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Occurrence of microcystins in 33 US water supplies
Author(s) -
Haddix Pryce L.,
Hughley Chaun J.,
Lechevallier Mark W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2007.tb08033.x
Subject(s) - toxin , microcystin , effluent , raw water , microcystin lr , chemistry , environmental chemistry , water quality , water treatment , chromatography , raw material , portable water purification , environmental science , environmental engineering , biology , cyanobacteria , ecology , biochemistry , bacteria , organic chemistry , genetics
Microcystin levels in 33 lake and reservoir raw water sources were monitored biweekly during summer 2003. Hydrophobic C 18 chromatography was used for sample concentration and microcystin purification. Total toxin levels were expressed as microcystin‐LR equivalent concentrations using a commercial enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results showed that microcystins were detectable in most raw water samples, but concentrations exceeded 1 μg/L in only 14 of 206 samples (7%). Stagnant water conditions were associated with the two raw water sources in which average toxin levels exceeded 1 μg/L. When aggregate results were considered, plant effluent samples showed toxin levels nearly 10‐fold lower, suggesting that existing water treatment processes were effective for toxin removal.