Premium
First report of microcystin production by picoplanktonic cyanobacteria isolated from a northeast Brazilian drinking water supply
Author(s) -
Domingos P.,
Rubim T. K.,
Molica R. J. R.,
Azevedo S. M. F. O.,
Carmichael W. W.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
environmental toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1522-7278
pISSN - 1520-4081
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1522-7278(199902)14:1<31::aid-tox6>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - cyanobacteria , microcystin , cyanotoxin , bioassay , microcystin lr , biology , ecotoxicology , toxicity , toxin , cylindrospermopsin , environmental chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , toxicology , chemistry , ecology , bacteria , genetics , organic chemistry
Seven strains (NPCA‐5, ‐10, ‐15, ‐16, ‐19, ‐23, and ‐29) of picoplanktonic cyanobacteria from Caruaru reservoirs were identified and analyzed for toxicity. We tested the toxicity of these strains by mouse bioassay, by HPLC, and by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Strains NPCA‐15 and ‐23 were toxic when tested by mouse bioassay (LD 100 =600 mg DW /kg body weight). The toxin from strain NPCA‐15 had the same UV spectrum as microcystin‐LR. All of the strains showed the presence of microcystin by ELISA analysis. The microcystin concentration varied between 0.08 ng/mg DW (NPCA‐5) and 3.7 ng/mg DW (NPCA‐15). Confirmation of microcystin production by picoplankton opens the possibility that these organisms may have contributed to human poisoning in Caruaru and defines a new source of microcystin in water supplies. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 14: 31–35, 1999