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Fluorescence as a Surrogate for the Release of Intracellular Material From Cyanobacteria
Author(s) -
Korak Julie A.,
Wert Eric C.,
RosarioOrtiz Fernando L.
Publication year - 2015
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 - 10.5942/jawwa.2015.107.0142
Subject(s) - fluorescence , cyanobacteria , microcystin , microcystis aeruginosa , metabolite , chlorine , chemistry , environmental chemistry , microcystis , intracellular , oscillatoria , photochemistry , bacteria , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , physics , genetics , quantum mechanics
Water treatment plants that apply preoxidation before physical cell removal can compromise cyanobacterial cell integrity and cause the release of intracellular organic matter (IOM) containing toxic or odorous metabolites. In this study, fluorescence was evaluated as a surrogate for IOM released from cyanobacterial cells following oxidation with ozone, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or monochloramine. Oxidation of 200,000 cells/mL of Microcystis aeruginosa led to a significant increase in both the fluorescence index (FI) and the fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) intensity (excitation wavelength, 370 nm; emission wavelength, 460 nm). FI and FDOM proved impractical for detecting weakly fluorescing IOM released from Oscillatoria sp . and Lyngbya sp ., indicating that the viability of fluorescence monitoring is cyanobacteria‐specific. For strongly fluorescing IOM, FI and FDOM can serve as qualitative surrogates for the concomitant release of metabolites. Elevated FI and FDOM were not sensitive to the concentration of microcystin‐LR but can provide an early warning that a utility's source water is at risk for metabolite release and accumulation.