Evaluation of the residual algicidal effect after sonoplasma treatment of aqueous media
Abstract
This study assessed the residual toxicity of aqueous media treated with a sonoplasma discharge toward the green microalgae Scenedesmus quadricauda and Ankistrodesmus arcuatus under delayed inoculation conditions, with inoculation performed 0, 24, 48, and 168 h after treatment. The study aimed to evaluate the duration of the algicidal effect retained in the treated medium and to assess its potential environmental safety after sonoplasma treatment (SPT), in order to substantiate the possibility of subsequent discharge of the treated water into natural aquatic ecosystems. Acute toxicity was assessed 72 h after inoculation in accordance with OECD 201; additionally, the growth dynamics of the cultures were monitored for 3–7 days. It was found that the residual algicidal properties of the treated medium were determined by the SPT regime and treatment frequency, as well as by the time elapsed between medium treatment and inoculation of the test cultures. The algicidal effect of the treated medium was shown not to have a direct relationship with the H2O2 concentration and was not determined solely by its content. Increasing the number of treatment cycles enhanced both the intensity and duration of the inhibitory effect. A more prolonged algicidal effect required either double treatment under the minimum regime, which prolonged the algicidal activity for at least 48 h, or treatment under the maximum regime, which involved higher energy consumption but provided a pronounced algicidal effect for at least 48 h after a single treatment and for at least 168 h after double treatment. Analysis of microalgal growth dynamics revealed both persistent inhibition and culture recovery after initial suppression, indicating the need to consider not only the standard 72-hour endpoint but also the subsequent development dynamics of the test cultures.
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