, Mueller J, Sadler R, Eaglesham G (2000) Toxicon 38:1203–1213
Lawton LA, Robertson PKJ (1999) Chem Soc Rev 28:217–224
Jochimsen EM (1998) N Engl J Med 338:6
Acero JL, Rodriguez E, Meriluoto J (2005) Water Res 39:1628–1638
Ho L, Onstad G, v Gunten U, Rinck-Pfeiffer S, Craig K, Newcombe G (2006) Water Res 40:1200–1209
Nicholson BC, Rositano J, Burch MD (1994) Water Res 28:1297
Xagoraraki I, Harrington GW, Zulliger K, Zeier B, Krick W, Karner DA, Standridge JH, Westrick J (2006) J Environ Eng 132:818
Rodriguez E, Sordo A, Metcalf JS, Acero JL (2007) Water Res 41:2048–2056
Nicholson BC, Shaw GR, Morrall J, Senogles PJ, Woods TA, Papageorgiou J, Kapralos C, Wickramasinghe W, Davis BC, Eaglesham GK (2003) Environ Technol 24:1341–1348
Rositano J, Newcombe G, Nicholson B, Sztajnbok P (2001) Water Res 35:23–32
Onstad GD, Strauch S, Meriluoto J, Codd GA, von Gunten U (2007) Environ Sci Technol 41:4397–4404
Banker R, Carmeli S, Werman M, Teltsch B, Porat R, Sukenik A (2001) J Toxicol Environ Health A 62:281–288
Kull TPJ, Sjovall OT, Tammenkoski MK, Backlund PH, Meriluoto JAO (2006) Environ Sci Technol 40:1504–1510
Rodriguez E, Majado ME, Meriluoto J, Acero JL (2007) Water Res 41:102–110
Rodriguez E, Onstad GD, Kull TP, Metcalf JS, Acero JL, von Gunten U (2007) Water Res 41:3381–3393
Hall T, Hart J, Croll B, Gregory R (2000) Water Environ Manag 14:143–149
Rositano J, Nicholson BC, Pieronne P (1998) Ozone Sci Eng 20:16
Senogles-Derham PJ, Seawright A, Shaw G, Wickramisingh W, Shahin M (2003) Toxicon 41:979–988
Hoigne J, Bader H (1994) Water Res 28:45
Kull TPJ, Backlund PH, Karlsson KM, Meriluoto JAO (2004) Environ Sci Technol 38:7
von Gunten U, Hoigne J (1994) Environ Sci Technol 28:1234
Qiao RP, Li N, Qi XH, Wang QS, Zhuang YY (2005) Toxicon 45:745–752
Bandala ER, Martinez D, Martinez E, Dionysiou DD (2004) Toxicon 43:829–832
Liu I, Lawton L, Robertson PKJ (2003) Environ Sci Technol 37:3214–3219
Feitz AJ, Waite TD, Jones GJ, Boyden BH, Orr PT (1999) Environ Sci Technol 33:7
Choi H, Antoniou MG, Pelaez M, de la Cruz AA, Shoemaker JA, Dionysiou DD (2007) Environ Sci Technol 41:6
Liang W, Qu J, Wang K, Wang J, Liu H, Lei P (2008) Environ Eng Sci 25:635–642
Zhang C, Fu D, Gu Z (2009) J Hazard Mater 172:847–853
Song W, de la Cruz AA, Rein K, Shea KE (2006) Environ Sci Technol 40:6
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Westrick, J.A., Szlag, D.C., Southwell, B.J. et al. A review of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins removal/inactivation in drinking water treatment. Anal Bioanal Chem 397, 1705–1714 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3709-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3709-5