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Abstract
Pre-ozonation of cyanobacterial (CB) cells in raw water and inter-ozonation of settled
water can cause CB cell damage. However, there is limited information about the level
of lysis or changes in cell properties after ozonation, release of intracellular compounds
and their contribution to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). This study
aims to: (1) assess the extent of the pre-ozonation effects on CB cell properties;
(2) determine the CT (ozone concentration × detention time) values required for complete
loss of cell viability; and (3) study the DBPs formation associated with the pre-ozonation
of cyanobacterial cells in laboratorial suspensions. To these ends, both Microcystis
aeruginosa and Anabaena flos-aquae suspensions were prepared at concentrations of
250,000 cells mL(-1) and 1,500,000 cells mL(-1) and were subjected to ozone dosages
of 0.5, 2.0 and 4.0 mg L(-1) at pH 6 and pH 8. A quick and complete loss of viability
was achieved for both CB species after exposure (CT) to ozone of <0.2 mg min L(-1),
although no significant decrease in total cell numbers was observed. Maximum dissolved
organic carbon (DOC) releases of 0.96 mg L(-1) and 1.63 mg L(-1) were measured after
ozonation of 250,000 cells mL(-1) of M. aeruginosa and A. flos-aquae, respectively.
DOC release was found to be pH and ozone dose dependent. Ozonation of CB cells increased
formation of trihalomethanes (THM) and haloacetic acids (HAA), mainly for suspensions
of A. flos-aquae at pH 8 (by 174% and 65% for THM and HAA respectively). Utilities
considering using ozone for oxidising CB cells should weigh out the benefit of CB
control with the potential increased formation of chlorinated DBPs.