Abstract
(Englisch)
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Short summary
TOXIC will focus on the reduction of the human health risk due to the occurrence of potentially toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in drinking water sources. The proposed project contains multidisciplinary aspects ranging from raw water monitoring and cyanotoxin identification and analysis to the behaviour of cyanobacteria and their toxins during water treatment processes, including cost evaluation, application and exploitation of the results by potential end-users. With respect to the WHO Guideline Value of 1.0 ùg/L for microcystin-LR in drinking water, TOXIC will provide tools for early-warning in the case of massive algal blooms as well as cost-effective and problem-driven treatment approaches. An Internet-based cyanobacteria platform, 'Best practise' guidances for raw water monitoring, analysis and treatment as well as a commercially available software package fot treatment simulation will expected as highlighted project results.
Scientific objectives and approach:
The interdisciplinary approach of TOXIC includes the objectives of:
- raw water quality: identification and monitoring of cyanobacteria and their toxins, estab-lishment of an Internet-based cyanobacteria platform, identification of suitable methods for early-monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms with toxin-producing potential,
- analysis: guarantee of the feasibility and high quality of cyanotoxin analysis, provision of experimental material and analytical standards,
- treatment: conventional (pre-oxidation, flocculation, biodegradation, PAC, sequential trains), polishing (inter-oxidation, GAC/BAC), final (disinfection, distribution), and alter-native (membranes, air flotation) technologies, dynamic treatment simulation models,
- cost evaluation and exploitation of monitoring and treatment strategies, application of manuals developed to potential end-users, development of a treatment software package.
The scientific and technological principles include modern methods for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin identification and analysis (FISH, pigment fluorescence analysis, HPLC-MS, ELISA, PPIA) as well as basic, additional, and alternative treatment technologies for intra- and extra-cellular cyanotoxins at lab-, pilot, and full-scale level. The investigations will be carried out using pure toxins (microcystins, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin) and cyanobacteria extracts, both produced by project partners, as well as natural-occurring cyanobacterial populations. Treatment results will be validated and evaluated in dynamic simulation models yielding to the development of a software package for treatment process simulation.
Problems to be solved:
Cyanobacteria and the potent biotoxins (cyanotoxins) they produce have been observed in waterbodies including drinking water reservoirs throughout Europe. Cyanotoxins, highlighted as priority hazardous water pollutants by The European Water Framework Directive, have caused many animal deaths and have also been implicated in cases of human illness. So far, studies on cyanobacteria and their associated toxins have been largely restricted to single surface waters, with some limited regional and national surveys in Europe, and have been focused either to biological, hydrological, toxicological, or water treatment objectives. Due to the lack of a comprehensive overview of this biotoxins at the European level up to now and with respect to the WHO Guideline Value of 1.0 µg/L for microcystin-LR in drinking water, TOXIC will provide problem-driven solutions for water management and purification strate-gies to reduce the human health risk of cyanobacteria and -toxins in drinking water sources.
Expected Impacts:
As highlighted project results the following scientific and operational deliverables and milestones are expected:
- Internet data base of European cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins
- Early-warning systems
- Novel antibodies for cyanotoxin analysis.
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