Characterization of algal organic matter as precursors for carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts formation: Comparison with natural organic matter

Xi-Xi Wang; Bao-Ming Liu; Min-Feng Lu; Yu-Ping Li; Ying-Ying Jiang; Ming-Xing Zhao; Zhen-Xing Huang; Yang Pan; Heng-Feng Miao; Wen-Quan Ruan

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111951

Characterization of algal organic matter as precursors for carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts formation: Comparison with natural organic matter

J Environ Manage. 2021 Mar 15:282:111951. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111951. Epub 2021 Jan 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China.
² School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China.
³ School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Water Treatment Technology and Material Innovation Center, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, PR China.
⁴ Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, PR China; Water Treatment Technology and Material Innovation Center, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, PR China.
⁵ School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Water Treatment Technology and Material Innovation Center, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, PR China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China. Electronic address: hfmiao@jiangnan.edu.cn.
⁶ School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China; Water Treatment Technology and Material Innovation Center, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, PR China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, PR China.

PMID: 33461088
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111951

Abstract

Algal organic matter (AOM) and natural organic matter (NOM) from a typical eutrophic lake were comprehensively investigated in terms of their physico-chemical property, components and disinfection byproduct formation potentials (DBPFPs). The relationships between specific chemical properties of AOM and NOM with their corresponding DBPFPs were further evaluated during chlorination. Results indicated that AOM had lower specific UV absorbance (SUVA) but richer organic nitrogen contents than NOM. Fluorescence excitation emission matrix spectroscopy further demonstrated that AOM were chiefly composed of aromatic protein-like and soluble microbial byproduct-like matters, while NOM were mainly contributed from humic acid-like and soluble microbial byproduct-like substances. Although the molecular weight (MW) distribution of AOM and NOM showed no significant difference, size-exclusion chromatography with organic carbon as well as organic nitrogen detection (LC-OCD-OND) revealed that AOM were concentrated with the fraction of building blocks and NOM had higher concentrations of biopolymers and humics (HS). Moreover, AOM displayed higher DBPFPs than NOM, especially for nitrogenous DBPFP (N-DBPFP). MW < 1 kDa fractions both in AOM and NOM contributed the largest proportion to the formation of carbonaceous disinfection byproducts (C-DBPs). In addition, Pearson correlation analysis showed that bulk parameter SUVA was significantly relevant to the formation potentials of trihalomethane both in AOM and NOM, but was ineffective for carbonaceous DBPFP (C-DBPFP) prediction. Dissolved organic nitrogen contents in biopolymer and HS characterized by LC-OCD-OND had strong correlations with N-DBPFPs from AOM and NOM, indicating that LC-OCD-OND quantitative analysis could improve the prediction accuracy of the DBP formation than bulk parameters during NOM and AOM chlorination.

Keywords: Algal organic matter; Characterization; Chlorination; Disinfection byproducts; Molecular weight; Natural organic matter.

MeSH terms

Disinfection
Halogenation
Nitrogen / analysis
Trihalomethanes / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Purification*

Substances

Trihalomethanes
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Nitrogen