Formation of disinfection byproducts from accumulated soluble products of oleaginous microalga after chlorination

Highlights

SAP mainly are aromatic proteins and soluble microbial by-product-like.

[DBP] increased with cultivation time and [SAP] increasing.

The formation potential trend of DBP is as follows: TCM>DCAA>TCAA.

Abstract

When microalgae are simultaneously applied for wastewater treatment and lipid production, soluble algal products (SAP) should be paid much attention, as they are important precursors for formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which have potential risks for human health. Chlorella sp. HQ is an oleaginous microalga that can generate SAP during growth, especially in the exponential phase. This study investigated the contribution of SAP from Chlorella sp. HQ to DBP formation after chlorination. The predominant DBP precursors from SAP were identified with the 3D excitation-emission matrix fluorescence. After chlorination, a significant reduction was observed in the fluorescence intensity of five specific fluorescence regions, particularly aromatic proteins and soluble microbial by-product-like regions, accompanied with slight shifting of the peak. The produced DBPs were demonstrated to include trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. As the algal cultivation time was extended in wastewater, the accumulated SAP strengthened the formation of DBPs. The trend for DBP formation was as follows: chloroform>dichloroacetic acid>trichloroacetic acid.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Chlorella sp. HQ / Chlorination / Disinfection byproducts / Fluorescence spectroscopy / Soluble algal products

References

[1] Wang W D, Yang H W, Wang X C, Jiang J, Zhu W P. Effects of fulvic acid and humic acid on aluminum speciation in drinking water. Journal of Environmental Sciences (China), 2010, 22(2): 211–217

[2] Zhang X N, Guo Q P, Shen X X, Yu S W, Qiu G Y. Water quality, agriculture and food safety in China: current situation, trends, interdependencies, and management. Integrative Agriculture, 2015, 14(11): 2365–2379

[3] Lin Y W, Li D, Zeng S Y, He M. Changes of microbial composition during wastewater reclamation and distribution systems revealed by highthroughput sequencing analyses. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2016, 10(3): 539–547 

[4] Hoh D H, Watson S, Kan E S. Algal biofilm reactors for integrated wastewater treatment and biofuel production: a review. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2016, 287(1): 466–473

[5] Gao F, Yang Z H, Li C, Zeng G M, Ma D H, Zhou L. A novel algal biofilm membrane photobioreactor for attached microalgae growth and nutrients removal from secondary effluent. Bioresource Technology, 2015, 179(179): 8–12

[6] Olofsson M, Lindehoff E, Frick B, Svensson F, Legrand C. Baltic Sea microalgae transform cement flue gas into valuable biomass. Algal Research, 2015, 11: 227–233

[7] Zhang C M, Zhang Y L, Zhuang B L, Zhou X F. Strategic enhancement of algal biomass, nutrient uptake and lipid through statistical optimization of nutrient supplementation in coupling Scenedesmus obliquus-like microalgae cultivation and municipal wastewater  treatment.  Bioresource Technology, 2014, 171: 71–79

[8] Chen H, Qiu T, Rong J F, He C L, Wang Q. Microalgal biofuel revisited: an informatics-based analysis of developments to date and future prospects. Applied Energy, 2015, 155: 585–598

[9] Pang Y C, Huang J J, Xi J Y, Hu H Y, Zhu Y. Effect of ultraviolet irradiation and chlorination on ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli and its ampicillin resistance gene. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2016, 10(3): 522–530

[10] Bahman R. Treatment of water turbidity and bacteria by using a coagulant extracted from Plantago ovata. Water Resources & Industry, 2014, 6: 36–50 

[11] Zhu M Q, Gao N Y, Chu W H, Zhou S Q, Zhang Z D, Xu Y Q, Dai Q. Impact of pre-ozonation on disinfection by-product formation and speciation from chlor(am)ination of algal organic matter of Microcystis aeruginosa. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2015, 120: 256–262160;

[12] Chu W H, Yao D C, Gao N Y, Bond T, Templeton M R. The enhanced removal of carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection by-product precursors using integrated permanganate oxidation and powdered activated carbon adsorption pretreatment. Chemosphere, 2015, 141(23): 1–6

[13] Ou T Y, Wang G S. Comparative study on DBPs formation profiles of intermediate organics from hydroxyl radicals oxidation of microbial cells. Chemosphere, 2016, 150: 109–115

[14] Liao X B, Liu J J, Yang M L, Ma H F, Yuan B L, Huang C H. Evaluation of disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP) during chlorination of two algae species—Blue-green Microcystis aeruginosa and diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana. Science of the Total Environment, 2015, 532: 540–547

[15] Yang X, Guo W, Shen Q. Formation of disinfection byproducts from chlor(am)ination of algal organic matter. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2011, 197(6): 378–388

[16] Nguyen M L, Paul Westerhoff P E, Baker L, Hu Q, Esparza-Soto M, Sommerfeld M. Characteristics and reactivity of algae-produced dissolved organic carbon. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2005, 131(11): 1574–1582

[17] Zhuang L L, Wu Y H, Espinosa V M D, Zhang T Y, Dao G H, Hu H Y. Soluble Algal Products (SAPs) in large scale cultivation of microalgae for biomass/bioenergy production: a review. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2016, 59: 141–148 

[18] Wardlaw V E, Perry R, Graham N J D. The role of algae as trihalomethane precursors: a review. Journal of Water Supply: Research & Technology- Aqua, 1991, 40(6): 335–345

[19] Abd El-Aty A M, Ibrahim M B M, El-Dib M A, Radwan E K. Influence of chlorine on algae as precursors for trihalomethane and haloacetic acid production. World Applied Sciences Journal, 2009, 6(9): 1215–1220

[20] Zhan J J, Zhang Q, Qin M M, Hong Y. Selection and characterization of eight freshwater green algae strains for synchronous water purification and lipid production. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2016, 10(3): 548–558

[21] Li X, Hu H Y, Ke G, Sun Y X. Effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on the growth, nutrient uptake, and lipid accumulation of a freshwater microalga Scenedesmus sp. Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101(14): 5494–5500

[22] Wu Q Y, Hu H Y, Zhao X, Li Y. Effects of chlorination on the properties of dissolved organic matter and its genotoxicity in secondary sewage effluent under two different ammonium concentrations. Chemosphere, 2010, 80(8): 941–946

[23] Chen W, Westerhoff P, Leenheer J A, Booksh K. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix regional integration to quantify spectra for dissolved organic matter. Environmental Science & Technology, 2003 37(24): 5701–5710

[24] USEPA. Method 551.1. Determination of chlorination disinfection byproducts, chlorinated solvents and halogenated pesticides/herbicides in drinking water by liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromotography with electron capture detection (Revision 1.0). National Exposure Research Laboratory Office of Research and Development. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1995

[25] USEPA. Method 552.2. Determination of haloacetic acids and dalapon in drinking water by liquid-liquid extraction, derivatization and gas chromatography with electron capture detection (Revision 1.0). National Exposure Research Laboratory Office of Research and Development. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1995

[26] Yu Y, Hu H Y, Li X, Wu Y H, Zhang X, Jia S L. Accumulation characteristics of soluble algal products (SAP) by a freshwater microalga Scenedesmus sp. LX1 during batch cultivation for biofuel production. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 110(2): 184–189

[27] Hulatt C J, Thomas D N. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in microalgal photobioreactors: a potential loss in solar energy conversion? Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101(22): 8690–8697

[28] Wang L S, Hu H Y, Wang C. Effect of ammonia nitrogen and dissolved organic matter fractions on the genotoxicity of wastewater effluent during chlorine disinfection. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(1): 160–165

[29] Korshin G V, Kumke M U, Li C W, Frimmel F H. Influence of chlorination on chromophores and fluorophores in humic substances. Environmental Science & Technology, 1999, 33(8): 1207–1212

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Prof. Hongying Hu and Prof. Zhimin Qiang in designing the experiments. Besides, we are thankful to doctor candidates Ke XU (in Prof. Zhimin Qiang’s laboratory) and Peirui Liu (in Prof. Yu Hong’s laboratory) for polishing the article. This research project was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 51571034) and the Beijing Nova and Leading Talents Cultivation Program (No. Z1511000003150147).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2017 Higher Education Press and Springer–Verlag Berlin Heidelberg