AbstractsChemistry

"The presence of algal toxins, or cyanotoxins, in surface water has been increasingly reported. These highly hazardous toxins are potential threat to both human health and animals by contaminating drinking water sources over the world. In this study, the removal efficiency of saxitoxin from water using powered activated carbon was tested at different pH values for deionized water and natural surface water. The results of this study showed that pH has a strong impact on removal efficiency of saxitoxin using powdered activated carbon. Specifically, the removal efficiency of saxitoxin is significantly increased at higher pH from 5.7 to pH 10.7. This is explained by chemical speciation of the saxitoxin with changing pH. Natural organic matter in natural water was shown to exhibit significant adsorption competition with saxitoxin at the neutral pH" – Abstract, p. iv.