Quantitative method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals based on odor sensitivity distribution：Illustrated using 2-MIB

Taste and odor （T/O） in drinking water often cause consumer complaints and are thus regulated in many countries. However, people in different regions may exhibit different sensitivities toward WO. This study proposed a method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals （ORGs） based on the odor sensitivity distribution of the local population. The distribution of odor sensitivity to 2-methylisobomeol （2-MIB） by the local population in Beijing, China was revealed by using a normal distribution function/model to describe the odor complaint response to a 2-MIB episode in 2005, and a 2-MIB concentration of 12.9 ng/L and FPA （flavor profile analysis） intensity of 2.5 was found to be the critical point to cause odor complaints. Thus the Beijing ORG for 2-MIB was determined to be 12.9 ng/L. Based on the assumption that the local FPA panel can represent the local population in terms of sensitivity to odor, and that the critical FPA intensity causing odor complaints was 2.5, this study tried to determine the ORGs for seven other cities of China by performing FPA tests using an FPA panel from the corresponding city. ORG values between 12.9 and 31.6 ng/L were determined, showing that a unified ORG may not be suitable for drinking water odor regulations. This study presents a novel approach for setting drinking water odor regulations.     

Powdered activated carbon adsorption of two fishy odorants in water: Trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal

Powdered activated carbon(PAC) adsorption of two fishy odorants, trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal(HDE) and trans,trans-2,4-decadienal(DDE), was investigated. Both the pseudo first-order and the pseudo second-order kinetic models well described the kinetics curves, and DDE was more readily removed by PAC. In isotherm tests, both Freundlich and Modified Freundlich isotherms fitted the experimental data well. PAC exhibited a higher adsorption capacity for DDE than for HDE, which could be ascribed to the difference in their hydrophobicity. The calculated thermodynamic parameters(ΔG~0, ΔH~0, and ΔS~0) indicated an exothermic and spontaneous adsorption process. PAC dosage, p H, and natural organic matter(NOM) presence were found to influence the adsorption process. With increasing PAC dosage, the pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order rate constants both increased. The value of p H had little influence on HDE or DDE molecules but altered the surface charge of PAC, and the maximum adsorption capacity occurred at p H 9. The presence of NOM, especially the fraction with molecular weight less than1 k Dalton, hindered the adsorption. The study showed that preloaded NOM impaired the adsorption capacity of HDE or DDE more severely than simultaneously fed NOM did.     

Three-dimensional unstructured-mesh eutrophication model and its application to the Xiangxi River, China

The Xiangxi River is one of the main tributaries in the Three Gorges reservoir, with the shortest distance to the Three Gorges Project Dam. Severe and frequent algal bloom events have occurred frequently in the Xiangxi River in recent years. Therefore, the current study develops a three-dimensional unstructured-mesh model to investigate the dynamic process of algal bloom. The developed model comprises three modules, namely, hydrodynamics, nutrient cycles, and phytoplankton ecological dynamics. A number of factors, including hydrodynamic condition, nutrient concentration, temperature, and light illumination, that would affect the evolution of phytoplankton were considered. Moreover, the wave equation was used to solve the free surface fluctuations and vertical Z-coordinates with adjustable layered thicknesses. These values, in turn, are suitable for solving the algal bloom problems that occurred in the river style reservoir that has a complex boundary and dramatically changing hydrodynamic conditions. The comparisons between the modeling results and field data of years 2007 and 2008 indicate that the developed model is capable of simulating the algal bloom process in the Xiangxi River with reasonable accuracy. However, hydrodynamic force and external pollution loads affect the concentrations of nutrients, which, along with the underwater light intensity, could consequently affect phytoplankton evolution. Thus, flow velocity cannot be ignored in the analysis of river algal bloom. Based on the modeling results, building an impounding reservoir and increasing the releasing discharge at appropriate times are effective ways for controlling algal bloom.     

Algae functional group characteristics in reservoirs and lakes with different trophic levels in northwestern semi-humid and semi-arid regions in China

In order to study the differences in algae species and their biomass in water bodies in a region, three reservoirs and two lakes at the center of Guanzhong Plain were chosen to identify algae functional groups, measure biomass, and assess water quality, from January2013 to December 2014. The water bodies represented different trophic levels: one oligotrophic, three mesotrophic, and one eutrophic. Based on the Reynolds' functional groups, they had 10 groups in common—B, P, D, X1, M, MP, F, S1, J, and G, but the algae biomasses and proportions were different. In the oligotrophic reservoir, functional group B reached a peak biomass of 576 × 10~4 L~(-1), which accounted for 31.27%. In the eutrophic lake,functional group D reached a peak biomass of 3227 × 10~4 L~(-1), which accounted for only13.38%. When samples collected from other water bodies with similar trophic levels were compared, we found differences in the algae species functional groups. The potential reasons for the differences in algae functional group characteristics in the different water bodies in the region were water temperature and nutritional states.     

Effect of algal flocculation on dissolved organic matters using cationic starch modified soils

Modified soils(MSs) are being increasingly used as geo-engineering materials for the sedimentation removal of cyanobacterial blooms. Cationic starch(CS) has been tested as an effective soil modifier, but little is known about its potential impacts on the treated water.This study investigated dissolved organic matters in the bloom water after algal removal using cationic starch modified soils(CS-MSs). Results showed that the dissolved organic carbon(DOC) could be decreased by CS-MS flocculation and the use of higher charge density CS yielded a greater DOC reduction. When CS with the charge density of 0.052, 0.102 and0.293 meq/g were used, DOC was decreased from 3.4 to 3.0, 2.3 and 1.7 mg/L, respectively.The excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and UV254 analysis indicated that CS-MS exhibits an ability to remove some soluble organics, which contributed to the DOC reduction. However, the use of low charge density CS posed a potential risk of DOC increase due to the high CS loading for effective algal removal. When CS with the charge density of 0.044 meq/g was used, DOC was increased from 3.4 to 3.9 mg/L. This study suggested, when CS-MS is used for cyanobacterial bloom removal, the content of dissolved organic matters in the treated water can be controlled by optimizing the charge density of CS. For the settled organic matters, other measures(e.g., capping treatments using oxygen loaded materials) should be jointly applied after algal flocculation.     

Biotransformation of nonylphenol ethoxylates during sewage treatment under anaerobic and aerobic conditions

Biotransformation of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) during continuous anaerobic sewage treatment was compared with the aerobic treatment of sewage spiked with 23 μmol/L technical NPEOs over a period of 90 d. Immediate degradation of NPEOs was observed under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, indicating that the enzymes and bacteria required for NPEO degradation existed abundantly in both aerobic and anaerobic sludge. Both treatments achieved high removal (＞92%) of the spiked NPEO9 mixture.Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis showed that short-chain NPEOs (NPEO1-NPEO3) accumulated in anaerobic (2.01-2.56 μmol/L) and aerobic (1.62-2.03 μmol/L) effluents, with nonylphenol (NP) (0.24-0.31 μmol/L) as another group of metabolites in the anaerobic effluent, and nonylphenoxy carboxylates (NPECs) (2.79-3.30 μmol/L) in the aerobic effluent. Significant accumulation of NP in the anaerobic sludge and NPEO1-3 in the sludge of two reactors was observed. These results indicated that it was difficult to control these harmful metabolites in the conventional treatment processes. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles of sludge samples support the speculation that the NPEO degradation bacteria might be the dominant indigenous species.     

A simulation study of mercury release fluxes from soils in wet-dry rotation environment

A simulative mesocosm study was conducted to evaluate the influence of wet-dry rotation on mercury（Hg） flux from soil/water to air and the distribution of Hg species in water as well as Hg chemical fractions in soil. Three types of soil were employed including two kinds of paddy soil, Typic Purpli-Udic Cambosols（TPUC） and Xanthi-Udic Ferralosols（XUF）, as well as the Alluvial Soil（AS） from Three Gorge reservoir area in Chongqing, China. The results showed that Hg fluxes in wetting periods were significantly higher than that in drying periods. It might be due to the formation of a layer of stable air over the water surface in which some redox reactions promote evasion processes over the water surface. This result indicated that more Hg would be evaporated from the Three Gorge reservoir and paddy soil field during the flooding season. Hg fluxes were positively correlated with air temperature and solar irradiation, while negatively correlated with air humidity and the electronic conductivity of water. Hg fluxes from AS and TPUC were significantly higher than that from XUF, which might be due to the higher organic matter（OM） contents in XUF than TPUC and AS. The reduction processes of oxidized Hg were restrained due to the strong binding of Hg to OM, resulting in the decrease in Hg flux from the soil.     

Identification of causative compounds and microorganisms for musty odor occurrence in the Huangpu River, China

There are regular problems of musty odor in the Huangpu River,a major source of drinking water for Shanghai,China.In this study,the musty odor and its main causative compounds in the Huangpu River source water were confirmed through a yearly investigation using flavor profile analysis combined with HSPME-GC-MS analysis.The investigation showed that 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) with a concentration level between 28.6 and 71.0 ng/L was responsible for the musty odor in summer from July to September.Microscopic observation confirmed with the cloning results showed that Phormidium spp.,which accounted for 80%-95% of the algal cell density,was the microorganisms responsible for the production of 2-MIB and the estimated 2-MIB yield was 0.022 pg/cell.Results from a wide-area sampling campaign in the Huangpu River watershed showed that,other than the large tributaries receiving water from Tai Lake,several small creeks close to the intake may have contributed most of the 2-MIB and the Phormidium spp.to the Huangpu River source water.This study provides methodology for the investigation of odor causing compounds and microorganisms in river-type source water,and the result will be useful for water quality control in both source water and drinking water.     

Evaluation of Bacillus sp. MZS10 for decolorizing Azure B dye and its decolorization mechanism

To evaluate decolorization and detoxification of Azure B dye by a newly isolated Bacillus sp. MZS10 strain, the cultivation medium and decolorization mechanism of the isolate were investigated. The decolorization was discovered to be dependent on cell density of the isolate and reached 93.55%(0.04 g/L) after 14 hr of cultivation in a 5 L stirred-tank fermenter at 2.0 g/L yeast extract and 6.0 g/L soluble starch and a small amount of mineral salts. The decolorization metabolites were identified with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy(UPLC-MS). A mechanism for decolorization of Azure B was proposed as follows: the C=N in Azure B was initially reduced to –NH by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH)-dependent quinone dehydrogenase, and then the –NH further combined with –OH derived from glucose to form a stable and colorless compound through a dehydration reaction. The phytotoxicity was evaluated for both Azure B and its related derivatives produced by Bacillus sp. MZS10 decolorization, indicating that the decolorization metabolites were less toxic than original dye. The decolorization efficiency and mechanism shown by Bacillus sp. MZS10 provided insight on its potential application for the bioremediation of the dye Azure B.     

Treatment of taste and odor causing compounds 2-methyl isoborneol and geosmin in drinking water: A critical review

Problems due to the taste and odor in drinking water are common in treatment facilities around the world. Taste and odor are perceived by the public as the primary indicators of the safely and acceptability of drinking water and are mainly caused by the presence of two semi-volatile compounds – 2-methyl isoborneol (MIB) and geosmin. A review of these two taste and odor causing compounds in drinking water is presented. The sources for the formation of these compounds in water are discussed alongwith the health and regulatory implications. The recent developments in the analysis of MIB/geosmin in water which have allowed for rapid measurements in the nanogram per liter concentrations are also discussed. This review focuses on the relevant treatment alternatives, that are described in detail with emphasis on their respective advantages and problems associated with their implementation in a fullscale facility. Conventional treatment processes in water treatment plants, such as coagulation, sedimentation and chlorination have been found to be ine ective for removal of MIB/geosmin. Studies have shown powdered activated carbon, ozonation and biofiltration to be e ective in treatment of these two compounds. Although some of these technologies are more e ective and show more promise than the others, much work remains to be done to optimize these technologies so that they can be retrofitted or installed with minimal impact on the overall operation and e ectiveness of the treatment system.     

Isolation, identification and characterization of an algicidal bacterium from Lake Taihu and preliminary studies on its algicidal compounds

In an effort to identify a bio-agent capable of controlling cyanobacterial blooms, we isolated a bacterial strain, A27, which exhibited strong algicidal activity against the dominant bloom-forming species of Microcystis aeruginosa in Lake Taihu. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this strain belongs to the genus Exiguobacterium. This is the first report of an algicidal bacterial strain belonging to the genus Exiguobacterium. Strain A27 exhibited algicidal activity against a broad range of cyanobacteria, but elicited little or no algicidal activity against the two green algal strains tested. The algicidal activity of strain A27 was shown to be dependent on the density of the bacteria and to have a threshold density of 1.5× 10⁶ CFU/mL. Our data also showed that the algicidal activity of strain A27 depended on different growth stages of Microcystis aeruginosa (exponential ≈ lag phase > early stationary) rather than that of the bacterium itself. Our results also suggested the algicidal activity of strain A27 occurred via the production of extracellular algicidal compounds. Investigation of the algicidal compounds revealed that there were at least two different algicidal compounds produced by strain A27. These results indicated that strain A27 has great potential for use in the control of outbreaks of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu.     

^15N isotope fractionation in an aquatic food chain： Bellamya aeruginosa （Reeve） as an algal control agent

15N isotope tracer techniques and ecological modeling were adopted to investigate the fractionation of nitrogen,its uptake and transformation in algae and snail(Bellamya aeruginosa Reeve).Different algal species were found to differ in their uptake of nitrogen isotopes.Microcystis aeruginisa Ktz.demonstrated the greatest 15N accumulation capacity,with the natural variation in isotopic ratio(δ 15N) and the isotope fractionation factor(ε,‰) being the highest among the species investigated.The transformation and utilization of 15N by snails differed depending on the specific algae consumed(highest for Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick.,lowest for M.aeruginisa).When snails was seeded in the experimental pond,the algae population structure changed significantly,and total algal biomass as well as the concentration of all nitrogen species decreased,causing an increase in water transparency.A model,incorporating several chemical and biological parameters,was developed to predict algal biomass in an aquatic system when snails was present.The data collected during this investigation indicated that the gastropods such as snails could significantly impact biological community and water quality of small water bodies,suggesting a role for biological control of noxious algal blooms associated with eutrophication.     

Microbial diversity of soil bacteria in agricultural field contaminated with heavy metals

In this study we evaluated the bacterial diversity in a soil sample from a site next to a chemical industrial factory previously contaminated with heavy metals. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences amplified from DNA directly extracted from the soil revealed 17 different bacterial types （genera and/or species）. They included Polyangium spp., Sphingomonas spp., Variovorax spp., Hafina spp., Clostridia, Acidobacteria, the enterics and some uncultured strains. Microbes able to tolerate high concentrations of cadmium （500μmol/L and above） were also isolated from the soil. These isolates included strains of Acinetobacter （strain CD06）, Enterobacter sp. （strains CD01, CD03, CD04 and CD08） （similar strains also identified in culture-independent approach） and a strain of Stenotrophomonas sp. The results indicated that the species identified from direct analysis of 16S rDNA of the soil can be quite different from those strains obtained from enrichment cultures and the microbial activities for heavy metal resistance might be more appropriately addressed by the actual isolates.     

Morphological and molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in revegetated iron-mining site has the same magnitude of adjacent pristine ecosystems

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) are important during revegetation of mining sites, but few studies compared AMF community in revegetated sites with pristine adjacent ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess AMF species richness in a revegetated iron-mining site and adjacent ecosystems and to relate AMF occurrence to soil chemical parameters. Soil samples were collected in dry and rainy seasons in a revegetated iron-mining site(RA) and compared with pristine ecosystems of forest(FL), canga(NG),and Cerrado(CE). AMF species were identified by spore morphology from field and trap cultures and by LSU r DNA sequencing using Illumina. A total of 62 AMF species were recovered, pertaining to 18 genera and nine families of Glomeromycota. The largest number of species and families were detected in RA, and Acaulospora mellea and Glomus sp1 were the most frequent species. Species belonging to Glomeraceae and Acaulosporaceae accounted for 42%–48% of total species richness. Total number of spores and mycorrhizal inoculum potential tended to be higher in the dry than in the rainy season, except in RA. Sequences of uncultured Glomerales were dominant in all sites and seasons and five species were detected exclusively by DNA-based identification. Redundancy analysis evidenced soil p H,organic matter, aluminum, and iron as main factors influencing AMF presence. In conclusion, revegetation of the iron-mining site seems to be effective in maintaining a diverse AMF community and different approaches are complementary to reveal AMF species, despite the larger number of species being identified by traditional identification of field spores.     

Viability of combining microalgae and macroalgae cultures for treating anaerobically digested piggery effluent

Algal phytoremediation represents a practical green solution for treating anaerobically digested piggery effluent(ADPE). The potential and viability of combining microalgae and macroalgae cultivation for the efficient treatment of ADPE were evaluated in this study.Bioprospecting the ability of different locally isolated macroalgae species illustrated the potential of Cladophora sp. to successfully grow and treat ADPE with up to 150 mg/L NH_4~+ with a biomass productivity of(0.13 ± 0.02) g/(L·day) and ammonium removal rate of(10.23 ± 0.18) mg/(L·day) NH_4~+. When grown by itself, the microalgae consortium used in this study consisting of Chlorella sp. and Scenedesmus sp. was found to grow and treat undiluted ADPE(up to 525 mg/L NH_4~+) with an average ammonium removal rate of 25 mg/(L·day) NH_4~+ and biomass productivity of(0.012 ± 0.0001) g/(L·day). Nevertheless, when combined together, despite the different cultivation systems(attached and non-attached) evaluated,microalgae and macroalgae were unable to co-exist together and treat ADPE as their respective growth were inversely related to each other due to direct competition for nutrients and available resources as well as the negative physical interaction between both algal groups.     

Algal removal from cyanobacteria-rich waters by preoxidation-assisted coagulation–flotation: Effect of algogenic organic matter release on algal removal and trihalomethane formation

The cyanobacteria-bloom in raw waters frequently causes an unpredictable chemical dosing of preoxidation and coagulation for an effective removal of algal cells in water treatment plants. This study investigated the effects of preoxidation with NaOCl and ClO_2 on the coagulation-flotation effectiveness in the removal of two commonly blooming cyanobacteria species, Microcystis aeruginosa(MA) and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii(CR), and their corresponding trihalomethane(THM) formation potential. The results showed that dual dosing with NaOCl plus ClO_2 was more effective in enhancing the deformation of cyanobacterial cells compared to single dosing with Na OCl, especially for CR-rich water.Both preoxidation approaches for CR-rich water effectively reduced the CR cell count with less remained dissolved organic carbon(DOC), which benefited subsequent coagulation–flotation. However, preoxidation led to an adverse release of algogenic organic matter(AOM) in the case of MA-rich water. The release of AOM resulted in a poor removal in MA cells and a large amount of THM formation after oxidation-assisted coagulation-flotation process. The reduction in THM formation potential of CR-rich waters is responsible for effective algae and DOC removal by alum coagulation. It is concluded that the species-specific characteristic of cyanobacteria and their AOM released during chlorination significantly influences the performance of coagulation–flotation for AOM removal and corresponding THM formation.     

Effects of elevated CO2 on sensitivity of six species of algae and interspecific competition of three species of algae

Effects of elevated CO, （5000 μl/L） on sensitivity comparison of six species of algae and interspecific competition of three species of algae were investigated. The results showed that, the cell densities of six species of algae grown in elevated CO2 significantly increased compared to those in ambient CO2 （360 μl/L）, and with the time prolonged, the increasing extent increased. Therefore, elevated CO2 can promote the growth of six species of algae. However, there were differences in sensitivity between six species of algae. Based on the effects of elevated CO2 on biomass, the sensitive order （from high to low） was Platymanas sp., Platymanas subcordiformis, Nitzschia closterium, Isochrysis golbana Parke 8701, Dunoliella salina, Chlorella sp., on the condition of solitary cultivation. Compared to ambient CO2, elevated CO2 promoted the growth of three species of algae, Platymanas subcordiformis, Nitzschia closterium and Isochrysis galbana Parke 8701 under the condition of mixed cultivation. The sensitivity of the three species to elevated CO2 in mixed cultivation changed a lot compared to the condition of solitary cultivation. When grown in elevated CO2 under the condition of mixed cultivation, the sensitive order from high to low were Nitzschia clostertium, Platymonas subcordiformis; and Isochrysis galbana Parke 8701. However, under the condition of solitary cultivation, the sensitive order in elevated CO2 was Isochrysis galbana Parke 8701, Nitzschia clostertium, Platymonas subcordiformis, from sensitive to less sensitive. On the day 21, the dominant algae, the sub-dominant algae and inferior algae grown in elevated CO2 did not change. However, the population increasing dynamic and composition proportion of three algal species have significantly changed.     

Influence of zeta potential on the flocculation of cyanobacteria cells using chitosan modified soil

Using chitosan modified soil to flocculate and sediment algal cells has been considered as a promising strategy to combat cyanobacteria blooms in natural waters. However, the flocculation efficiency often varies with algal cells with different zeta potential (ZP) attributed to different growth phases or water conditions. This article investigated the relationship between ZP of Microcystis aeruginosa and its influence to the flocculation efficiency using chitosan modified soil. Results suggested that the optimal removal efficiency was obtained when the ZP was between -20.7 and -6.7 mV with a removal efficiency of more than 80% in 30 min and large floc size of >350 μm. When the algal cells were more negatively charged than -20.7 mV, the effect of chitosan modified soil was depressed (<60%) due to the insufficient charge density of chitosan to neutralize and destabilize the algal suspension. When the algal cells were less negative than -6.7 mV or even positively charged, a small floc size (<120 μm) was formed, which may be difficult to sink under natural water conditions. Therefore, manipulation of ZP provided a viable tool to improve the flocculation efficiency of chitosan modified soil and an important guidance for practical engineering of cyanobacteria bloom control.     

Isolation and algae-lysing characteristics of the algicidal bacterium B5

Water blooms have become a worldwide environmental problem.Recently,algicidal bacteria have attracted wide attention as possible agents for inhibiting algal water blooms.In this study,one strain of algicidal bacterium B5 was isolated from activated sludge.On the basis of analysis of its physiological characteristics and 16S rDNA gene sequence,it was identified as Bacillusfusiformis.Its algae- lysing characteristics on Microcystis aeruginosa,Chlorella and Scenedesmus were tested.The results showed that:(1)the algicidal bacterium B5 is a Gram-negative bacterium.The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence homology of strain B5 with 2 strains of B.fusiformis reached 99.86%,so B5 was identified as B.fusiformis;(2)the algal-lysing effects of the algicidal bacterium B5 on M.aeruginosa, Chlorella and Scenedesmus were pronounced.The initial bacterial and algal cell densities strongly influence the removal rates of chlorophyll-α.The greater the initial bacterial cell density,the faster the degradation of chlorophyll-α.The greater the initial algal cell density,the slower the degradation of chlorophyll-α.When the bacterial cell density was 3.6 x l07 cells/ml,nearly 90% of chlorophyll-αwas removed.When the chlorophyll-αconcentration was less than 550μg/L,about 70% was removed;(3)the strain B5 lysed algae by secreting metabolites and these metabolites could bear heat treatment.     

Effects of Cu2+ and humic acids on degradation and fate of TBBPA in pure culture of Pseudomonas sp. strain CDT

Soil contamination with tetrabromobisphenol A(TBBPA) has caused great concerns;however, the presence of heavy metals and soil organic matter on the biodegradation of TBBPA is still unclear. We isolated Pseudomonas sp. strain CDT, a TBBPA-degrading bacterium, from activated sludge and incubated it with ~(14)C-labeled TBBPA for 87 days in the absence and presence of Cu~(2+)and humic acids(HA). TBBPA was degraded to organic-solvent extractable(59.4% ± 2.2%) and non-extractable(25.1% ± 1.3%) metabolites,mineralized to CO_2(4.8% ± 0.8%), and assimilated into cells(10.6% ± 0.9%) at the end of incubation. When Cu~(2+)was present, the transformation of extractable metabolites into non-extractable metabolites and mineralization were inhibited, possibly due to the toxicity of Cu~(2+)to cells. HA significantly inhibited both dissipation and mineralization of TBBPA and altered the fate of TBBPA in the culture by formation of HA-bound residues that amounted to 22.1% ± 3.7% of the transformed TBBPA. The inhibition from HA was attributed to adsorption of TBBPA and formation of bound residues with HA via reaction of reactive metabolites with HA molecules, which decreased bioavailability of TBBPA and metabolites in the culture. When Cu~(2+)and HA were both present, Cu~(2+)significantly promoted the HA inhibition on TBBPA dissipation but not on metabolite degradation. The results provide insights into individual and interactive effects of Cu~(2+)and soil organic matter on the biotransformation of TBBPA and indicate that soil organic matter plays an essential role in determining the fate of organic pollutants in soil and mitigating heavy metal toxicity.