Abstract
An environmental protection agency EPA expert workshop prioritized three cyanotoxins, microcystins, anatoxin-a, and cylindrospermopsin (MAC), as being important in freshwaters of the United States. This study evaluated the prevalence of potentially toxin producing cyanobacteria cell numbers relative to the presence and quantity of the MAC toxins in the context of this framework. Total and potential toxin producing cyanobacteria cell counts were conducted on weekly raw and finished water samples from utilities located in five US states. An Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) was used to screen the raw and finished water samples for microcystins. High-pressure liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA) verified microcystin concentrations and quantified anatoxin-a and cylindrospermopsin concentrations. Four of the five utilities experienced cyanobacterial blooms in their raw water. Raw water samples from three utilities showed detectable levels of microcystins and a fourth utility had detectable levels of both microcystin and cylindrospermopsin. No utilities had detectable concentrations of anatoxin-a. These conventional plants effectively removed the cyanobacterial cells and all finished water samples showed MAC levels below the detection limit by ELISA and HPLC/PDA.
Highlights
Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, are photosynthetic bacteria that can live in many types of water
In this study, simplified, rapid microscopic methods were used to estimate the cyanobacterial cell numbers and genus composition, at the genus level, in the raw and finished drinking water at five “high risk” drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in five states distributed across the U.S Two graphs are presented for each DWTP
Cylindrospermopsin was not plotted because it was only detected in one raw water sample
Summary
Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, are photosynthetic bacteria that can live in many types of water. Many genera of cyanobacteria are known to produce toxins. These toxins (cyanotoxins) make up a large group of chemical compounds that differ in their molecular structure and toxicological properties. They are generally grouped into major classes according to their toxicological targets: cell, liver, nervous system, skin, and tumor promotion. Microcystins are hepatotoxins commonly produced by the cyanobacteria genera Anabaena, Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Planktothrix, Nostoc, and Hapalosiphon. Cylindrospermopsin is a hepatotoxin and cytotoxin produced by the filamentous cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon and Cylindrospermopsis.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
