Post on 21-Mar-2020
Richard Miller Treatment Plant Sources of Algal Blooms
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
RMTP Treatment Today
Clarification
Turbidity / Microbial
Removal Natural and
Synthetic Organics
Removal
Disinfection,
Fluoridation,
Corrosion
Control
Inhibitors
Plant Capacity: 240 MGD
Average Pumping: 110 MGD
Normal Ohio River
GCWW IntakeSeptember 16, 2015
Photo courtesy of Mike Baker, OEPA
Differences Between Sources of Algae at RMTP
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
o Diversity of algal populationo Few cyanobacteriao Rare bloomso Low chlorophyllo Rare MIB/Geosmin
o Lack of algal diversityo Cyanobacteria dominanceo Seasonal bloomso Higher chlorophyllo Frequent MIB/Geosmin
Lamella HRS + Backwash Recycling
Ohio River Intakes
Old River Station (ORS)Ohio River Pumping
Station
o Original Intake from 1890’so Gates in Side of Intake Pier
Structure, Bank Side of Piero At Ohio River Pool stage of
26 feet (429.26 AMSL), Opening is 10-12 feet below River’s Surface
o Current Practices do not call for adjusting to River Conditions
o Second Pump Station added in 1950’s
o Open sided Crib Structureo Located on the Ohio River
Bedo At Ohio River Pool Stage,
this is about 23 feet below River’s Surface
Current Monitoring Tools
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
o Extracted Chlorophyll a and Phycocyanin
o EXOsonde Chlorophyll a and Phycocyanin
o Microscopic identification and enumeration
o MIB/Geosmino Cyanotoxinso Cyanotoxin Geneso Ohio River HAB Co-op
o Extracted Chlorophyll a and Phycocyanin
o EXOsonde Chlorophyll a and Phycocyanin
o Microscopic identification and enumeration
o MIB/Geosmino Cyanotoxinso Cyanotoxin Geneso Reservoir Profiling
Algae Sample Schedule
Chlorophyll a PhycocyaninSemi-Quant
Bluegreen Counts
MIB/GEOS**
Toxins*
qPCR* EXO 2
CW1I W
CW1E T
CUVE M,W,F M,W,F T
GACI M,W,F M,W,F W T
FLIN M,W,F M,W,F T
SETT M,W,F M,W,F W W W T
LMEF W W
RAW M,W,F M,W,FW, q-PCR
day W, q-PCR day W T T Continuous
ORS (RRS) M,W,F T Continuous
RES1 M,W,F
RES2 M,W,F
*follows OEPA requested schedule**Collect MWF when levels >3 ppt
Chlorophyll-a and Phycocyanin
o Extracted▪ 3X per week▪ River and Settled▪ Filtration Treatment
Trigger
o EXOsonde▪ Continuous▪ Data intensive▪ Site specific
interpretation▪ Special investigations▪ CA/BG, TEMP/COND,
DO, pH, NTU, and fDOM
Chlorophyll Levels Thru Process
Reservoir Bloom Seasons
Spring Fall
River EXOsonde Data
River EXOsonde Data
Reservoir Profiling
Top 5ft
10-40 ft
o 1X per weeko River and Settledo Sedgwick Rafter BG Counto Semi-Quantitative Count
Microscopic Identificationand Enumeration
Microscopic Identificationand Enumeration
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
o Background debriso Common genera
▪ Cyclotella▪ Melosira▪ Pennate Diatoms▪ Scenedesmus▪ Ankistrodesmus▪ Asterionella
o Common genera▪ Pseudanabaena▪ Planktothrix▪ Raphidiopsis▪ Scendesmus▪ Nitzschia▪ Melosira▪ Cylindrospermopsis
Microscopic Identificationand Enumeration
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
o Cyclotella x 57%o Melosira x 14%o Pennate diatom x 14%o Scenedesmus x 14%
o Aphanizomenon x 1%o Chroococcus x 2%o Coelastrum x 3%o Euglena x 1%o Planktothrix x 1%o Pseudanabaena xx 90%o Raphidiopsis x 1%o Staurastrum x 1%
o Leica StereoZoom
▪ Up to 40X
o Nikon Inverted
▪ Up to 400X
o Zeiss Binocular
▪ Up to 1000X (phase contrast)
All capable of photodocumentation
Microscopes Available
o Algae ID and enumeration
▪ Raw, Settled, Reservoirs
▪ Through treatment plant
▪ Other locations
o Customer Water Quality
▪ Identification of particulates
▪ Samples from customer
▪ Samples collected
Potential Uses
▪ Large specimens
▪ 3-D preparations
▪ Internal and external light source
▪ 7X-40X magnification
Leica Stereoscopic Scope
Leica Stereoscopic Scope
▪ Settled algal specimens
▪ Petri dishes
▪ Tissue culture
▪ Internal light source
▪ 100X-400X magnification
▪ Objectives below specimen
Nikon Inverted Scope
Nikon Inverted Scope
▪ Flat preparations▪ Internal light source▪ 100X-1000X
magnification▪ Brightfield and Phase
Contrast▪ Objectives above
specimen
Zeiss Binocular Scope
Zeiss Binocular Scope
Geosmin and Chlorophyll
Cyanotoxin Monitoring
Ohio River Settling Reservoirs
o OEPA Requirement▪ qPCR▪ Cyanobacteria▪ Genes for individual
toxinso Microcystin,
Cylindrospermopsin & Saxitoxin▪ 4x/quarter
o Microcystin, Cylindrospermopsin & Saxitoxin▪ 4x/quarter
Cyanotoxin Monitoring
Cyanobacteria Screening
o OEPA required monitoring▪ June 2016 - present▪ Biweekly▪ Raw
o Cyanobacteria Screening▪ 16s rRNA gene▪ mcyE gene▪ cyrA gene▪ sxtA gene
Based on 2 HAB seasons, qPCR screening provides a reliable indicator, per OEPA.
River Cyanobacteria Screening
River Toxin Gene Screening
o Microcystin and Cylindrospermopsin Genes▪ <Reporting Limit, 0.18 GC/µL
o Saxitoxin Gene▪ 7.8 GC/µL▪ November 2016▪ No toxin detected
Water Quality Challenges & Treatment
o Water Quality Challenges▪ Turbidity breakthrough (sand filters, GAC contactors)
▪ Short filter run hours/Increased backwashing
▪ MIB, Geosmin episodes
▪ Potential for toxins
o Reactive Treatment▪ Algaecide
▪ Ferric Sulfate - filtration
▪ Potassium Permanganate – oxidation, filtration
▪ Powdered Activated Carbon – reservoir darkening, adsorption
▪ Costly, not consistent performance
Potential Solutions
o Further research▪ Spatial distribution of algae in
reservoirs/areas of growth
▪ Role of sludge/nutrient release/ seeding/fate of cyanotoxins
▪ Early bloom indicators
▪ Seasonal reservoir chemistry/ecology
o Algae control▪ Cyanobacteria grazers/paddlefish
▪ Ultrasonic devices
▪ Localized treatment at reservoirs
▪ Optimized coagulation/removal at HRS facility
▪ Treatment/disposal of backwash water
▪ Hydrogen peroxide
▪ Air flotation