Bacteria plus peroxide treatment clears toxic algae blooms fast
Sharmin A, Zalbegi S, Bhatia M, Siddiquee M, Thomas AB
Invasive Species
If you've ever seen a pond or lake near your home turn pea-green and scummy in late summer, this is the toxic bloom behind it, and the fish kills, dog warnings, and water restrictions that follow.
Toxic algae blooms in lakes and reservoirs release poisons when they die, which is a problem because the chemicals normally used to kill them can actually make the toxin release worse. Researchers found that a specific hydrogen-peroxide treatment, combined with a naturally occurring bacterium that eats the toxin, clears the algae and breaks down the poison within just a few days. In lake tests, this combo cut the algae by over 75% and dropped toxin levels to safe drinking-water standards.
Key Findings
PAK®27 (hydrogen peroxide-based algaecide) was the most compatible treatment with the toxin-degrading bacterium Sphingopyxis sp. IM1, especially when the bacteria were added 24 hours after treatment
In lake mesocosm tests, the combined treatment reduced chlorophyll-a (a measure of algae) by 77.6% and cyanobacteria by 96%, dropping microcystin toxin levels below the 1 µg/L safety threshold within 3 days
After treatment, the microbial community shifted from toxic cyanobacteria toward beneficial green algae, diatoms, and other heterotrophic microbes
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that pairing a hydrogen-peroxide algaecide with a toxin-eating bacterium can clear harmful algae blooms from lakes and destroy their toxins within days, offering a safer way to protect drinking water than chemicals alone.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Integrated management of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms: Coupling algaecide treatment with bioaugmentation of toxin degraders.
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) are a growing global concern, threatening drinking water safety and complicating water treatment through cyanotoxin release, operational disruptions and ...
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