AWWA JAW69182

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is an emerging cyanobacterial toxin whose detection frequency is increasing in water bodies worldwide. Coupled with the changing climate the world is facing, the likelihood of CYN entering water treatment plants is increasing. Results from this study indicate that the combination of powdered activated carbon (PAC) and chlorination can provide a multibarrier treatment approach for the mitigation of CYN, provided both treatment options are optimized. The dosing of PAC is subjective in most water treatment plants because of the high costs associated with its application. However, the model developed by the authors will aid in the derivation of a PAC dose table that can be used to optimize PAC application for CYN removal and significantly reduce capital costs by reducing the amount of PAC that is wasted through overdosing. Water suppliers will be able to use the approaches described in this article to optimize the application of PAC and chlorine in their water treatment plants to remove CYN. Includes 42 references, tables, figures.