An innovative passive sampling approach for the detection of cyanobacterial gene targets in freshwater sources.

Cyanotoxins pose significant human health risks, but traditional monitoring approaches can be expensive, time consuming, and require analytical equipment or expertise that may not be readily available. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is becoming an increasingly common monitoring strategy as detection of the genes responsible for cyanotoxin synthesis can be used as an early warning signal. Here we tested passive sampling of cyanobacterial DNA as an alternative to grab sampling in a freshwater drinking supply lake with a known history of microcystin-LR. DNA extracted from grab and passive samples was analyzed via a multiplex qPCR assay that included gene targets for four common cyanotoxins. Passive samples captured similar trends in total cyanobacteria and the mcyE/ndaF gene responsible for microcystin production when compared to traditional grab samples. Passive samples also detected genes associated with the production of cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxin that were not detected in grab samples. This sampling approach proved a viable alternative to grab sampling when used as an early warning monitoring tool. In addition to the logistical benefits of passive sampling, the detection of gene targets not detected by grab samples indicates that passive sampling may allow for a more complete profile of potential cyanotoxin risk.

Seasonal Lead Release into Drinking Water and the Effect of Aluminum.

Monitoring lead in drinking water is important for public health, but seasonality in lead concentrations can bias monitoring programs if it is not understood and accounted for. Here, we describe an apparent seasonal pattern in lead release into orthophosphate-treated drinking water, identified through point-of-use sampling at sites in Halifax, Canada, with various sources of lead. Using a generalized additive model, we extracted the seasonally varying components of time series representing a suite of water quality parameters and we identified aluminum as a correlate of lead. To investigate aluminum's role in lead release, we modeled the effect of variscite (AlPO4·2H2O) precipitation on lead solubility, and we evaluated the effects of aluminum, temperature, and orthophosphate concentration on lead release from new lead coupons. At environmentally relevant aluminum and orthophosphate concentrations, variscite precipitation increased predicted lead solubility by decreasing available orthophosphate. Increasing the aluminum concentration from 20 to 500 µg L-1 increased lead release from coupons by 41% and modified the effect of orthophosphate, rendering it less effective. We attributed this to a decrease in the concentration of soluble (<0.45 µm) phosphorus with increasing aluminum and an accompanying increase in particulate lead and phosphorus (>0.45 µm).

Lake Recovery Through Reduced Sulfate Deposition: A New Paradigm for Drinking Water Treatment.

This study examined sulfate deposition in Nova Scotia from 1999 to 2015, and its association with increased pH and organic matter in two protected surface water supplies (Pockwock Lake and Lake Major) located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The study also examined the effect of lake water chemistry on drinking water treatment processes. Sulfate deposition in the region decreased by 68%, whereas pH increased by 0.1-0.4 units over the 16-year period. Average monthly color concentrations in Pockwock Lake and Lake Major increased by 1.7 and 3.8×, respectively. Accordingly, the coagulant demand increased by 1.5 and 3.8× for the water treatment plants supplied by Pockwock Lake and Lake Major. Not only was this coagulant increase costly for the utility, it also resulted in compromised filter performance, particularly for the direct-biofiltration plant supplied by Pockwock Lake that was found to already be operating at the upper limit of the recommended direct filtration thresholds for color, total organic carbon and coagulant dose. Additionally, in 2012-2013 geosmin occurred in Pockwock Lake, which could have been attributed to reduced sulfate deposition as increases in pH favor more diverse cyanobacteria populations. Overall, this study demonstrated the impact that ambient air quality can have on drinking water supplies.

Assessment of Arctic community wastewater impacts on marine benthic invertebrates.

This study sought to understand the performance of arctic treatment systems and the impact of wastewater effluent on benthic invertebrate communities in arctic receiving water habitats. Effluent quality and benthic impacts were monitored in the receiving water of five communities across Nunavut that differed in the type and level of treatment achieved by wastewater infrastructure, the volume of effluent and receiving water mixing environment. We detected minimal impacts to benthic communities (<225 m linear distance from the effluent source) in four out of the five communities (Grise Fiord, Kugaaruk, Pond Inlet, and Pangnirtung), where the population was <2000 people. In these small communities impacts were characterized by increases or decreases in species richness, diversity, evenness, and density, and some differences in benthic species composition. This was in contrast to benthic sediments in Iqaluit (population 6699), which were devoid of benthic fauna up to 580 m from the effluent source in response to sediment anoxia. Variation in benthic community response between sampling locations was attributed primarily to differences in effluent volume, with effluent quality and receiving water hydrodynamics playing secondary roles. The results of this study will help to inform the development of northern specific treatment performance standards which will aid in prioritizing community wastewater system upgrades in arctic communities.

Formation kinetics of gemfibrozil chlorination reaction products: analysis and application.

Aqueous chlorination kinetics of the lipid regulator gemfibrozil and the formation of reaction products were investigated in deionized water over the pH range 3 to 9, and in two wastewater matrices. Chlorine oxidation of gemfibrozil was found to be highly dependent on pH. No statistically significant degradation of gemfibrozil was observed at pH values greater than 7. Gemfibrozil oxidation between pH 4 and 7 was best represented by first order kinetics. At pH 3, formation of three reaction products was observed. 4'-C1Gem was the only reaction product formed from pH 4-7 and was modeled with zero order kinetics. Chlorine oxidation of gemfibrozil in two wastewater matrices followed second order kinetics. 4'-C1Gem was only formed in wastewater with pH below 7. Deionized water rate kinetic models were applied to two wastewater effluents with gemfibrozil concentrations reported in literature in order to calculate potential mass loading rates of 4'C1Gem to the receiving water.

Identification of reaction products from reactions of free chlorine with the lipid-regulator gemfibrozil.

High global consumption rates have led to the occurrence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in wastewater. The use of chlorine to disinfect wastewater prior to release into the environment may convert PhACs into uncharacterized chlorinated by-products. In this investigation, chlorination of a common pharmaceutical, the antihyperlipidemic agent gemfibrozil, was documented. Gemfibrozil (2,2-dimethyl-5-(2,5-dimethylphenoxy)pentanoic acid) was reacted with sodium hypochlorite and product formation was monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The incorporation of one, two or three chlorine atoms into the aromatic region of gemfibrozil was demonstrated using negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Further analysis using (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy identified the reaction products as 4'-ClGem (5-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid) 4',6'-diClGem (5-(4,6-dichloro-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid), and 3',4',6'-triClGem (5-(3,4,6-trichloro-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid), products consistent with electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. The rapid reaction of gemfibrozil with free chlorine at pH conditions relevant to water treatment indicates that a mixture of chlorinated gemfibrozils is likely to be found in wastewater disinfected with chlorine.