Removal of cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, heterotrophic bacteria and endotoxins at an operating surface water treatment plant

The removal of cyanobacteria, hepatotoxins produced by them (microcystins), phytoplankton, heterotrophic bacteria and endotoxins were monitored at a surface water treatment plant with coagulation, clarification, sand filtration, ozonation, slow sand filtration and chlorination as the treatment process. Coagulation–sand filtration reduced microcystins by 1.2–2.4, and endotoxins by 0.72–2.0 log₁₀ units. Ozonation effectively removed the residual microcystins. The treatment process reduced phytoplankton biomass by 2.2–4.6 and heterotrophic bacteria by 2.0–5.0 log₁₀ units. In treated water, the concentration of microcystins never exceeded the WHO guide value (1 μg/L), but picoplankton and monad cells were often detected in high numbers. The heterotrophic bacterial isolates from the treated waters belonged to genera Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Herbaspirillum and Bosea.