Coupling physiochemical adsorption with biodegradation for enhanced removal of microcystin-LR in water

To innovate the design of water treatment technology for algal toxin removal, this research investigated the mechanisms of cyanotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) removal by a coupled adsorption-biodegradation. Eight types of woody carbonaceous adsorbents with and without Sphingopyxis sp. m6, a MC-LR degrading bacterium, were tested for MC-LR removal in water. All adsorbents showed good adsorption capability, removing 40 % to almost 100 % of the MC-LR (4.5 mg/L) within 48 h in batch experiments. Adding Sphingopyxis sp. m6 continuously promoted MC-LR biological removal, and successfully broke the barrier of adsorption capacity of tested adsorbents, removing >90 % of the MC-LR in most of the coupled adsorption-biodegradation tests, especially for those adsorbents had low physiochemical adsorption capacity. Variance partitioning analysis indicated that mesopore was the dominant contributor to adsorption capacity of MC-LR in pure adsorption treatments, which acted synergistically with electrical conductivity, polarity and total functional groups on the absorbent. Pore structure was the key factor beneficial for the growth of Sphingopyxis sp. m6 (51% contribution) and subsequent MC-LR biological removal rate (80 % contribution). Overall, pinewood-based carbonaceous adsorbents (especially pinewood activated carbon) exhibited the highest adsorption capacity towards MC-LR and provided the most favorable conditions for biological removal of MC-LR, largely because of their high mesopore volume, total functional groups and electric conductivity. The research outcomes not only deepened the quantitative understanding of mechanisms for MC-LR removal by the coupled process, but also provided theoretical basis for future materials' selection and modification during the practical application of coupled process.