Preoxidation during water treatment has the potential to release algal organic matter and toxins through cell lysis. This study investigates the character of algal intracellular organic material (IOM) and its transformations during oxidation for three cyanobacteria species (Microcystis aeruginosa, Oscillatoria sp., and Lyngbya sp.). Isolated IOM and whole cells spiked into Colorado River Water (CRW) were exposed to four oxidants (ozone, free chlorine, chloramine and chlorine dioxide) and their transformations were characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy. Peak picking, fluorescence index and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modeling were used to characterize differences in the IOM composition. PARAFAC distinguished between algal species by identifying components unique to each specie that were also absent in the CRW matrix. Fluorescence methods also proved useful in detecting the release of IOM through lysis and the subsequent oxidation behaviors.

Characterizing algal organic matter and its transformations during oxidation using fluorescence spectroscopy

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.