AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

"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 research project, inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa cells and release and removal of intracellular microcystins during several oxidative and physical treatments was studied. The results of this study show that chlorine dioxide, sonication, low salinity and quick blending with tissuemiser caused immediate release of microcystin-LR to water after treatment. No significant increase of toxin level was observed after treatment with free chlorine, ozone, permanganate, monochloramine and UV. For disinfection efficiency of Microcystis aeruginosa, ozone was the strongest; free chlorine, chlorine dioxide and UV also showed good disinfection efficiency; monochloramine had a weak effect on disinfecting Microcystis aeruginosa cells" – Abstract, leaf iv.