Abstract
Cyanobacteria are microscopic, prokaryotic organisms capable of mass development in aquatic ecosystems. Cyanobacterial blooms, observed often in various fresh and brackish waters, are growing global problem due to the eutrophication process and climate changes. Different cyanobacterial species may produce wide range of various biologically active secondary metabolites, which may be harmful to aquatic organisms, animals and humans. Microcystins (MCs) are the most known and frequently studied cyanobacterial compounds classified to cyanotoxins. But cyanobacteria are producers of several hundred of other toxins (e.g. nodularins, cylindrospermopsins, anatoxins, saxitoxins), and potentially harmful substances (e.g. oligopeptides other than MCs). In this paper, the present knowledge about cyanobacterial blooms, toxins and other metabolites is shown concisely with references to the latest review reports broadly describing the issues discussed. Human health risks caused by cyanobacteria is also presented
Highlights
Cyanobacteria (Cyanoprokaryota, blue-green algae) are ubiquitous, phototrophic microorganisms, which inhabit fresh, brackish, and marine waters, as well as terrestrial environments
The formation of cyanobacterial blooms is controlled by environmental factors among which water temperature, concentrations of key nutrients-phosphorus and nitrogen-and light are the most important [1]
Cyanobacterial blooms present a real hazard to the health of humans, animals and functioning of aquatic biocenoses due to the ability of cyanobacteria to production of numerous biologically active secondary metabolites [3,4,5]
Summary
Cyanobacteria (Cyanoprokaryota, blue-green algae) are ubiquitous, phototrophic microorganisms, which inhabit fresh-, brackish-, and marine waters, as well as terrestrial environments. Global warming and increasing water eutrophication have intensified harmful cyanobacterial blooms [1], which characterize significant production of biomass over a short period of time [2]. Cyanobacterial blooms present a real hazard to the health of humans, animals and functioning of aquatic biocenoses due to the ability of cyanobacteria to production of numerous biologically active (bioactive) secondary metabolites [3,4,5]. Cyanobacteria and their compounds are of growing global concern. Gogle Schoolar database contains over 421,000 records for ‘cyanobacteria’ and over 17,000 for ‘cyanotoxins’ at the present time
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