The removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and its hepatotoxin microcystin–LR during electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes

Abstract

Electrooxidation is widely used to remove harmful organic and inorganic substances as well as pathogenic microorganisms. This study investigates the removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and their hepatotoxin microcystin–LR by the electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes. Additionally, the morphology changes and cell sizes were determined by scanning electron microscopy and a particle size analyzer, respectively. The algal cells were severely damaged by the electrooxidation process. During the initial treatment, intracellular microcystin–LR was released from the cells, increasing the extracellular microcystin–LR concentration. The electrooxidation charge required to remove cells and MC–LR was 3 × 10⁴ C and 6 × 10⁴ C, respectively. The removal efficiencies of M. ichthyoblabe cells and microcystin–LR were insensitive to initial cell density, initial microcystin–LR concentration and solution conductivity, but were heavily reduced at large algal suspension volume. Therefore, to achieve simultaneous removal of Microcystis cells and their MC, it is necessary to control the volume of algal suspension.

Keywords:

• Algal solution volume
• electrooxidation
• Microcystis ichthyoblabe
• microcystin–LR

Funding

This research was financially supported by Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), project No. 2014-0216.