The effect of oxidants on 2-MIB concentration with the presence of cyanobacteria

In this study, the effect of three oxidants, sodium hypochlorite, potassium permanganate, and ozone, were tested for the removal of 2-MIB with presence of cyanobacteria. Algae in water samples from the source water of Feng-Shen waterworks (FSW), Taiwan were cultivated at 30°C with continuous light at an intensity between 2,500 and 3,400 lux. During the cultivating process, water samples were analyzed for nutrients, light absorbance at 665nm (A665), and 2-MIB concentration. The 2-MIB concentrations within the incubated samples increased to as high as 1,000 ng/L to 2,000 ng/L, although no extra nutrients were added to the raw water. After 2 to 3 days incubation, the intracellular 2-MIB concentration was as high as 70% of the total 2-MIB in the samples. The algae that developed were mainly cyanobateria, and more than 90% belonged to the Genus Oscillatorias. An almost 100% removal of both 2-MIB and geosmin in the raw water was observed after ozonation for 10 minutes at a dosing rate of 0.91 mg/l-min. Chlorine and permanganate were much less effective, both removing only about 11% of the 2-MIB within 60 minutes at oxidant concentration of 10 mg/l. Oxidation of the cultivated samples showed that chlorine and permanganate may damage algae cells causing them to release intracellular 2-MIB. During the 60 minutes of reaction time, the total 2-MIB concentrations (intracellular plus dissolved) varied by no more than 10%, however, the ratios between dissolved and total 2-MIB concentrations increased. Two effects of ozonation on the 2-MIB concentration in the cultivated samples were observed when the algae were young, namely 2-MIB release from damaged cells and 2-MIB oxidization. The rates of 2-MIB release and 2-MIB destruction were similar. However, old algae cells were more easily damaged. As a result, intracellular 2-MIB was released faster, and the soluble 2-MIB was destroyed more quickly by ozonation.