Abstract

HERRERA, Natalia Andrea; FLOREZ, María Teresa  and  ECHEVERRI, Luis Fernando. Preliminary assessment of the reduction of microcystin-LR in bloom samples through sedimentary systems. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2015, vol.31, n.4, pp.405-414. ISSN 0188-4999.

Among toxins produced by cyanobacteria, the microcystins are the most common livertoxins. High levels of microcystins can persist in the environment for several days, which represents a hazard to human health, and a challenge for drinking water management. In this study, the effect of the interaction of microcystin-LR from a cyanobacterial bloom and sediment was evaluated. A decrease in the concentration of microcystin-LR was detected from the third day, and a decrease to below the detection limit was observed. Water samples without sediment concentration of MC-LR were held constant (5.0 ± 0.1 μg/mL) throughout the test. These results were attributable to a possible adsorption on solid materials or a probable degradation of MC-LR by chemical or biological action. In addition, the data indicate that sediments play an important role in the degradation of microcystins in freshwater systems, providing relevant information that could be applied to management strategies for improving water quality in lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies.

Keywords : cyanotoxines; sediments; freshwater; cyanobacteria.