The proliferation of algal and cyanobacteria blooms globally has led to renewed interest in understanding the impact of cell populations on water treatment plant (WTP) performance and resultant water quality, particularly the role of algogenic organic matter (AOM). This review discusses current knowledge on the composition of AOM, how it interferes with water treatment † Address correspondence to Rita K Henderson, ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT process technologies applied for the treatment of algal blooms and how it affects water quality. Specifically, it was shown that AOM can lead to increased coagulant demand, increased propensity of membrane fouling and contribute to disinfection by-products. Identified knowledge gaps included a need for further research on the impact of cellular organic matter after an algal bloom collapses and the impact of interactions between AOM and natural organic matter.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.