Algal toxins and reverse osmosis desalination operations: Laboratory bench testing and field monitoring of domoic acid, saxitoxin, brevetoxin and okadaic acid

Seubert, Erica L.; Trussell, Shane; Eagleton, John; Schnetzer, Astrid; Cetinić, Ivona; Lauri, Phil; Jones, Burton H.; Caron, David A.

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.09.042

Cited by 22 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Limited dissolved toxin concentrations (DA, STX) reported at the intake of a Southern and Central California SWRO pilot facilities [10,16] indicated lower (0-10 µg/L) ranges than those observed in coastal and inland marine or estuarine environments (0-150 µg/L) [21][22][23]. These data were perhaps not collected during a substantial algal bloom.…”

Section: Algal and Toxins Concentrationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The increasing frequency and severity of harmful marine algal blooms (HABs), has posed a serious threat to full-scale SWRO desalination facilities operating worldwide [8][9][10]. Caron and co-workers [11] acknowledged two important impacts of HABs on desalination facilities: (1) complete removal of algal toxins; (2) increased demand on pretreatment for membrane fouling prevention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most existing studies in the literature have been limited to examining removal of these marine algal toxins across RO membranes alone, concluding that the RO membranes remove a considerable portion (>99%) of dissolved algal toxins [8][9][10]16]. However, these studies were restricted to the laboratory/pilot scale of analysis and did not consider the effects of pretreatment processes on toxin removal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the associated human health risk from consumption of desalinated water during HABs has not been fully assessed [8][9][10]16]. Preliminary risk assessments have ascertained that the risk of acute intoxication from consumption of desalinated water is rather low [8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Preliminary risk assessments have ascertained that the risk of acute intoxication from consumption of desalinated water is rather low [8][9][10]. However, these assessments were based on data acquired from laboratory-based studies, and may severely underestimate the environmental and hydraulic conditions RO membranes face in practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigation of Algal Biotoxin Removal during SWRO Desalination through a Materials Flow Analysis

Manheim

Jiang

2017

Water

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Abstract:The operation of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination facilities has become challenged by the increasing frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms (HABs). The efficiency of algal toxins removal during SWRO and pretreatment processes has critical human health implications. Therefore, a probabilistic materials flow analysis (pMFA) was developed to predict the removal of algal toxins in source water by various pretreatment configurations and operations during SWRO desalination. The results demonstrated that an appreciable quantity of toxins exists in the SWRO permeate (ng/L-µg/L levels), the backwash of pretreatment, and final brine rejects (µg/L-mg/L levels). Varying the pretreatment train configuration resulted in statistically significant differences in toxin removals, where higher removal efficiencies were evidenced in systems employing microfiltration/ultrafiltration (MF/UF) over granular media filtration (GMF). However, this performance depended on operational practices including coagulant addition and transmembrane pressures of MF/UF systems. Acute human health risks during lifetime exposure to algal toxins from ingestion of desalinated water were benign, with margins of safety ranging from 100 to 4000. This study highlights the importance of pretreatment steps during SWRO operation in the removal of algal toxins for managing marine HABs.

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Section: Algal and Toxins Concentrationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Investigation of Algal Biotoxin Removal during SWRO Desalination through a Materials Flow Analysis

Manheim

Jiang

2017

Water

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Membrane applications for microalgae cultivation and harvesting: a review

Drexler

Yeh

2014

Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol

120

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Seasonal and annual dynamics of harmful algae and algal toxins revealed through weekly monitoring at two coastal ocean sites off southern California, USA

Seubert

Gellene

Howard

et al. 2013

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Reports of toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) attributed to the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. have been increasing in California during the last several decades. Whether this increase can be attributed to enhanced awareness and monitoring or to a dramatic upswing in the development of HAB events remains unresolved. Given these uncertainties, the ability to accurately and rapidly identify an emerging HAB event is of high importance. Monitoring of HAB species and other pertinent chemical/physical parameters at two piers in southern California, Newport and Redondo Beach, was used to investigate the development of a site-specific bloom definition for identifying emerging domoic acid (DA) events. Emphasis was given to abundances of the Pseudo-nitzschia seriata size category of Pseudo-nitzschia due to the prevalence of this size class in the region. P. seriata bloom thresholds were established for each location based on deviations from their respective long-term mean abundances, allowing the identification of major and minor blooms. Sixty-five percent of blooms identified at Newport Beach coincided with measurable DA concentrations, while 36 % of blooms at Redondo Beach coincided with measurable DA. Bloom definitions allowed for increased specificity in multiple regression analysis of environmental forcing factors significant to the presence of DA and P. seriata. The strongest relationship identified was between P. seriata abundances 2 weeks following upwelling events at Newport Beach.

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Algal toxins and reverse osmosis desalination operations: Laboratory bench testing and field monitoring of domoic acid, saxitoxin, brevetoxin and okadaic acid

Cited by 22 publications

References 49 publications

Investigation of Algal Biotoxin Removal during SWRO Desalination through a Materials Flow Analysis

Investigation of Algal Biotoxin Removal during SWRO Desalination through a Materials Flow Analysis

Membrane applications for microalgae cultivation and harvesting: a review

Seasonal and annual dynamics of harmful algae and algal toxins revealed through weekly monitoring at two coastal ocean sites off southern California, USA

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