| The increase in agriculture and urbanization in river watersheds has led to cultural eutrophication in many rivers that in turn is manifested as algal growth. These blooms have the potential to produce compounds that may pose aesthetic or health related issues in drinking water. This study was performed to identify the processes by which algal contaminants are produced. Three experiments were conducted using Ohio River water and 2000-L mesocosms during June, July, and August 2004. Variable light regimes and grazers were used to stimulate a range of algal production, senescence and decomposition. Algal blooms were predominantly composed of diatom species. In contrast to a similar study, the blooms produced during the 2004 experiments had no effect on odor compounds, toxin production, or disinfection by-product formation potentials (THMFP and HAAFP). The results of this study suggest that drinking water contaminants related to algae are dependent not only on algal production and senescence but are also related to species composition. |
