Brazilian Journal of Biological Sciences (ISSN 2358-2731)



Home > Archive > v. 2, n. 3 (2015) > Badar

 

Vol. 2, No. 3, p. 135-145 - Jun. 30, 2015

 

Removal of cyanobacterial toxins from drinking water sources by aluminium sulphate treatment



Moghira Badar, Safder Shah Khan, Mahmood-ur-Rahman, Irshad Khokhar, Yasir Ch. and Fatima Batool

Abstract
Cyanobacterial toxins are very harmful and known as hepatic toxins and a major cause of liver damage. They can easily grow in water sources under specific conditions of temperature and small nutrition. In this study, the cyanobacterial toxins were identified from different samples of drinking water sources and blood of that water consumers like animals (cattle & buffaloes) and liver infected people. The values of cyanobacteria toxins (microcystins) were very much correlated in each type of samples in the designed study but high values of toxins were seen in canal water samples. It is dangerous for both human and animals as shown in results because of high values of microcystin were present in cattle and buffaloes blood samples. Aluminium sulphate was used to treat contaminated water which is an inorganic molecule and its reaction is very fast with dissolved particles in water samples. The effectiveness of aluminium sulphate as coagulant in the coagulation/flocculation process for removing the Cyanobacteria toxins from 1-0.1 mg/L on average from all different types of water sample sources (ground water, canal water and water storage tanks in houses). It was found as very useful to clean the drinking water by using its different concentration like 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/L. This study reveals a drastic picture of drinking water conditions in Pakistan however, the contaminated water can be treated effectively by using aluminium sulphate.


Keywords
Wastewater treatment, Cyanobacteria, Microcystins, Toxins, Aluminium sulphate.

Full text
PDF

References
Antoniou, M.; de la Cruz, A.; Dionysiou, D. Cyanotoxins: new generation of water contaminants. J. Environ. Eng., v. 131, p. 1239-1243, 2005.

Bernhardt, H.; Clasen, J. Flocculation of micro-organisms. J. Water SRT Aqua, v. 40, n. 22, p. 76-87, 1991.

Codd, G. A.; Morrison, L. F.; Metcalf, J. S. Cyanobacterial toxins: risk management for health protection. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., v. 203, p. 264-272, 2005.

de la Cruz, A. A.; Antoniou, M. G.; Hiskia, A.; Pelaez, M.; Song, W.; O'Shea, K. E.; He, X.; Dionysiou, D. D. Can we effectively degrade microcystins? implications on human health. Anticancer Agents in Med. Chem., v. 11, p. 19-37, 2011.

Dixon, M. B.; Falconet, C.; Ho, L.; Chow, C. W. K.; O'Neill, B. K.; Newcombe, G. Removal of cyanobacterial metabolites by nanofiltration from two treated waters. J. Hazard. Mater., v. 188, p. 288-295, 2011a.

Dixon, M. B.; Richard, Y.; Ho, L.; Chowa, C. W. K.; O'Neill, B. K.; Newcombe, G. A coagulation-powdered activated carbon-ultrafiltration: multiple barrier approach for removing toxins from two Australian cyanobacterial blooms. J. Hazard. Mater., v. 186, p. 1553-1559, 2011b.

Eaton, A. D.; Clesceri, L. S.; Greenberg, A. E. Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater. 21. ed. Washington: APHA, AWA, WEF, 1995.

Falconer, I. R. Cyanobacterial toxins of drinking water supplies: cylindrosper¬mopsins and microcystins. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2005.

Falconer, I. R.; Humpage, A. R. Cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) toxins in water supplies: cylindrospermopsins. Environ. Toxicol., v. 21, p. 299-304, 2006.

Henderson, R. K.; Parsons, S. A.; Jefferson, B. The impact of differing cell and algogenic organic matter (AOM) characteristics on the coagulation and flotation of algae. Water Res., v. 44, p. 3617-3624, 2010.

Ho, L.; Lambling, P.; Bustamante, H.; Duker, P.; Newcombe, G. Application of powdered activated carbon for the adsorption of cylindrospermopsin and microcystin toxins from drinking water supplies. Water Res., v. 45, p. 2954-2964, 2011.

Lehman, E. M. Seasonal occurrence and toxicity of Microcystis in impoundments of the Huron River, Michigan, USA. Water Res., v. 41, p. 795-802, 2007.

Leoni, E.; De Luca, G.; Legnan, P. P.; Sacchetti, R.; Stampi, S.; Zanetti, F. Legionella waterline colonization: detection of Legionella species in domestic, hotel and hospital hot water systems. J. Appl. Microbiol., v. 98, p. 373-379, 2005

Lund, J. W. G.; Kipling, C.; Le Cren, E. D. The inverted microscope method of estimating algal numbers and the statistical basis of estimations by counting. Hydrobiologia, v. 11, n. 2, p. 143-170, 1958.

Newcombe, G.; House, J.; Ho, L.; Baker, P.; Burch, M. Management strategies for Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and their toxins: a guide for water utilities. Adelaide: WQRA - Water Quality Research Australia, 2010. (Research Report, no. 74). Available from: lt;http://www.waterra.com.au/publications/document-search/?download=106>. Acessed in: 23 Jan., 2015.

Nkurunziza, T.; Nduwayezu, J. B.; Banadda, E. N.; Nhapi, I. The effect of turbidity levels and concentration on the effectiveness of coagulation in water treatment. Water Sc. Technol., v. 59, p. 1551-1558, 2009.

Nwaiwu, N. E.; Lingmu, B. Studies on the effect of settling time on coliform reduction using Moringa oleifera seed powder. J. Appl. Sc. Environ. Sanit., v. 6, p. 279-286, 2011.

Ode, P. R.; Rehn, A. C.; May, J. T. A quantitative tool for assessing the integrity of Southern Coastal California streams. Environ. Manag., v. 35, p. 493-504, 2005.

Ozmen, M.; Güngördö, A.; Kucukbay, F. Z.; Güler, R. E. Montering the effects of water pollution on Cyprinus carpio in Karakaya Dam Lake, Turkey. Ecotoxicology, v. 15, p. 157-169, 2006.

Paller M. H. Temporal variability in fish assemblages from disturbed and undisturbed streams. Journal of Aquatic Ecosystem Stress and Recovery, v. 9, p. 149-158, 2002.

Simeonov, V.; Stratis, J. A.; Samara, C.; Zachariadis, G.; Voutsa, D.; Anthemidis, A.; Sofoniou, M.; Kouimtzis, T. Assessment of the surface water quality in Northern Greece. Water Res., v. 37, p. 4119-4124, 2003.

Singh, A. P.; Ghosh, S. K.; Pankaj, S. Water quality management of a stretch of River Yamuna: an interactive fuzzy multi-objective approach. Water Resour. Manage., v. 21, p. 515-532, 2007.

Singh, K. P.; Malik, A.; Mohan, D.; Sinha, S. Multivariate statistical techniques for the evaluation of spatial and temporal variations in water quality of Gomti River (India): a case study. Water Res., v. 38, p. 3980-3992, 2004.

Singh, K. P.; Malik, A.; Sinha, S. Water quality assessment and apportionment of pollution sources of Gomti River (India) using multivariate statistical techniques - a case study. Anal. Chimica Acta, v. 538, p. 355-374, 2005.

Teixeira, M. R.; Rosa, M. J. Neurotoxic and hepatotoxic cyanotoxins removal by nanofiltration. Water Res., v. 40, p. 2837-2846, 2006.

Utermöhl, H. Zur Vervollkommnung der quantitativen Phytoplankton-Methodik. Mitt. Int. Verein. Limnol., v. 9, p. 1-38, 1958.

Westrick, J. A.; Szlag, D. C.; Southwell, B. J.; Sinclair, J. A review of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins removal/inactivation in drinking water treatment. Anal. Bional. Chem., v. 397, p. 1705-1714, 2010.

WHO - World Health Organisation. Risk assessment of Cryptosporidium in drinking water. Geneva: WHO Press, 2009. Available from: lt;http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2009/WHO_HSE_WSH_09.04_eng.pdf>. Acessed in: 23 Jan., 2015.

Zamyadi, A.; Ho, L.; Newcombe, G.; Bustamante, H.; Prévost, M. Fate of toxic cyanobacterial cells and disinfection by-products formation after chlorination. Water Res., v. 46, p. 1524-1535, 2012.