The increasing occurrence of cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom events around the world has created serous environmental problems, not only for the aquatic bio-systems but also for human health. Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), which was not detected until recently, is considered as a highly toxic cyanobacterial toxin that presents a potential health risk for our access to safe drinking water sources. It has been found that CYN could be removed efficiently by UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The inhibition by the presence of radical quenching agents, such as natural organic matter and alkalinity, suggested the important roles of radical species in the AOPs. The reaction byproducts were identified and quantified by LC/MS/MS. There were two main products found in UV/persulfate system and also in UV/persulfate/tert-butanol system, indicating their formation by sulfate radicals. However, when these two pathways were shared by UV/hydrogen peroxide, and UV/peroxymonosulfate processes, there was a third product identified, which was probably resulted from hydroxyl radical pathways. The presence of copper, a commonly found constituent in water, improved the removal of both CYN and its products by all these mentioned processes.

Degradation mechanisms during the removal of the emerging cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin by advanced oxidation

246th National Meeting (2013)

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