Surface waters subject to algal blooms have a high rate of fouling water treatment filtration membrane. These waters typically contain high concentrations of hydrophilic organic carbon compounds such as proteins and polysaccharides. These compounds have been found to contribute greatly to membrane fouling. In this study the fouling propensity, and the components of the fouling layer, for microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, were characterised for samples taken from a wastewater treatment plant with lagoons prone to algal blooms and a blue-green algae culture (Anabaena circinalis). It was found that the organic carbon compounds released during the growth phase (EOM) of Anabaena circinalis have a similar fouling propensity for UF than those released during the lysis phase (AOM), and a slightly higher fouling propensity for MF. However, due to the presence of higher UV-absorbing hydrophilic compounds, higher concentration of intracellular proteins and/or humic acid-like matter in the AOM, irreversible fouling was significantly higher during the lysis phase.

Algal bloom can significantly impact reverse osmosis desalination process and reduce the drinking water production. In 2008, a major bloom event forced several UAE reverse osmosis plants to stop their production, and in this context, a better understanding of UF membrane fouling caused by algal organic matter (AOM) is needed, in order to adjust the filtration conditions during algal bloom events. Polymeric MF/UF membranes are already widely used for RO pretreatment, but ceramic UF membranes can also be an alternative for the filtration of marine algal solutions. The fouling potential of the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, sampled at different seasons, along with four algal monocultures grown in laboratory, and one mesocosm experiment in the Red Sea was investigated. Algal solutions induce a stronger and more irreversible fouling than terrestrial humic solution, toward ceramic membrane. During algal bloom events, this fouling is enhanced and becomes even more problematic at the decline phase of the bloom, for a similar initial DOC. Three main mechanisms are involved: the formation of a cake layer at the membrane surface; the penetration of the algal organic matter (AOM) in the pore network of the membrane; the strong adhesion of AOM with the membrane surface. The last mechanism is species-specific and metal-oxide specific. In order to understand the stronger ceramic UF fouling at the decline phase, AOM quality was analyzed every two days. During growth, AOM is getting enriched in High Molecular Weight (HMW) structures (> 200 kDa), which are mainly composed by proteins and polysaccharides, and these compounds seem to be responsible for the stronger fouling at decline phase. In order to prevent the fouling of ceramic membrane, coagulation-flocculation (CF) using ferric chloride was implemented prior to filtration. It permits a high removal of HMW compounds and greatly reduces the fouling potential of the algal solution. During brief algal bloom events, CF should be implemented prior to UF to protect the membranes. A comparison between polymeric and ceramic UF membranes showed that ceramic membrane suffers from a stronger fouling but permits a better removal of DOC and particularly HMW compounds.

This dissertation thesis focuses on the removability of algal organic matter (AOM) by coagulation during water treatment and also on the influence of AOM on the coagulation of other substances present in source water. Special emphasis is put on the description of coagulation mechanisms. The effectiveness of AOM removal by coagulation was investigated by coagulation tests performed with optimized doses of coagulants (aluminium or ferric sulphate) under different pH values. Peptides and proteins contained in cellular organic matter of cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa were used in the experiments since they have been previously reported to disturb the coagulation process. Moreover, peptides and proteins underwent coagulation experiments together with kaolin particles, representing clay particles in turbid waters, in both the presence and absence of coagulants to investigate the effect of AOM on the coagulation of turbid waters. To enable the description of coagulation mechanisms, AOM were characterised in terms of charge, functional groups, molecular weight and ability to form dissolved complexes with coagulant metals. The experimental results demonstrated that the removability of peptides and proteins is greatly dependent on pH value and on the properties of the involved particles or molecules....

This diploma thesis deals with the efficiency and factors affecting the adsorption of AOM (Algal Organic Matter) amino acids (AAs) arginine (Arg), phenylalanine (Phe) and aspartic acid (Asp) onto granular activated carbon (GAC) Picabiol 12x40 (PIC). The efficiency of AOM AAs removal was studied in laboratory equilibrium and kinetic experiments and it was shown that the adsorption efficiency of the selected AAs is dependent on the structure of the molecule of AAs and the nature of the functional groups of their side chain, and more particularly to solution pH, which determines the nature and size and surface charge of AAs and GAC. In contrast to this, the ionic strength (IS) of solution had relatively low effect on the AAs adsorption. Arg adsorption efficiency increased with increasing pH and reached a maximum at pH 9, where AAs and GAC were oppositely charged, and this leads to attractive electrostatic interactions. In the case of Asp adsorption on PIC practically did not work. The reason is that under all experimental conditions Asp molecules and the surface of the PIC carried identical negative charge. This led to the strong electrostatic repulsion between Asp and PIC which prevented effective adsorption. In the case of Phe the adsorption decreases with increasing pH. Maximum adsorption...

Limited studies focused on reactions occurring during disinfection and oxidation processes of seawater. The aim of this work was to investigate disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation from the chlorination and chloramination of seawater algal organic matter and related model compounds. Simulated algal blooms directly growing in Red Sea, red tide samples collected during an algal bloom event and Hymenomonas sp. monoculture were studied as algal organic matter sources. Experiments were conducted in synthetic seawater containing bromide ion. A variety of DBPs was formed from the chlorination and chloramination of algal organic matter. Brominated DBPs (bromoform, DBAA, DBAN and DBAcAm) were the dominant species. Iodinated DBPs (CIAcAm and iodinated THMs) were detected, which are known to be highly toxic compared to their chlorinated or brominated analogues. Algal organic matter was found to incorporate important precursors of nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs), which have been reported to be more toxic than regulated THMs and HAAs. Isotopically-labeled monochloramine (15N- NH2Cl) was used in order to investigate the nitrogen source in N-DBPs. High formation of N-DBPs was found from Hymenomonas sp. sample in exponential growth phase, which was enriched in nitrogen-containing organic compounds. High inorganic nitrogen incorporation was found from the algal samples enriched in humic-like compounds. HAcAms formation was studied from chlorination and chloramination of amino acids. Asparagine, aspartic acid and other amino acids with an aromatic structure were found to be important precursors of HAcAms and DCAN. Factors affecting HAcAms formation (Cl2/ amino acid molar ratio and pH) were evaluated. Studies on the formation kinetics of DCAcAm and DCAN from asparagine suggested a rapid formation of DCAcAm from organic nitrogen (amide group) and a slower incorporation of inorganic nitrogen coming from monochloramine to form DCAN. High amounts of DCAN and DCAcAm were detected from the chloramination of aromatic compounds (i.e., phenol and resorcinol) indicating that N-DBPs can also be formed from organic compounds without any organic nitrogen through the incorporation of inorganic nitrogen from monochloramine. Moreover, results from Hymenomonas sp., aromatic amino acids, and phenolic compounds suggested that aromatic compounds are highly reactive with monochloramine and a major fraction of DBP precursors.

Drinking water treatment is facing an adverse impact of algae especially when they extensively decay and release cellular organic matter (COM). As the character and consequently the removal efficacy of COM depends on the individual species, the thesis compares algal organic matter (AOM) derived from four common phytoplankton species: green alga Chlamydomonas geitleri, diatom Fragilaria crotonensis, and cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Merismopedia tenuissima. To evaluate the differences between extracellular and cellular organic matter, we monitored the growth of those organisms and compared AOM obtained at different growth phases. As COM is not only difficult to coagulate, but also hinders the coagulation of other substances, the thesis investigates the effect of simultaneous coagulation of COM with other impurities present in surface waters: kaolin, humic substances (HS) or cyanobacterial cells of M. tenuissima. Coagulation behaviour was studied by the jar tests performed with single components and their mixtures with and without a coagulant (ferric or aluminium sulphate). Special emphasis was paid to proteinaceous COM of M. aeruginosa; to enhance the removability of proteinaceous matter we implemented pre-oxidation. Coagulation effectively removed turbidity (up to 99%) either of clay or...

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Tato práce se zabývá studiem vlivu kaolinitových ástic (reprezentujících látky tvo ící zákal vody) a peptidové/proteinové složky COM (Cellular Organic Matter) produkovaných sinicí Microcystis aeruginosa na velikost, strukturu a tvar tvo ených agregát v prom nných hydrodynamických podmínkách (gradientu rychlosti) p i úprav vody. Agregace probíhala v Taylor-Couettov reaktoru. Koagulace vybraných typ zne iš ujících p ím sí (kaolinitové ástice, COM peptidy/proteiny a jejich sm s) probíhala pomocí síranu hlinitého a síranu železitého. Vzniklé agregáty byly hodnoceny ve fázi homogenní velikosti (steady state) po 60 min míchání pomocí ukazatel : velikost (polom r) agregát , fraktální dimenze D2 a Dpf a velikostní distribuce. Bylo zjišt no, že velikost agregát je závislá na typu koagula ního inidla, typu koagulované p ím si a aplikovaném gradientu rychlosti. S rostoucím gradientem rychlosti se velikost agregát zmenšuje. Železité koagula ní inidlo produkuje v tší agregáty než hlinité koagula ní inidlo. Podle p ím si roste velikost agregát v po adí kaolinit < COM < kaolinit + COM. Struktura agregát se stává kompaktn jší s gradientem rychlosti. P i použití hlinitého koagula ního inidla vznikají ve srovnání s inidlem železitým kompaktn jší agregáty (mají vyšší hodnotu D2). Kompaktnost agregát klesá v po adí...

Due to eutrophication of aquatic environment, massive growth of algae and cyanobacteria occurs and the seasonal algal bloom is formed. Drinking water treatment plants have to deal with the increased amount of cells as well as organic compounds produced by algae and cyanobacteria (so-called AOM). Moreover, the presence of AOM causes a reduction in the efficiency of coagulation, which is an essential process in drinking water treatment. To increase coagulation efficiency, supportive methods, such as ozone oxidation, are added usually prior to coagulation. While many studies focused on the ozonation of algal and cyanobacterial cells, little is known about the effect of ozonation on AOM. This diploma thesis focused on the evaluation of the effect of ozonation in combination with coagulation on the removal of cellular organic compounds (COM) produced by cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. The effect of ozonation before or after coagulation on COM removal was investigated. The degradation of microcystins, which are naturally contained in the COM sample, was also monitored. Various ozone doses (1 - 10 mg/L) were tested at three pH values - 5, 7 and 9. Two coagulants were utilized - aluminium sulphate and ferric sulphate. Ozonation removed COM negligibly. However, eliminated microcystins, the degradation...