Application of passive sampling for sensitive time-integrative monitoring of cyanobacterial toxins microcystins in drinking water treatment plants

0509980 - BÚ 2020 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Jaša, Libor - Sadílek, Jan - Kohoutek, J. - Straková, Lucie - Maršálek, Blahoslav - Babica, Pavel
Application of passive sampling for sensitive time-integrative monitoring of cyanobacterial toxins microcystins in drinking water treatment plants.
Water Research. Roč. 153, APR 15 (2019), s. 108-120. ISSN 0043-1354. E-ISSN 1879-2448
EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 2SGA2858
Institutional support: RVO:67985939
Keywords : drinking water treatment * microcystins * passive sampling
OECD category: Environmental biotechnology
Impact factor: 9.130, year: 2019
Method of publishing: Limited access

Calibrated adsorption-based passive samplers were used for time-integrative monitoring of microcystins (MCs) in three full-scale drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the Czech Republic during two vegetation seasons (Jun-Nov), in parallel with traditional discrete sampling. MCs were detected in epilimnetic water samples at concentrations up to 14 mu g/L, but their levels in raw water in DWTPs were below 1 mu g/L WHO guideline value for drinking water. Conventional treatment technologies (coagulation/filtration) eliminated cyanobacteria and intracellular toxins but had a limited removal efficiency for extracellular toxins. MCs were regularly detected in final treated water, especially in DWTPs equipped only with the conventional treatment, but their concentrations were below the quantitation limit of discrete sampling (<25 ng/L). Passive samplers in combination with LC-MS/MS analysis provided excellent sensitivity allowing to detect time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of MCs as low as 20-200 pg/L after 14-d deployment. Median MC TWA concentrations in the treated water from the individual DWTP5 were 1-12 ng/L, and most likely did not present significant health risks. Passive samplers well reflected spatiotemporal variations of MCs, actual concentrations of extracellular toxins, MC removal efficiency in DWTP5, and toxin concentrations in the treated water. Passive sampling can be effectively used for assessment and management of MC health risks during DWTP operation.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0301884